Want to find out the best things to do in Santorini, the most beautiful island in the world? The island is worldwide famous for the breathtaking caldera views, the magical sunset, the fascinating architecture, the exquisite gastronomy, and of course its volcano. Here, the best things to do in Santorini to get the most out of your holiday.
Things to do in Santorini – Love the colors
Discover the charm of the traditional villages such as Megalochori, Emporio. Experience the most romantic sunsets in Oia, but be aware that it is too crowded during the high season. We recommend the lighthouse in Akrotiri or from Pyrgos village while sipping a glass of wine from “Franco’s Café”. However, it is a fact that on Palm Sunday, as you are going up to the top of the medieval Kasteli (castle) in Pyrgos, you will overcome with emotion.
Firostefani and Imerovigli villages are also good options. If you need assistance, we are glad to escort you through a private tour or a tailor-made tour, they are fun and very well organized. They provide high-quality services and at the same time with affordable prices. You will have a great experience to see lots of the island and to meet some locals and why not to visit some houses from inside owned by locals. The best things to do in Santorini is to choose various tours to mix and match, creating the ultimate experience: Aroma of Santorini. Traditional Santorini, Hidden villages -They are all great!!!
Enjoy each step in Santorini
You love Santorini hiking tours? So, in this case, it’s a must!!! Santorini is a wonderful place for hiking. In fact … it’s a small island. There are so many things to explore on this fascinating volcanic land and walking is one of the best things to do in Santorini to really get to know the island. Definitely, it’s a beautiful way to spend a day. Hiking and walking are among the best things to do in Santorini- a guarantee for a good sleep at night!!!
Sunny days are great for hiking from Fira to Oia Village, especially if you enjoy long walks. You’ll have the chance to see the Caldera in all its splendor, observe the unique architecture of the communities around its rim, and take in the natural beauty of the area, including native plants and volcanic rocks, along the way. It takes roughly four hours to complete this hike. To avoid the heat, start this trip early in the morning or late in the afternoon to catch the sunset. If you are observant – but also lucky – you will see partridges and wild rabbits on your way. Highly recommended!!!
You can also enjoy a walk to the nearby villages. Emporio village hiking is a unique tour. First, it’s the best option to stay away from the crowds. Discover not only the real beauty of Santorini but also the breathtaking views of our hiking tours. Second, learn the Island’s culture. It features stunning views of green valleys, cows, and donkeys. In that way, you will explore Santorini from a different angle. By choosing this hiking tour, you will visit three representatives through other villages: Pyrgos, Potamos and Emporio. You will also enjoy a Greek coffee or soft drinks in one of the two traditional cafes in Emporio village
Wake up your senses-activate your palate
In Santorini, life is lived to the maximum. Another thing that every tourist must know about this island is that it has incredible wine! Have experience of one of the best things to do in Santorini by joining a wine tour. Wander around one of the world’s most ancient vineyards.
Visit wineries famous because of their wines and their new sites and enjoy some of the best wines, that are perfectly matched with unique local delicacies. Follow us into the game of senses and experience life at its fullest, in Santorini island. Our wine tour, will take you back in time, as we walk through the same alleys that pirates used to rattle their efforts to steal Vinsanto wine.
Suppose you’re thinking of bringing your partner here. In that case, you should consider booking a wine tour in Santorini in the evening when the island gets really romantic with the sunset colors.
Taste local cuisine is one of the best things to do in Santorini
Are you a food enthusiast trying to find an immersive experience into the local cuisine?
A chef wanting to determine more about the essence of Greek artisanal cooking?
If yes, Santorini cooking class is your ticket to an authentic experience guided by a local chef. It is one of the top things to do in Santorini. You will get to understand essential information about local products and their importance to contemporary cuisine. Discover the fresh, seasonal ingredients that stimulate locals and learn secret cooking techniques. Island delicacies worth tasting include fava, pseftokedes, chloro cheese, and famous wine. Forget the calories, you are on vacation.
Open sails – Feel the breeze
Sailing on a catamaran is one of the best things to do in Santorini. The majority of Catamaran trips are 5 hours of sheer pleasure. It is the ideal option for a cruise with fewer passengers and, at the same time, a reasonable price for what they provide.
