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Planning a trip to Santorini requires booking 6 to 8 months in advance. Santorini is a volcanic island in the Cyclades, located in the Aegean Sea (southeastern Europe). You can reach it via a 45-minute flight from Athens or a 5-hour high-speed ferry. The island is divided into two distinct experiences: the expensive caldera cliffside (Oia, Fira, Imerovigli) famous for sunset views, and the budget-friendly eastern coast (Kamari, Perissa) famous for black-sand beaches.
BEST HOTEL IN SANTORINI:San Antonio
BUT ALSO CHECK:
Santorini is unlike any other Greek island, but it’s one of the best.
SEE MORE:
It’s the most visited island in Greece, and it requires some proper planning and research to get the best hotel deals, do all the amazing things that the island offers, and make sure that your flights and ferries to Santorini are properly booked.
Keep reading…
VERY IMPORTANT TO KNOW:
🛏️ Booking.comis the website with the most available rooms and Private Villas in Athens, Santorini , Mykonos & Crete (more than Airbnb!)
⛴️ Ferryhopperis 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)
🚗 Rentalcarsis the easiest way to rent a car or a quad for Greece with thousands of available options
✈️ Booking.com Flights has all the available flights to and from the Greek islands
🚕 Book Your Driver (Taxi) directly with booking.com’s large and safe platform of available certified drivers
Here is what you need to know about Santorini in detail:
Santorini is a small Greek island that has become a popular travel destination worldwide. Many celebrities visit the island yearly, and it has some of the most unique and luxurious hotels on the planet.
Santorini’s official Greek name is Thira or Thera, which is also called Σαντορίνη or Θήρα. You can read everything about Santorini’s fascinating history through the centuries here.
Santorini is in Greece and is located in the southern Aegean Sea, about 200 km (120 miles) southeast of the Greek mainland. It is the southernmost island of the Cyclades group in Greece, Europe (see it on Google Maps):
You have to choose what you want from your trip to Santorini and what is a priority for you.
You have two options:
You can read my super detailed guide: Where to Stay in Santorini
Booking.comis the best site to book hotels for Santorini (and it’s the one that even the Greeks use…). It is super safe, with real reviews and even the possibility to cancel your booking if you change your mind.
Suppose you want the unique views of the caldera and the volcano that Santorini is famous for. In that case, you should stay at Fira, Firostefani, Imerovigli, or Oia…and pay the price, as these are super expensive hotels.
Get prepared for 3-4 figures per night, but also expect to have one of the best views in the world with celebrity-style services.
These are the Top 20 Most Luxurious Hotels of Santorini. These are the 10 Best Hotels in Oia.
Recently, some very impressive hotels have also been built in Akrotiri village. None of these towns is close to the sea, though.
All the hotels there hang from a massive cliff; most have spectacular views and stunning swimming pools. Unfortunately, there is no access to a beach.
However, if you don’t want to stay in any of the places you’ve seen in the tourist guides and you want to relax by the sea, you can stay in the towns of Kamari, Perivolos, or Perissa.
These beachside towns of Santorini have excellent hotels at much more reasonable prices.
If you stay at a beach hotel in Santorini, you get more for your money, but you don’t have the amazing volcano views and sunsets (which you can visit anytime you want, by the way…).
I also recommend looking at the picturesque villages of Emporio and Pyrgos.
Pyrgos has some very nice views on the other side of the island (not the caldera and the volcano, though), and you will enjoy some unique sunsets away from the tourist crowds.
If you are a family with kids, I strongly recommend staying at Kamari Beach. It is the best for kids, with many amenities, restaurants within walking distance, and a massive beach that can be every kid’s dream!
The high season in Santorini starts inApril and ends in October.The island is bustling during these months, but especially in July, August, and September, you will feel the tourist masses…
Read Also: Santorini Weather Guide: What To Expect Every Month
I have visited the island in so many different periods and months within a year, and I figured out what could be the best time to enjoy the most of the island:
The weather will still be fine and not too hot (around 25-30 °C), the sea waters will still be warm (from the summer heat), and most tourists will be gone! Happy Days!
