Since I'm from Greece, many have asked me of where to go for Greek summer holiday, which island is best to visit or where should they buy a permanent residence and live for the rest of their lives! Greece has so so many beautiful places, people, history, and I couldn’t be more grateful for being from such an astonishing country. 

  During 2020, an intense year for everyone and myself, as working, touring and performing wasn’t on the bright side I decided to take this opportunity and finally visit for the first time one of the most well known island in the world: SANTORINI. There are a lot of magical islands in Greece. There are many whitewashed towns across the globe. But there's something about Santorini that beckons people from all over the world to come to traverse its mythical stories. Some even think it’s the lost city of Atlantis, I am definitely one of them!  

  So I will be sharing my own experience on the island and tips that will definitely get you major nostalgia feels! 

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO TO SANTORINI  

  Santorini is located in the Cyclades in the Aegean Sea. It’s one of the most visited island in Greece, and it requires some proper planning and research to get to do all the amazing things that the island offers.

WHEN TO VISIT SANTORINI

  The best time to visit is of course in Summer. Fortunately in Greece summer starts in the middle of May and finishes around the end of October. Although that’s a long period to explore, Santorini is one of the islands everybody wants to go as soon they feel the tiniest bit of heat. It can definitely get quite crowded on the months of July and August, so I recommend better going on June, but if that’s not an option don’t worry because I visited the island on August, and it was amazing!

HOW TO GET TO SANTORINI

  Most flights will depart out of Athens, so you will most likely take at least two flights to get there. I recommend spending a day or two in Athens and seeing the Parthenon and other astonishing ruins.

  Another option is by flying to Athens and then taking the ferry to the capital of Santorini, Fira. Before you get there, you need to make sure you have booked a taxi to pick you up from the port to your hotel. I chose to travel by the ferry as I never get full of the wonderful Mediterranean Sea and adore watching other islands on the way. It is also way more adventurous and economical than flying.   

WHERE TO STAY IN SANTORINI 

  The island is tiny. It takes about 40 minutes to go from one side to the other by driving. For me, since I prefer to explore rather than staying in the hotel I would rather have a cheaper accommodation. That's why I suggest a budget recommendation in Fira, where I stayed. My hotel was very friendly and accessible as it had breakfast, swimming pool etc, and beautiful views too. After all there were so many things to do in Santorini that I didn’t even go for a swim on the pool as I stayed there just for the nights.

  If you don't think you'll leave your hotel much, or you want to stay in the touristy areas more, then you might want to opt for a mid-range or luxury hotel in OIA (pronounced IA). So, you have to ask yourself: would you rather stay near the beaches? Or have the famous views? But you should know that you will be paying more for the views rather than your stay. 

HOW TO GET AROUND SANTORINI 

  As I mentioned Santorini is a very small island, so you can hire a car, but I wouldn’t recommend it since there are so many tiny streets and If you’d like to get to all the beaches I would definitely suggest getting a scouter or even better a Moto ATV. 

  Hiring the Moto ATV was the best thing ever! I got to explore literally the entire island and all the beaches in 2 days.  

WHAT TO DO IN SANTORINI! 

BEST PLACES FOR SUNSET IN SANTORINI 

  A lot of people come here just to watch the sunset. Even thought you can enjoy it from literally everywhere the most famous place is the town of Oia. It’s located at the tip of the island, and it is a great place for views of the caldera and turns the white-washed town a hazy shade of pink. To avoid crowds get there a few minutes before the sun sets to get a good view point. 

  I also like to spend the sunset at the equally picturesque town of Fira. There, you can see Oia and feel like you're in the middle of the caldera.

EXPLORE THE TOWN OF FIRA

  Fira is the largest town in Santorini and also offers some of the best views of the caldera. There are loads of souvenir shops, restaurants, bars, and, of course, white-washed houses. So many places to explore and admire, also many many stairs and hills so If you like to walk as much as I do, make sure you bring your trainers, or you will end up loosing your sandals like I did my whole 1st day.