All transfers are covered; the Catamaran sails to the Red and White Beaches, which are inaccessible by car. From the water, you’ll be able to see the Venetian lighthouse, and in the meantime, they’ll be sailing beneath the Indian cliffs, passing through caves and rock formations.
Other marine activities, such as snorkeling in the sea, sunbathing, or simply savoring the sumptuous meals served on board, are available in the morning or on a sunset sailing tour around the volcano. What are the best things to do or do in Santorini? It’s not about what you do, but about how you experience it! Jump into the crystal water, what are you waiting for? Need a push?
Destroy your white swimming suit
A volcano tour is an effective way to lose yourself in the rich volcanic history of the island. The daily excursion to both Palia and Nea Kameni is the perfect activity for those keen to participate in exciting activities. Get the adrenaline rush of hiking up the famous volcano and swim in the healing waters of hot springs.
Several boat tours allow you to swim in the therapeutic waters due to sulfide geothermal wells in this area. Avoid to put on a white swimming suit, unless you want to have another color. This site is characterized as “a natural monument and a place of both historic and special natural beauty.”
A tale as old the time
We have to admit that we travel to Santorini to see the magnificent views and its unique Caldera. However, the island has so much culture and history to tell, so many places and traditions to discover. So the best thing to do in Santorini is to meet the real Santorini. If you would like to find a different Santorini or learn about the island`s food plants from people who love Mother Earth, a visit to Yiannis Nomikos Estate is a must!
The building on the property of Canava Santorini offers a fascinating little snapshot of life in Santorini during the late 19th century and early 20th century.
Explore one of the most important Tomato Factory that existed on the island. Once upon a time tour is the best way of exploring more than one property.
Travel into history of Santorini
Santorini has many hidden treasures. If you travel to Santorini, you will explore the remains of the ancient Minoan Bronze-Age village. The prehistoric site is the most interesting historical site on Santorini and very well preserved. A visit to Akrotiri’s site is the best thing to do in Santorini. The ash from the 1613 BC volcanic eruption buried this prehistoric town, preserving it for posterity.
The prehistoric town at Akrotiri expands our knowledge of the Aegean civilization. The number of exhibits found is unique thanks to the volcanic ash that covered and preserved the city. Some essential finds are also exhibited, and you can admire them at the Museum of Prehistoric Thera in Fira. Santorini has many hidden treasures. If you travel to Santorini, don’t miss Santorini panoramic to show you this island differently and learn about its rich history.
Best things to do in Santorini for entertainment
The Greek wedding show at “The White Door” theater. Live music, Actors, Dancers, Singers, Musicians … and you! An amazing interactive musical. Something different than anything you ever saw! Plenty of wine, live music and Greek mezedes … breaking plates it’s a must!! If you love the Mediterranean kitchen, many taverns are serving grilled meat, pizza restaurants, souvlaki shops, and cafes.
You can try local dishes, ouzo, and wines with a breathtaking view of the volcano, as well as cuisine from other parts of Greece and the world. Agaze restaurant in Pyrgos is a blast of subtle elements: vintage aura, passion for Greece, attention for details, a fine selection of local ingredients.
All blended with harmony, taste, and wonder. Alisachni art & wine gallery is a multi-space that mixes the fine arts with the art of wine and, therefore, the gastronomy of Greek cuisine. In the gallery, the visitor will see paintings and sculptures by the painter Natassa Nikoletou, owner, who also houses her workshop, even as many other Greek artists, sculptors, potters, and painters. It is housed in a traditional 200-year-old building within the picturesque village Megalochori.
Thalami restaurant is located at the most central spot of the famous Caldera in Oia, Santorini. In a unique setting overlooking the volcano, you will enjoy many unique flavors of our traditional Greek cuisine and the freshest seafood, Savvas Popeye in Perivolos where you will find fresh fish, homemade Greek cuisine, and seafood delicacies. Aelos restaurant in Akrotiri, great food and hearty hospitality. Genuine Greek dishes and international favourites.
Best things to do in Santorini at night
Nightlife in Santorini is seasonal and is intended for visitors, especially the younger ones. Fira, in particular, buzzes with bars and discotheques in the summer. Santorini responded with great facility to the demand for this kind of entertainment, brought with them by the tourists. There were available the spacious areas in and around the old cellars that were converted in the twinkling of an eye nightlife centers along western lines. Today, there are several bars with taped music, a disco, and other nightspots.