That doesn’t mean there is nobody on the island.
Remember: it’s still Santorini!
June is also a perfect month to visit Santorini because it’s still early summer, the weather is fantastic (though it can get pretty hot with more than 35C sometimes), and the enormous masses of tourists haven’t arrived yet.
I wouldn’t recommend May, though, because even though the weather is still perfect, the sea water will be chilly, and you may not enjoy the beach that much.
Read Also: The Best Time To Visit Santorini
If you live anywhere outside of Europe (and definuitely if you are from the US) you have to fly to Athens first (the capital of Greece) and then take either a 40 mins flight from Athens to Santorini or a 5 to 8 hours ferry (there is a slow/cheap ferry and a faster/more expensive ferry from Athens to Santorini).
Read Also:How to Get From Athens to Santorini
Read Also:How To Get From Athens to Mykonos
If you live in Europe, there are direct flights from some European cities to Santorini. Most of these direct flights run seasonally between May and October, as this is Santorini’s hot season.
If you take a direct flight to Santorini, you won’t see Athens, the biggest Greek city and undoubtedly the city with the most archaeological and cultural interest in Greece and Europe. If you are already in Athens, you can just book your ferry tickets to Santorini from Ferryhopper.
In my honest opinion, a ferry can be nice if it’s your first time in Greece, as you get to see the beautiful blue waters of the Aegean Sea, but you will be wasting 5-8 hours on the boat, which you could better spend on Santorini.
Booking.com Flightshas all the available flight options for Santorini. It will show you all the available flights from Athens to Santorini or any other major European city to Santorini.
Santorini’s airport code is JTR (Santorini’s official name is Thira or Thera).
You can use the Ferryhopperwebsite to reach Santorini by ferry, which provides updated prices and schedules for all ferries connecting Athens with Santorini.
There are no direct flights to Santorini from the USA, Canada, or Australia.
However, there are direct flights to Santorini from almost all major European cities, including Paris, London, Amsterdam, Madrid, Barcelona, and Rome.
VERY IMPORTANT TO KNOW: The direct flights from major European cities to Santorini DO NOT RUN ALL YEAR ROUND, but only between May and October, usually. If you are visiting Santorini in the low season (November-April,) you might only have the option to fly to Athens and then take a 45-minute flight to Santorini (check Booking.com Flights for all the available options)
So, your options are:
Santorini is a volcanic island—an active volcano! Thousands of years ago, the centre of the island collapsed into the sea, creating a unique open-sea lagoon.
Caldera is the sea lagoon that has been created since then. Here is a fantastic video showing what happened:
If you want to stay in an area overlooking the caldera and the famous volcano views with the fantastic sunsets, then you should stay at one of the following areas:
VERY IMPORTANT TO KNOW: If you stay at Perissa, Perivolos, or Kamari, you won’t have the famous views, but you will be close to the beaches. If you have a Caldera view, you won’t be close to the beaches. Unfortunately, you cannot have both in Santorini!
Santorini is a relatively small Greek island, but there are so manythings to see and do that there will never be enough time!
That applies to many of thebest islands in Greece, too, as they are all amazing destinations.
My suggestion is that no matter how many days you will spend in Greece or on the Greek islands in particular, try to spend 50% of your time in Santorini. In reality, you need at least 4 nights in Santorini.
Read Also: How Many Days Do You Really Need in Santorini?
So, if you want to stay 10 days in Greece, try to spend at least 5 days in Santorini and then visit other Greek islands. You won’t regret it…
Yes, it is. Also, a day trip from Athens to Cairo is possible, to check the pyramids.
That doesn’t mean you should do it, though! Jokes aside, there is no point in rushing such a day trip.
It will be extremely tiring and expensive, and in the end, you will have only ticked a box on your to-do list. If possible, take things easy and enjoy every trip you make.
If you only have one day spare, exploring more of Athens is better than visiting Santorini in a rush. There are also other amazing day trips you can do from Athens.
