Santorini Travel Guide
After spending some time in Athens we flew to Santorini for the second segment of our Honeymoon. I was most excited for Santorini and the blue domes, gorgeous views, and wandering around Oia. Keep reading if you want to know all the details of my Santorini Travel Guide!
Where to stay
- Oia: Fileria. We stayed at the Fileria suites which are located in the heart of Oia on the opposite side of the main path. This is the perfect option if you are looking for luxury and convenience on a budget. Our room was beautiful, spacious, and we even had a little view of the water from our balcony. The (free) Greek breakfast they served in your room every day still lives in my dreams! It was phenomenal, the portions were large and you just left your request the night before and they would bring it to your room and set it up where you wanted – inside or outside! Also, the TV had Netflix which was an unexpected comfort. We ended up using it and enjoying it more than we expected. We could easily stop by the room to freshen up or relax and loved having Netflix for our lazy moments. The staff was so helpful and attentive. 10/10 recommendation for the hotel!
- Oia: Filotera. If you are seeking more of a luxurious stay in Oia with the infinity pools, sweeping caldera views, and cave rooms then I recommend Fileria’s sister hotel, Filotera. Filotera is located directly in front of Fileria on the main path of Oia.
- Imerovigli: Andromeda Villas, Senses Boutique Hotel
- Thera: Day Dream Luxury Suites, Anamnesis Spa Luxury Apartments
- Akrotiri: Apanemo, Acroterra Rosa Luxury Suites and Spa
- Airbnb: Once you decide on a location to stay in Santorini, there is no shortage of spectacular airbnbs in each area!
A quick note about where to stay and the geography of Santorini
Oia is the famous cliffside town and home to those gorgeous blue domes. It is on the northernmost tip of the Island. This is the main attraction and, typically, the most expensive area to stay in. Oia’s main path is a tile and cobblestone walking path with the road just on the other side. We stayed in Oia because I did not want to bother with ATVs, I wanted to be able to walk out of our hotel and be in the midst of everything, since our excursions had transportation built in.
Imerovigli sits in between Oia and Thera on the coastline. It has stunning views, upscale accommodations and restaurants and it has the convenience of proximity to both Oia and Thera. Imerovigli can also be accessed on the Thera to Oia hike. If we didn’t choose to stay in Oia, Imerovigli was my next choice.
Thera (or Fira or Thira) is the capital of Santorini and is the most touristy in my opinion. It sits in the middle of the island on the west coast. The airport and ferry port are nearby making it a convenient option for traveling to and from the island, as well as within the island. Thera is positioned centrally between Oia and Akrotiri.
Akrotiri is on the southernmost tip of the island and is often regarded as the most romantic and private of the different towns. If you are seeking ultimate privacy and beauty Akrotiri is the spot for you! Nearby is the Akrotiri Archeological Site offering a look into the ruins of the ancient city.
These are just the main areas to stay in, however, there are many more options and smaller areas of Santorini to fall in love with!
How to get around
- Car transfers to/from airport and hotel – Welcome Pickups
- Metro/Bus: The bus system is quite easy and convenient on Sanotrini servicing the major towns. Routes take a little longer than a private car but the fare is inexpensive.
- Hire a private car or taxi: Uber and Lyft are NOT available. I do not recommend renting a car for yourself due to the narrow roads, but you could easily take a private tour or taxi.
- ATV: Renting ATVs to ride around the island is very popular with tourists. However, I would not have done it myself. The roads are very narrow and many of them follow the cliffside. I would not recommend relying on ATVs to get around if you are not familiar driving them or driving in that kind of environment.
- Walk: Since we stayed in Oia we had no problem walking everywhere within the town. The pathways can be quite steep so we were thankful to be in a convenient location. We felt comfortable exploring the area knowing that our hotel was within a 20 minute walk almost everywhere we went. Any activities we booked had transportation included so we had nothing to worry about!
- Ferry: The ferry port (Anthinios) is just south of Thera on the west side of the island. We used FerryHopper to book our ferry to Mykonos.
- Fly: The airport (JTR), is technically in Thera, but on the east side of the island. The flight from Athens to Santorini was easy, quick, and fairly inexpensive making it a convenient choice for us over taking the ferry into Santorini.
Where to eat (Oia)
- We didn’t have a single bad meal in Oia, let alone on our entire trip in Greece! Part of the fun of staying in Oia is getting lost on the winding paths of the cliffside and exploring restaurants as you go. It’s such a magical place, take advantage of unplugging and being free as you walk along instead of trying overbooking yourself with reservations.
