Santorini has always been one of those romantic destinations I have always dreamed of visiting. Just as I knew it would, Santorini island took my breath away instantly.
I loved everything from the white dome churches, the winding stone paths on the cliffs edge and the open blue ocean that surrounded us. Here are our best recommendations on what to do in Santorini, Greece’s most romantic Island.
Being a first timer to Santorini I wanted to make sure our accomodation was somewhere with a great location with sunset views and reasonably priced. In Santorini the 3 main areas to stay are Oia, Imerovigli and Fira. Oia being the most popular and more pricey location, Imerovigli which is less crowded with tourists and has views of Skaros Rock and Fira which has the most nightlife and places to eat. While we were living in London I researched the best location to stay that would provide great sunset views. The majority of web search suggested Imerovigli.
How to get to Santorini?
Santorini is a small island of the Aegean Sea and is one of the most visited islands in Greece. Because Santorini is an Island you are limited in options of how to get to Santorini.
Plane: You can take a direct flight from Athens to Santorini’s airport JTR. The flight from Athens direct to Santorini takes approximately 40 minutes.
Ferry: Ferries depart to Santorini from the other Greek Islands. From Athens Piraeus Port you can take ferry boat which takes 8 hours or the High-Speed ferry which takes only 5 hours but is more expensive. The departures are frequent and the ferries are extremely enjoyable and comfortable. The ferries come with TV’s, cafes, bars, power points and an upstairs deck where you have breathtaking view of the caldera as you reach Santorini. Main ferry companies are SeaJets, Hellenic Seaways, and Minoan Lines ferries.
Where to stay in Santorini?
Imerovigli
Imerovigli is a village on the western side of the island just to the north of Fira. It is famous for its beautiful sunsets known as the balcony to the Aegean. The cliff top setting gives you uninterrupted views over a trio of volcanic islets. There are many lovely churches in the area, all made in the Cycladic architectural style. The accommodation, bars and restaurants are built amphitheatrically around the caldera and is crossed by narrow paved paths. Located in front is Skaros Rock, is a rocky headland that once housed a 13th century castle but now serves as a great climb and a great spot to admire the sunset. Here we discovered the cutest small white church with great undisturbed views of the ocean. Imerovigli is host to many restaurants, accommodation and is a great option if overcrowded Oia isn’t your thing. Also staying in Imerovigli you can watch clear views of the sunset from your accomodation where in Oia you cannot.
Surely the most impressive side of Santorini is the caldera. Luxury hotels in Santorini are located on the top of these hills offering amazing views over the sea and the submerged volcano. The wonderful white villages that line the edge of the caldera offer many accommodation types. Oia is certainly the most picturesque villages of Santorini and an ideal place for honeymooners. Imerovigli is also very romantic and calm, with great views of the volcano and the sea. Fira, the capital of Santorini, is the busiest spot of the island and nice to stay if you want to be in the centre of activities. A Santorini hotel may vary in range and facilities, from super luxurious resorts to budget places.
If you want to spend big then booking a luxury hotel with private pool and spa is also an option. Prices can vary from 35 euros a night up to 10,000 + euros. We didn’t want to spend over our budget but still wanted a room with a view. However did treat ourself to a moderately priced luxury room for Santorini prices.
Andronikis Hotel
After researching online we decided to stay at Andronikos Hotel. We booked for 3 nights and had our own private room facing the ocean with our own jacuzzi at the front. There was no main pool but we were happy with our own private jacuzzi were we watched the sunset and enjoyed a glass of wine. We had breakfast included and the breakfast was delicious. Champagne breakfast was included every morning at Blue Buddha Restaurant. There was a wide variety of choice for breakfast. Plate one was either fresh fruit or yoghurt and muesli. Second plate we chose a waffle with chocolate and banana which was just so delicious and the third option we finished with a greek style omelette with feta, ham, tomato and olives. You could choose from any style eggs, scrambled, poached or fried.
To book with Andronikos Hotel click HERE.
COST- 518 euros per night
Where to eat in Imerovigli?
If your staying in Imerovigli, there are many restaurants that serve different cuisine scattered all along the pathways. When we didn’t feel like going all the way to Oia we ate at Blue Note and also Mezza who served beautiful italian cuisine. There is also a smoothie take away shop located at the bottom of Mezza that we would often get a niece cold smoothie.
What to do in Santorini?
Santorini doesn’t have to be about blue domes and expensive luxury resorts. It has so much more to offer including learning about the history, exploring the volcanic landscape or watching the sunset from then comfort of a wooden boat. With only 3 nights on this incredible Island, we set out to see and do as much as we could. Here you will find our best recommendations on what to do in Santorini.
Have fun on a quad bike and explore Santorini
We wanted to see as much of the island as we could in the 3 days we were there and hiring a quad bike was the best way to explore the island. Located down the road from where we were staying we found Jimmys Hire. We paid 40 euros a day to hire the quad bike which was cheaper than a car and way more fun. One morning we woke up to find our fuel had been siphoned out. It happened 2 nights in a row from in front our hotel. Top Tip- Make sure if you do hire a quad bike or scooter that you can park over night in a private carpark that is secured so you don’t get fuel stolen.
The first morning it happened we woke up early to take sunrise photos and our quad broke down. We instantly knew what had happened because we had fuelled up that night with a full tank. Luckily for us we broke down just down the road and in front of a vacant paddock were we could still take photos of the sunrise. We drove all the way to Perissa beach one day passing villages that grew there own grapes for wine and passing many cute small towns along the way.
