Travel Guide: Where to eat, stay and play in Santorini
I’ve had the gift of taking a 2 month “sabbatical” from work and found myself in Greece, as one of the first countries to open its borders and launch flights from the U.S. I was in the country for about 3.5 weeks, with my mom joining me on the front end of my trip.
Going into the trip, we’d heard about crowded streets in the cities of Oia and Fira, with tourists packing alleyways and standing shoulder to shoulder. Their peak season – between May and October where they receive the most visitors – was more crowded in 2019 than it had ever been. While the Greek economy depends on tourism and reopened this May, crowds couldn’t have been further from our experience. So if you are vaccinated or safe to travel, the sooner you get to Greece, the less populated you may find it. There was more space, less density of people, and more enhanced COVID-19 safety precautions in Santorini than most places in Atlanta. Many locals shared that September is the best month to visit with gorgeous weather, a fraction of tourists, and food, experiences, and accommodations at half the price.
I love coming home and sharing the places I love with the people I love. That being said, this is written from the perspective of someone who has visited Santorini once, not an expert authority.. I loved how we spent our days and apply my old research hat to planning every trip - but tips from Greek people or those with more history there should top this.
COVID TESTS
First thing’s first: If you’re traveling back to the States after Santorini, you’ll need to show a negative COVID19 test for entry (at least this month). The appointments fill up quickly, so would recommend scheduling this days in advance if possible. It’s around 30€ for a rapid/antigen test and 80-90€ for a PCR depending on where you go. Both should work for the states right now.
· Santorini Central Clinic, Fira, Monday-Sunday 08:00-20:00
· PROLIPSI Lab, Mesaria & Emporio, Monday-Saturday 08:00-15:0
· Santorini MedLife Clinic, Mesaria, Monday-Sunday 09:00-20:00
GETTING AROUND
We rented a car from Blue Car and would not have wanted to do the island any other way; it was about 50€ a day. They bring the car to you and pick it up whenever, wherever you want. There’s an abundance of free parking near city centers, which are easy walking distances from most spots in town that you’ll want to go. During busier years and travel seasons this could fill up quickly, but we never had a problem with proximate parking spots.
Lots of people rely on ATVs, motorbikes or the bus system to get around Santorini. Having a car gave us the most flexibility. I found taxis to be a lot more expensive in Greece than in other countries and very limited in Santorini. You’ll often have to arrange with a company for a transfer if you want a taxi ahead of time. Ridesharing (Uber/Lyft) isn’t a thing.
EAT + DRINK
One of the first things I do when traveling for a long period of time is stopping at a market to get wine, snacks, local produce, etc. You can’t drink tap water most places in Greece unless it’s filtered, so stack up on bottles whenever you have the chance.
Food delivery is also very accessible and cheap in Santorini, if there are nights you want to order a pizza or other meals in.
As far as most restaurants go, you’ll need a reservation 9 out of 10 places during summer months, if possible to plan in advance.
What we loved:
Argo in Fira: Best meal in Santorini. From top to bottom - their house wine, homemade bread, olive oil, and stifado (24hr slow cooked veal, served with linguine). They have a big menu with traditional Greek food and other unique dishes. The chef has an apprenticeship program where he trains + helps other restaurants lay foundations for launching in Santorini. You’ll need a reservation. The rooftop view is stunning.
Lotza in Oia: Stunning caldera + sunset views for dinner. It’s small with a family feel and a broad menu of fish, seafood, Italian, etc. Loved their pasta dishes and fried feta with lemon on top. It’s a pretty central and convenient location in Oia. They prefer reservations (+ 30-22-860-71357).
Lucky’s in Fira: Ok, best gyro on the island. Every travel blog will say it and it’s true. The food is so fresh and cheap. They don’t really have indoor seating, so if you’re walking around Fira and want a quick, casual meal – you can walk by their stand near the square and leave with a meal for 3-4€.
For drinks or a meal, Kaliya in Fira: One of the highest places in Fira. Their drinks and flower-covered roof are so lush. Beautiful view for sunset and a friendly staff.
Misteli in Akrotiri: Great option for lunch, especially if you want to spend time in one of the smaller, more local villages. Akrotiri was my favorite place to stay in because of how small, walkable and local the people are who live here. Misteli is a cherry on top. The prices are also half of what you’ll find in Oia, Fira or other more touristy parts of Santorini. It’s connected to a cute hotel off the main road in the village, so could be paired with exploring the Akrotiri Lighthouse (“Faros”) or Castle.
Caldera Romantica Restaurant: Getting past the cheesy name – you’ll find one of the nicest wait staffs and best menus in Santorini. The view is not hanging over the rocks but close enough to look out on the water while you eat. I loved the quiet, small feel and pride they take in their dishes. I had the sea bass and a fresh chocolate souffle that was one of the best things I’ve ever eaten.
Drinks, if you want a local experience, Tranquilo at Perissa: A bar on the beach open late with dozens of lawn chairs where you can sit by the water. I went with the crew who sailed our boat in Santorini and was probably the only person speaking English in sight, so it’s fun if you want to meet some of the locals or people with seasonal jobs on the island.
See wineries below for more recommendations. Yelp isn’t active in Santorini so Trip Advisor is a good start for restaurant ratings.
THINGS TO DO
1. Catamaran (yacht) cruise around the volcano is a must.
My favorite part of the trip. You can find many through Get Your Guide, but we ended up on a Vista Yachting tour and was so glad we did. It was about 100€ per person and they put us on semi-private boats with 6 people total. They’ll pick you up from wherever you’re staying to take you directly to the port. They served bottomless wine, beer, etc. drink service and a 5 course meal for lunch. They stop in about 4 different spots for swimming, including the volcano natural hot springs, Red Beach and White Beach. The crews are so kind and became my friends after the tour.