- Fanari Villas: This hotel and restaurant has stunning sunset view overlooking Ammoudi Bay. We were able to see the sail boats in the bay and other parts of the town from our table. Ask for a “front line table” when you make a reservation to get a table closest to the edge. We made our reservation about 45 minutes before sunset so that we could enjoy all of the beautiful colors while we were eating.
- Lolita’s Gelato: Iconic gelato shop where you can fix your sweet tooth any time of the day!
- Meteor Cafe: Cutest little coffee shop and bar cafe. Stunning views from the balcony and a quaint relaxed aesthetic inside and out. The perfect place to grab a bite and rest from walking around.
- Lycabettus: Perhaps the most stunning view in all of Oia. This restaurant has prime real estate due to its patio area jutting out over the cliffside so that there are panoramic views on three sides.
What to do
- Take a sunset cruise or sailing trip around the island. We went with Santorini Yachting Club and it was phenomenal. They picked us up at the hotel in an air conditioned shuttle and dropped us off at the port in Akrotiri. While we waited to get our group organized there was a little concession stand to buy water, sunscreen, etc in case you forgot. The entire process was very streamlined and they got us on the correct boat quickly. We did a short debrief and safety overview with the crew and then we were off! There were about 10 other people on the boat (coincidentally all couples). The 4.5 hour trip went around the island and included swimming stops, wine, food, and a view of the sunset just outside of Ammoudi bay, where we were dropped off and shuttled back to the hotel.
- Visit Akrotiri and the Akrotiri Archeological Site.
- Spend a day at one of the beaches like: Perissa, Kamari, Perivolos, Vlychada, Agios Georgios, and more!
- Get lost in the town of Oia
- Go swimming at Ammoudi Bay
- Do the Fira to Oia hike
- Visit a winery like: Santo Wines, Venetsanos Winery, Art Space Winery, Gaia Wines
- Lounge around and enjoy the stunning views!
Itinerary
We flew into Santorini and had an easy ride and drop off at our hotel in Oia, Fileria Suites. The amazing staff took care of our bags, quickly checked us in, and tried to accommodate our slightly early arrival time.
We wandered to the main path of Oia for the first time and enjoyed lunch with incredible views. Shortly after lunch, our room was ready. After freshening up, we headed back onto the town. We walked almost the entirety of the path, stopping to take pictures at a photo spot for the blue domes. As we enjoyed the views we took note of some other photo spots along the way.
We had to step into the coolest bookstore ever, before snagging a spot near the Oia Kastle to watch the sunset.
We enjoyed the most delicious room service breakfast before heading out a bit early to some of the photo spots we noted the day before. Afterwards, we relaxed in Meteor Cafe with some iced coffee while we chatted with a few people. We headed back to the room to relax for a bit before our sunset cruise with Santorini Yachting! After the cruise we got dropped off in Ammoudi bay and shuttled up to our hotel where we decided to enjoy the Oia views at night. We got gelato from Kayak and sat on the sidewalk and people watched before heading to bed.
After another incredible breakfast (I still dream about it!) We hit the town with the goal of getting souvenirs and exploring further off the main path. We stopped in many shops and enjoyed talking to as many locals as we could. Then we headed home to freshen up and relax in bed before our sunset dinner at Fanari Villas.
We got dressed up and took a leisurely walk to the restaurant stopping to take pictures along the way (literally everything there is a photo op!) At the restaurant we were seated immediately and greeted with one of the most spectacular views of Ammoudi Bay. Food was delicious, view was stunning, what more could you ask for? On the way back through town we enjoyed the twilight hour, where it wasn’t dark yet but the town had turned on all their lights. We had to stop for Kayak gelato again before getting cocktails and heading home.
We enjoyed a lazy morning with breakfast and our last glimpses of the view before checking out and heading to Mykonos. The hotel had our transportation arranged to the port. They were right on time, took care of our luggage, and dropped us off at the Anthinios port in Thera. Our ferry was a bit late and the whole experience was a little hectic. There isn’t a ton of shade to stand under while you wait, and then when the ferry arrives everyone drags their bags up into the ferry at the same time. Once we found our seats we saw that we could move around, get food and drinks, use the bathroom, and go out on the back deck.
Once we docked in Mykonos it was another mad dash to grab bags and scurry off the ferry, but our hotel shuttle was there waiting for us at Mykonos Port! We were sad to leave Santorini but were excited for a different and beachier vibe.
I truly believe that Santorini is one of those places that you will never be able to get enough of. I could easily spend a week wandering in Oia let alone in around all the other gems the island has to offer. Hopefully, I can return many times and explore different parts, but I don’t know if my heart will ever be satisfied. It is just magical.
I hope you enjoyed all the details of our Santorini trip. Check out my Mykonos Travel Guide for the next stop!