Sun bake at Black Sand beach
Black Sand beach in Perissa is a 30 minute scenic ride from Fira. My map took us the long way which worked to our advantage as we drove through small villages viewing where where all the wine is grown for the wineries. Like the name suggests, Black sand beach is made up of small black pebbles which are actually black volcanic rock. The day was overcast so we didn’t stay for long but we still went for a swim. The beach offers deck chairs and across the road are some small cafes and bars.
Get lost exploring beautiful Oia
One of the most picturesque locations on Santorini and is one of the best things to do in Santorini.. The village is also situated on top of an impressive cliff and offers a spectacular view over the volcano of Palia and Nea Kameni and the island of Thirassia. Oia is situated on the north of the island, 11 km away from Fira. It is a traditional village with charming houses in narrow streets, blue domed churches, and sun-bathed verandas. Its streets have plenty of tourist shops, taverns, cafes and ice creameries. There are many popular Instagram spots located here.
Hike up Skaros Rock for sunset
Just a few steps down from Imerovigli you can see Skaros Rock. The views are breathtaking and the hike up the top is even better. Only a short 20 minutes we recommend doing the hike first thing in the morning when theres less crowds and the temperature isn’t to hot. We climbed up before breakfast at 7:30 am and we were the only ones there. The walk can be rocky so we recommend wearing sneakers and comfortable clothes. Most of the way its steps but when you reach the rock its more of a climb. When we got to the top we flew our drone and captured footage of all the buildings on the cliffs edge. On the way down we spotted a white roof and went to discover that it was an old church. It was a great setting to take photos of us climbing on the roof.
Go on a Sunset Yacht Cruise
A great way to see more of the coast line was to do a yacht cruise. Our hotel manager Chris at reception recommend this tour for us. Pick up was at 2:40pm in an air-conditioned van which then transported us and other guests down to the marina to board our 44 foot catamaran. There was 18 guests in total on the cruise ranging in all different ages and nationalities.
We had a lovely meal cooked for us which consisted of fresh fish, grilled chicken, prawns, spaghetti and salad with your choice of unlimited soft drink, wine and beer. Activities included swimming off Red Sand Beach, White Sand beach and swimming at the famous hot springs. The hot springs were not as hot as anticipated however they were still warm and should be called “warm Springs”. Afterwards we made our way past the light house and into the water off Oia were we anchored for the sunset. It was beautiful to watch all the boats come together on the horizon. We all got to sip on a mojito or margarita and just be in awe of the pinky orange sky. Once the sun had sunk into the horizon we dis-embarked off the boat at Oia and were then transported back to our hotels.
Be amazed over the famous white washed churches
There are many lovely white churches scattered around the island. Although Santorini is a rather small island it is overrun with religious monuments including chapels, churches and monasteries that are scattered throughout its various villages. Some are tiny chapels dug into the rock whitewashed with blue domes on the roof. Others are remarkable cathedrals and glorious monasteries that stand out for their majestic characteristics. Yet each and every church is attuned to the rest of the island and notable for its delicate construction. There are both Orthodox and Catholic churches, Basilica and byzantine cross types. Below is a list of our favourite churches we visited.
THREE BELLS OF FIRA
One of the most photographed spots in Santorini are the Three Bells of Fira, you will find on every postcard of Santorini. You can see it from the narrow pathways on the cliffs of Fira or you can walk to the top where the car park is. Most photos are taken from the car park. Me and Max actually climbed onto the roof but we don’t advise you to do the same because I don’t think its allowed.
BLUE DOMES OF OIA
Another iconic postcard shot of the island is the Three Blue Domes of Oia. As you walk along the main marble streets of Oia back from the castle, look for a ritzy looking jewellery store on the main street. Walk down the alley towards the water and you’ll see the domes as you look out over the caldera. There will most likely be crowds all waiting to get a photo. We stumbled on it accidentally trying to get away from the busy main pathways. In this photo we actually took it from the other side and it was less busy.
CHAPEL OF AGIOS IOANNIS
This was the abandoned family church that we found while walking down Skaros Rock. The Chapel of Agios Ioannis Apokefalistheis, is situated on the North side of Skaros rock near Imerovigli. It was super hard to find any information about this old chapel. Its an easy hike from Imerovigli, although just allow a few hours to hike across Skaros Rock and then on the opposite side of the rock facing the ocean is where you will find it. We had the place all to ourselves and it looked like not many tourists visited this church.
Watch a sunset in Oia
If you want to enjoy the sunset at Oia you must arrive at least 30 min before the sun goes down to find the best spot to watch it. Oia is the most popular place for sunset watching and can get very busy. Try to stand on a higher location for the best view. We found a small abandoned brick cave just under the old ruins of Oia. Here we had great views of the sunset and didn’t have to put up with the crowds. It was definitely worth the climb up. Another option is to make a reservation at a restaurant and enjoy a meal and the sunset.
That concludes our Santorini Guide on our best recommendations on What to do in Santorini. We will be back to visit Santorini again!…. Maybe for our honeymoon:) We hope you enjoyed reading our blog and we hope that you fall in love with Santorini like we did.
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If romantic islands aren’t your thing than maybe you would rather be surrounded by incredible mountains with hiking, waterfalls and lakes? If so, check out our blog ” How to spend 48 hours in Zakopane” here.
