Santorini is probably the most famous greek island, with millions of tourists every year and hundreds of things to see and do. In my Santorini travel blog, I want to show you the secrets of Santorini and how you can make the best of your time on this beautiful greek island. But Santorini can also feel like a tourist trap if you don’t really know where to go and how to find the best places to eat or the best things to do. There is definitely more to the island than just a sunset in Oia or shopping at Fira. This is my Santorini Travel Guide and my Santorini Secrets! All my handpicked guides and reviews will give you all the tools you need for a perfect trip to Santorini and the rest of the greek islands.
Make sure you also visit my other travel blogs and guides: Mykonos Travel Guide, Crete Travel Guide and Athens Travel Guide.
RECOMMENDED WEBSITES FOR GREECE:
Booking.com is the website with the most available rooms and Private Villas in Athens, Santorini , Mykonos & Crete (more than Airbnb!)
DirectFerries is the best website to book your ferry tickets or check the timetables for Santorini, Mykonos , Crete & all greek islands
Get Your Guide has the best and largest variety of Tours in Athens and the greek islands (Santorini, Mykonos, Crete etc)
Rentalcars is the easiest way to rent a car or a quad for Greece with thousands of available options
Expedia has all the available flights to and from the greek islands
🛏️ Santorini Hotels
- Best Hotels in Santorini
(these are simply the most impressive) - Best Villas in Santorini
(these can fit more than 6 people) - Best Honeymoon Hotels in Santorini
(they all have the romantic factor) - Best Cheap Hotels in Santorini
(all very decent and clean) - Best Beach Hotels in Santorini
(perfect for families and seniors, but no views) - Best Private Pools in Santorini
(some of the most impressive in the world) - Best Hotels in Fira
(Fira is the capital of the island and transport hub) - Best Hotels in Oia
(Oia is considered the most romantic of all towns) - Best Hotels in Imerovigli
(Imerovigli is the less known town but equally beautiful with amazing new hotels) - Best Hotels in Pyrgos Santorini
Pyrgos is the best alternative area to stay in Santorini with stunning sunset views and no crowds - Best Hotels in Perissa & Perivolos beaches
Perivolos and Perissa are the famous black beach of Santorini, and they offer much more affordable accommodation options - Best Hotels in Kamari
Kamari is the second most famous beach in Santorini and it’s ideal for families as there are lots of cafes, restaurants and beach bars - Best Airbnb in Santorini
(but bear in mind all of those and even more are on Booking.com) - Best Cave Hotels in Santorini
(these are the most impressive and most romantic hotels on the island)
🗺️ Santorini How To’s
- Where To Stay in Santorini
The area you stay on the island can make or break your holidays - Where To Stay in Santorini for Honeymoon
There are some areas and hotels that are ideal for honeymooners so this list is handy - Oia or Fira: which one is the best place to stay in Santorini
Fira is the capital of the island but Oia is super cute. This ultimate comparison will help you out decide where to stay - Best Time to Visit Santorini
Not every month of the year is the same - Things to Know Before Planning A Trip To Santorini
ATMs, credits cards, supermarkets and other useful info for the island - How Many Days Do You Really Need in Santorini
Would 3 days be enough or you need more than a week? - How To Get From Athens To Santorini
Everything you need to know about ferries and planes - How To Get From Mykonos To Santorini
The 2 most famous greek islands are actually well connected - How To Get From Crete to Santorini
Crete is very close to Santorini and a daytrip is possible - How To Get Around in Santorini
All you need to know about buses, quads, care rentals, taxis etc - Mykonos vs Santorini
The greek island comparison battle (best hotels, restaurants and which one is for whom) - 24 hours in Santorini
What you should see and do if you only have one day in Santorini or you are coming to the island from a cruise ship - Santorini Bus Schedule
Buses are cheap and reliable on the island - Santorini in the Winter: What to Expect
Santorini is a very different place between November-April - Santorini Weather per month
It’s not always sunny and warm… - Santorini in January: What to Expect
January is the heart of the winter and the coldest month of the year but it can still be a good time to visit Santorini - Santorini in September: What to Expect
September is probably the best month to visit Santorini weather-wise - Santorini in October: What to Expect
October is the last month of the high season and it’s ideal if you want to avoid the tourist masses or the cruise ships - Santorini in April: What to Expect
April is a quiet month fo the island but the Greek Easter celebrations make it very attractive; you won;t be able to swim in the sea though as the water is still cold - Santorini in May: What to Expect
May in Santorini is one of the best months to visit the island because it’s the shoulder season with less crowds but great weather - Santorini in June: What to Expect
June in Santorini is summer in full throttle with excellent warm weather but with less crowds; it’s without a doubt a great month to visit the island - Santorini Italy
A complete guide to the famous greek island that…is NOT in Italy! 😂
🏖️ Things To Do in Santorini
- Best Things To Do in Santorini
32 really unique things you can do while on the island - Best Things To Do in Santorini for Couples
These are the most romantic things you can do in Santorini - Best Wineries in Santorini
Wine tasting is by far one of the best things you can do on the island - Best Things to Do in Oia
Watching the famous sunset is not the only thing you can do in this beautifule town - Best Things to Do in Pyrgos Santorini
Pyrgos provides an alternative side of the island with some very interesting activities and places to visit - Best Restaurants in Santorini