The “bouzouki,” the instrument most closely associated with nightlife in Greece as portrayed in the cinema and elsewhere, took a long time to make its appearance in Santorini. There are, however, night clubs with bouzouki music today. It is also possible to find clubs where Greek traditional dance and music can be seen and heard.
Mama Mia
If you’re on a trip to this island, then one o the best things to do in Santorini is to watch a movie under the stars and the blue sky at Kamari’s open-air Cinema. The Kamari outdoors Cinema, or Cine Kamari, is an open-air cinema located at the Kamari town entrance. It’s an extraordinarily original and friendly place to look at a movie.
You’ll see movies in English (subtitled in Greek) nightly from May to October; the movie starts at 21h30. It costs 8€ per person. There’s also a full bar with cocktails, light snacks, refreshments, and ice cream.
Dive into the blue
Fans of diving will be treated to a truly unique marine environment, mostly thanks to the volcanic activity on and around Santorini. The most popular dive sites are around Palea and Nea Kameni and the caldera`s sheer underwater sports. Equipment is available at the all the centers but we learned diving at Santorini Dive Center and we Love them!!!
Find more, at: divecenter.gr
Every Beach is a stage – Best things to do in Santorini
Swimming in the refreshing and revitalizing sea water is among the best things to do in Santorini. The Island is surrounded by fabulous beaches, with something for everybody. Perhaps the most breathtaking of them all is Vlyhada. Its charm doesn’t end with its stunning cliffs and generous expanse of sand affording welcome isolation; there’s also a great beach bar. If you are trying to find something a little bit more lively, head a bit further north to Perissa and Perivolos, where the crowd is young. There are many bars and cafes. Beyond there to Kamari, a tourist hot spot with every kind of store along the coastal road.
Above here, head to Monolithos for a family-friendly beach with shallows and a lifeguard on duty.
Suppose you turn west rather than north as you leave Vlyhada. In that case, you will pass Red beach first (unfortunately closed because of the falling rocks), then White beach, both stunning stretches of coast near Akrotiri’s site. Continuing west, you will reach Mesa Pigadia with its impressive rock formations and excavated shelters.
At the other end of the island are the beaches of Koloumbo, Pori, and Baxedes, which is particularly popular with families and windsurfers.
Feel the magical water
At Perivolos Beach, water sports establishments offer extreme sports enthusiasts adrenaline-pumping activities and enjoyable water games. Furthermore, you have a wide range of possibilities, including parasailing, wave runner boats, and wakeboards, as well as canoeing, kayaking, sea bicycles, and more.
All water sports centers are licensed, and their knowledgeable personnel will assist you in making memories on the island. So, what exactly are you waiting for? The call of adventure is calling to you!
Useful Information:
How to get there
By ferryboat:
Ferries leave Piraeus daily to Santorini (distance 130 nautical miles). The trip lasts from 5 (speed boat) to 8 hours (liner boat). For information about ferry schedules from Piraeus to Santorini, call the Piraeus port authority (210 4511311)
By plane:
Santorini is linked with Athens by daily flights. The flights take about 40 minutes. Also, there are direct flights between Mykonos, Heraklion, Rhodes, and Santorini. In contrast, many charter flights connect the island with major European cities. Santorini airport is about 7 kilometers from the capital Fira. Buses carry passengers to and from the airport.
Inter-island connections:
Ferries connect Santorini regularly with the following islands: Ios, Naxos, Paros, Syros, Sikinos, Folegandros, Sifnos, Kimolos, Milos, Mykonos, and Crete. For information, call the harbormaster at Santorini (22860 22239).
Staying on the island
Accommodation:
Accommodation is available in a wide range of hotels, pensions, guest houses, furnished apartments, and rented houses and rooms. There are divided into five categories and are to be found in all the large villages on Santorini. There are also two campsites, one in Fira and the other at Perissa.
For a stay in a charming, friendly hotel, the Apanemo hotel has not only a breathtaking view of the caldera, but it has reasonable prices.
Getting around the island
There are buses between all the villages on Santorini. There are also some Taxis (22860 22555) and several rent-a-car or rent motorbike agencies.