For example, you can see small islands that are a one-hour ferry trip from Athens (like Hydra, Spetses, or Poros). These are all lovely places and perfect locations for a day trip from Athens.
This is a dilemma that people have. They are both amazing islands, but:
Mykonos is quite a party island with charming, long sandy beaches (no sandy beaches in Santorini, unfortunately). It’s been a celebrity holiday destination since the 1960s, and some of Europe’s best summer clubs and bars are there. It is a very beautiful place indeed, and it can also be a family-friendly and relaxing place.
You don’t have to go to the parties and the clubs. Honestly, think of Mykonos as the “Ibiza of Greece,” even though some quiet areas are on the island.
Santorini is a completely different place. A more romantic one. A more relaxing one.
It’s where you will drink excellent wine, but you won’t necessarily get drunk! However, there is still some serious nightlife in Santorinias well. You can also read my detailed comparison: Mykonos or Santorini.
Read Also: How To Get From Santorini to Mykonos
So, to sum it up:
With all those international direct flights to Santorini, you can certainly use the island for some Greek island hopping! You can visit many Greek islands from Santorini, but not all are connected by ferry boat or flight, so you have to limit your options.
Read Also: Best Greek Islands to Visit from Santorini
These are the Greek islands you can visit from Santorini:
Unfortunately, IT IS NOT ADVISABLE to visit the following islands from Santorini:
Unfortunately, the only way to visit other Greek islands from Santorini (apart from a flight that runs only in the summer months between Santorini and Mykonos and not every day) is to take a ferry boat.
The best way to plan your Greek island hopping is to check the ferry timetables online and then plan (it is also advisable to book the tickets online before you arrive in Santorini because they sell out in the hot summer season, May-September):
Santorini’s sunsets are famous all over the world.
The Best Sunset Views are at the following locations, which overlook the caldera as well,l and if that is your priority, then you should stay at one of them:
Remember that these areas are also the most expensive for accommodation and restaurants (for a good reason…).
But if you just want to view the most amazing sunsets, then there are a few other spots with equally impressive views (with Google Maps links to find them):
Driving a quad in Santorini is an extremely fun activity, and it gives you more flexibility than taking the local Santorini bus. But you have to be aware that it is not the safest thing to drive.
Driving an ATV (or quad, as they call it) requires extreme caution, especially during the summer months in Santorini, when the island is super crowded.
There is no shortage of ATM cash machines where your VISA and Mastercard can be accepted to withdraw money. You should always contact your bank to find out what the charges will be.
VERY IMPORTANT TO KNOW: 90% of the time, your credit or debit card will be accepted at the business you are paying, but cash is always the best way to pay in Greece and Santorini. You should always have some cash with you while in Santorini.
The BEST THING you can do (that I have recently discovered) for travel money is to set up an account with Wise and just use their Mastercard.Wise is used worldwide by millions of people, and they have by far the best exchange rates compared to any bank.
So, these are the things you should know about your money in Santorini:
The local buses in Santorini are really good and are definitely the cheapest way to move around. Check the timetables for the local buses to all places around the island here.
Some buses run throughout the island, and depending on where you go, the ticket costs from 1.80 euros to 2.80 euros (always pay with cash—no cards are accepted on the buses !). The central bus station of Santorini is in Fira, and it is here on Google Maps.
Read Also: How To Get Around in Santorini
Here is how long it takes for the local bus to get around the island:
Renting a car in Santorini will allow you to explore the island at your own pace, and it is also a much safer option than a quad. It is the advice I always give to people visiting the island for more than 2-3 days.
The best website to book a car for Santorini isRentalcars.com. It has all the available options, and almost all of the rental companies in Santorini now operate through that. It is safe and super reliable.
Here are a few things to be aware of for driving in Santorini:
A sunset or volcano cruise is easily one of the best things you can do on Santorini. I always advise people to do a half-day cruise, as the experience is amazing.