These are some of the most impressive restaurants in Europe - Akrotiri Santorini Prehistoric City: All You Need to Know
Akrotiri prehistoric Archaeological Site is one of the most impressive cultural attractions in Santorini and in Greece - Santos Winery
An honest review of one of the most famous wineries on the island with its magnificent terrace and local selection of wines - Most Romantic Restaurants in Santorini
Dinners overlooking the sea and the volcano. Nothing beats that… - Best Santorini Boat Tours
There are lots of options for a boat tour on Santorini, from a cheap one that will take you to the basics to a luxury private yacht tour with bbq on board. - Best Sunset Cruises in Santorini
A volcano cruise can easily be the highlight of your trip - Best Greek Islands Near Santorini
You can do some great daytrips having Santorini as your base - Best Nightlife in Santorini
The island is not only about honeymooners and you will be missing a lot if you don’t visit these awesome clubs and bars - Best Beach Clubs in Santorini
This is a handy list of the best beach clubs and beach bars you can find on the island with Google Maps directions and their Instagram pages - Best Tours in Santorini
There are hundreds of unique tours you can easily book online - Best Santorini Beaches
Santorini is not famous for its beaches but their volcanic pebbles make them very unique - Santorini Tomato Museum: All You Need to Know
A beautifully restored old cherry tomato factory in Vlychada is now an impressive museum and the best cultural events centre of the island of Santorini - Best Local Foods in Santorini
The island has a large selection of amazing local produce of meditteranean delicacies - Greek Easter in Santorini
Easter on a greek island is a unique experience that you definitely have to live once. - Pyrgos Santorini
The less known little village of the island with the impressive new hotels and the stunning sunset views
What is Santorini Famous For?
Santorini is arguably the best greek island with millions of tourists every year and some of the most impressive hotels in the world.
Its unique landscape along with its phenomenal views of the volcanic lagoon from its major towns such as Fira, Oia or Imerovigli create a stunning combination that cannot be found elsewhere.
Santorini is visited by many celebrities every year, and it’s easily the first place that comes to mind when someone says the word “Greece”, anywhere in the world.
However, Santorini has to offer more than just incredible views and alien geological formations as the island has some of the most incredible hotels in Europe, and it’s also the home of some of the best wineries in Greece.
Santorini is ideal for any occasion as it’s a very diverse island that has lots of things to do and to see.
It can be perfect for family holidays, for honeymoons, young couples, older couples or even solo travelling and it’s guaranteed you won’t get bored no matter what your situation is.
What is the best month to visit Santorini?
Santorini is very crowded in the months of July and August and I highly recommend you avoid these 2 months.
Having said that, the best month to visit Santorini is either June or September. The sea will be warm enough to swim in it, the weather will be great and the crowds will definitely be better than July and August.
Even the cruise ships are less frequent on the island in June or September.
However, the last few years, even September started to feel like August as the island is literally packed and it struggles to cope with it popularity.
Is Santorini a cheap place to visit?
Santorini is not a cheap place to visit and it is easily one of the most expensive places in Greece and in Europe.
Its growing popularity has made the island a hot spot for celebrities and tourists from all over the world and whenever there is high demand, there are also high prices.
However, there are still opportunities for more affordable holidays in Santorini and my advice to everyone looking to visit Santorini on a budget would be the following:
- avoid staying in areas that have volcano views; these are the most premium hotels and VIP villas
- try to find a room at the beach side areas such as Kamari, Perissa or Perivolos as these are definitely cheaper
- try to use the local buses in Santorini and avoid taking a taxi (there is no Uber in Santorini) or private transfers that your hotel may suggest as these can become very expensive
- lastly, if you can, try to visit the island off season which basically means any month between (and including) November and March; you won’t be able to swim in the beach but you will definitely experience a calmer and quieter island overall
Which is better Santorini or Mykonos?
Santorini is a far more diverse island than Mykonos and it has many more things to do and explore. Here is my detailed post Santorini or Mykonos.
Mykonos has also recently become a rich people’s playground where most celebrities and rich kids spend their holidays in the summer.
Is that a bad thing?
Yes, it is in my opinion because it has completely transformed the demographics of the island and it has skyrocketed the prices of everything (hotels, tours, restaurants).
However, Mykonos is still worth a visit as it is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful greek island with some of the best beaches in Greece.
Santorini, on the other, is ideal for every occasion, and even though it’s indeed equally expensive as Mykonos, it’s a much better island to visit overall.
LATEST NEWS FROM SANTORINI
But…there is more to Greece than just Santorini, so make sure you check my other travel blogs:
- Crete Travel Blog: all you need to know about the largest island in Greece and one of the biggest in the world
- Mykonos Travel Blog: all you need to know about the island with the most amazing beaches in Greece
- Athens Travel Guide: the capital of Greece is a foodie’s and culture lovers’ paradise
- Other destinations in Greece: less known greek islands and destinations to avoid the tourist traps