2. Hike the caldera from Fira to Oia. (photos in gallery at the bottom)
So many travel blogs and/or Greek people will refer to this as a “walk”… honestly, be prepared for a true hike, especially if you’re traveling with little ones or people with limited mobility. It’s alongside the caldera. The route gets intense at certain points with really unstable rocks and gravel, so hiking shoes wouldn’t hurt.
You can hike in either direction. We walked toward Oia to have more downhill paths than up and to walk toward sunset. We also originated in Imerovigli rather than Fira to cut the walk by a third and didn’t missed much.
3. Visit Santorini’s wineries.
Book as far out as possible! Even more so than restaurants, the popular wineries in Greece are on tighter reservation schedules, so plan in advance when possible. Two with the nicest views:
Santo Wines in Pyrgos: Won Trip Advisors’ 2020 Travelers Choice award. Stunning views and a great restaurant. Most buses will also drop you off here.
Venetsanos Winery (seen to the left): Amazing wine, but found the staff less accommodating. Would recommend the Wine Tasting and Food Pairing package over the Sunset one. Sunset doesn’t allow you to sample any of the wine in a flight or before they pour a full glass. The Wine Tasting terrace is what you’ll see in photos, whereas the Sunset location is separate with less of a view.
There are lots of organized tours of the wineries, if you’re into that sort of thing, or combined wine tasting and cooking classes to book.
4. Photos in Oia.
All of Santorini could be put on a green sceen or post card – but the famous views of the caldera with white buildings along the side of the rock are mostly shot from the main road in Oia. Oia is also where you’ll find the Anastasi Church, with the gorgeous blue dome roofs, if you turn left down the pathway just before Patisserie Medevio on the road of Nik. Nomikou. The path to get there, along with the sunset lookover slightly down the road, was the most dense with tourists across the island – so can’t imagine how packed it gets during the peak season other years. While in Oia, Atlantis Books is a neat stop.
5. Visiting beaches.
Santorini’s beaches are not like other white, sandy beaches or some of the most stunning ones Greece is known for. They’re made of volcanic sand and pebbles. Kamari and Perissa are the most popular and similar, as they’re basically connected. White Beach and Red Beach are that – gorgeous white and red rocks – and the colors are stunning. They’re both accessible by boat, and you could also reach Red Beach by parking and walking from Akrotiri. I never visited Vourvoulos or Cape Columbo but thought they were beautiful and quiet.
More options
Shopping in Fira: Great clothing shops in Fira and Oia, if that’s your jam. I loved all of the artisan stores with handmade bags, leather, shoes, jewlery, etc. And wow, if you also love linen, save room in your suitcase. You’ll find the highest quality linen in many of the shops and many stores dedicated to only selling linen clothing, like Hippocampus in Fira. Most sales people at the boutiques are authorized to give at least 5% of a discount if you pay in cash, and often more than that if you want to negotiate - so treat it like a market. :)
Visit another island: If you really want to check off other island from your Greek bucket list, day trips from Santorini are accessible via the ferry system. Spending a night there would help make the transit time worth it and plan around ferry schedules. Take a look at Ios for one of the shortest trips (35min for about €40), Naxos and Paros if you have more time, or Crete and Mykonos if the schedules work and you’re able to stay the night.
Take the gondola: For about 6€ both ways, you can see a stunning view of the island from the Santorini cable car overlooking the bay into Fira. Donkeys will also take you on this path, but it’s steep…
Donkey or horseback rides: I felt good and whole leaving Santorini without ever mounting a donkey but if that tops your bucket list, santorinidonkey.com is flexible and also has horseback rides on the beach. Shoot your shot.
HOMES AWAY FROM HOME
Home design in Greece is like no where I’ve even been. Their architecture and design style dates back centuries and is made from natural elements and simple materials to build into the land. I was most interested in their traditional style homes so leaned more towards Airbnbs on this trip but the island has beautiful hotels, too. (Misteli in Akrotiri, noted above, has a sweet bed & breakfast feel with design that reminds me of Casa Cook hotels). While the trip was somewhat short notice, I planned travel dates around places we wanted to stay before factoring in anything else.
Here’s the list of Santorini Airbnbs we started with before narrowing it down. I loved where we ended up:
The Antron Cave House in Akrotiri
Crossed off the once in a lifetime experience of staying in a cycladic home. Carved into the stone, the cave house dates back a centuries and is build into the rock in Santorini. The style is replicated in newer buildings, but Panos’ home was filled with arches before arches were a thing. It’s designed to keep the temperatures cool while letting in enough light (and renovated fixtures) to see the Aegean sea from the inside. He was an exceptional, kind host that goes above and beyond to take care of you (welcome wine, slippers, the works). The outdoor jacuzzi with a view of the water is a dream.
If you need space, he has a similar listing upstairs with a more rooms.
Este Luxury Suites near Fira
Stayed here during the days my mom was with me to have a more space. It’s about an 8 minute drive into Fira. We really enjoyed staying somewhere outside of the bustle of the crowds. The villa staff here is also so lovely. They bring huge breakfasts, freshly squeeze orange juice and coffee outside by the pool each morning, which was enough food to put in the fridge and make into 2 meals most days. Super knowledgeable about Santorini and accommodating to help book tours, rent cars or give recommendations.
There are about 5 villas on the property, so you can find more listings at the same complex on Airbnb or their website. (You may also get a better rate booking with them directly).
Wherever you go, you can’t go wrong. From Santorini, I travelled for Paros island to have a quieter, smaller experience. I loved Paros but felt 2 weeks in Santorini could have been even longer. Soak up every minute of your trip!