  Another great place to get views of the island is walking to the nearby town of Firostefani, just a short walk (about 10 minutes) where there are also beautiful views of the white cliffs and sunset.

EXPLORE THE TOWN OF OIA 

  Oia is Santorini's second biggest town and is similar to Fira with many shops and restaurants. However, I do love Oia for its iconic windmill and orange castle. Most of the amazing photos you see online are from here. In Oia all you need to do is, take your camera and go there before sunrise, explore and walk literally every hill, and leave after sunset, or stay overnight. You will be more than amazed by its beauty.  

BEST BEACHES IN SANTORINI

  Many of the beaches in Santorini are named based on the colour of the sand. My favourites are very easily accessible and aren't too crowded. Santorini isn't exactly known for its beaches. You're not going to find pristine white, soft sand, like the rest of Greece because it’s a volcanic island. But they are still a wonderful spot to relax and enjoy some sun. Here are some I got to explore.  

Perissa “black sand” beach – This is my favourite beach on the island. This long stretch of sand is dotted with great bars and restaurants. 

Red Beach – It's a steep and somewhat challenging path to make it down to the red beach, but it's one of the best in Santorini. The sand is a rusty red colour because of the cliffs that surround it. 

White Beach – Only accessible by boat this beach isn't very “white” but is a nice spot to swim.  

TAKE A CATAMARAN AROUND THE CALDERA  

MUST DO! 

  The best way to see the whole island and the surrounding caldera is to hop on a boat. This way you can explore the active volcanic waters, go snorkelling, eat fresh fish, connect with other cultures and enjoy the sunset like a 3D film. I can say that it was one of the best experiences I had in Santorini and that’s why I got lost at the moment and forgot to take many pictures. 

WINERY

  There are a few wineries in Santorini and I highly recommend that you head over there for lovely views and delicious wine. I visited the Wine Museum Koutsoyanopoulos that has everything someone would want to know about winemaking in one of the most unique places on earth. In the end of the visit, there is a wine tasting experience of the traditional wines they make in the museum, and it’s needless to say that it was breathtaking!

WHERE TO EAT IN SANTORINI 

  It's not hard to find delicious, fresh Greek food in Santorini. Especially if you're out of the touristy cities of Oia and Fira. It's also easy to find relatively inexpensive, traditional food like “Gyros” if that’s something you would be interested in. As a Greek and vegetarian I definitely appreciated all the unique options that they provide on the island, although its something that’s not new to me.

SANTORINI'S OPEN AIR CINEMA 

  If you have some time to spare in the afternoon or love summer cinemas you're in luck! You can search online the different screenings and watch new movies in the lovely outdoor open air cinema of Kamari. It has such a beautiful and calm atmosphere.  

A FEW OF THE BEST PLACES FOR PICTURES IN SANTORINI

  The Three-Dome church in Oia – This iconic spot is a highlight of Santorini with the beautiful bright blue downs and stark white church. 

  One thing to have in mind about Oia is that actually is not that easy to find all the famous photo spots because there aren’t many straightforward roads, It’s all little winding streets and back alleys and with lots of steps and many areas are a private property of hotels or the islands residents and closed off so if you don’t know where you’re going it can get quite frustrating.  

Alleyways in Fira – Keep on wandering! It will be well worth your time to stroll the streets and find uncrowded hidden gems. 

Windmills – There are a few spots with windmills around the island.  

Wander at day and night – One of the best parts about Santorini is that you can't go wrong! There are beautiful photo opts wherever you turn.   

HOW LONG TO STAY IN SANTORINI 

  I stayed in Santorini for 4 days, and it was definitely enough as I saw literally every part of the island that I planned to see. 

  Overall Santorini it's a place that I'll always hold deep in my heart. It was a moment to disconnect from society, a memory filled with smiles and laughs and I will always cherish it. If you ever wonder to go or not, wonder no more! It’s so worth it. There’s nothing more beautiful!  

Lots of love, 

x Katerina