Depending on which one you choose, you may get delicious seafood on board, you may get some tour guiding, you may hop off the active volcano (make sure you bring some trekking shoes and you may also swim at the hot volcanic springs!
It’s also advisable to book well in advance online, as this guarantees you will get a ticket (especially during the summer months of June-September)
These are the Best Sunset and Volcano Cruises you can book:
The best thing about Santorini is that it offers many more things to do than Mykonos, for example, or other Greek islands.
Read Also the Complete Guide: 31 Unique Things To Do in Santorini
In a nutshell, the Best Things you can do in Santorini are:
Wine tasting and a guided wine tour are two of the best things you can do while on Santorini.
These are the best wine tours of the island:
Though taking a guided tour is highly advisable, as you won’t waste much time searching for all the info and directions and will visit more than one winery without having to drive (driving and drinking wine is also not advisable…), you can certainly visit the best wineries of Santorini by yourself.
Read Also Our Detailed Guide: Best Wineries of Santorini
The best wineries of Santorini (with Google Maps links) are:
If you want to shop, Fira town is the place to be. Hundreds of souvenir shops, art galleries, and traditional Greek products shops exist.
Oia also has a selection of some very interesting art and handicraft shops. It also has this amazing bookstore, but unfortunately, as I found out, it has shut down recently. You will find big grocery stores and supermarkets outside the towns (mainly in Fira) and smaller ones inside the cities.
Santorini (and Greece) are extremely kid and family-friendly. The best thing you can do while visiting Santorini with kids is to stay closer to the beaches of Perissa, Perivolos, and Kamari, as they all have many amenities.
The best thing a kid can do in Santorini is play at the beach, but you must be careful. The high temperatures of the Greek summer require extra skin protection. Also, the black sand beaches of Perissa and Kamari can get very hot during midday, so shoes or flip-flops must be worn at all times!
Some of the most exclusive hotels in Santorini clearly state that they won’t accept kids, but it is always important to check that with your hotel if it’s unclear. You can stay at Firostefani or Fira and Oia, but I genuinely believe a kid would have much more fun if she were closer to the beach.
The Best Family Hotels in Santorini are:
Santorini is safe, with little to almost zero crime overall, but you should always be careful wherever you travel. Common sense applies to everything and everywhere.
So, there you have them. A trip to Santorini can be one of the most amazing experiences in your life, so you need to get well prepared, as it can also be costly. It’s extremely easy to book your flights, ferries, accommodation, and even the things you want to do on the island in advance.
It is highly advisable to book everything before you arrive on the island, as Santorini has been in high demand for the last twenty years and will remain so forever. Hopefully, the tips above will help you plan your trip much better, but if you feel you are still in limbo, then make sure you visit our invaluable closed Facebook Group. Many people who have previously visited the island would be able to help you!
You need a minimum of 3 full days to experience Santorini properly. This allows one day to explore the caldera towns (Oia and Fira), one day for a catamaran cruise or wine tasting, and one day to visit the black sand beaches (Kamari or Perissa) and the Akrotiri ruins.
A mid-range trip to Santorini costs between €150 to €300 per person, per day. This includes a standard 3-star or 4-star hotel, local taverna meals, and public transport. A luxury trip staying in a caldera-view hotel with a private plunge pool will cost upwards of €800 to €1,500+ per night.
The best time to visit Santorini is late September or early October. The Aegean sea is still warm enough for swimming, the massive summer crowds have left, and hotel prices drop by 20% to 30% compared to the peak months of July and August.
Renting a car is highly recommended if you want to explore the island freely, especially the beaches and wineries. While the KTEL public bus system is cheap and connects all major towns to the capital (Fira), the buses become extremely crowded and unreliable during July and August.
We recommend these trusted resources to compare rates, read reviews, and secure bookings for your upcoming trip to Santorini and Greece:
Best rates on hotels, luxury suites, and traditional caldera villas.
Stay connected with local Greek eSIM data packages starting at just a few dollars.
Top-rated sunset sailing cruises, wine tastings, and guided historic tours.
Last updated: August 19, 2026
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