I had wanted to go to Santorini ever since I was a little girl. Something drew me to this place, no idea what, but I just knew I had to go there. My dream finally came true a couple of years back. And I am now officially in love with Santorini.
What comes to your mind when you think of Santorini? No doubt white buildings with blue roofs. However, there is so much more than just these (incredible) buildings. Let me show you what you can do while you’re in Santorini.
A few practicalities
How to get there. I travelled by plane. The airport is small, there are taxis outside, though I would very much encourage arranging the transport with the place you are staying at. Santorini is a small island so getting from the airport to wherever you’re staying shouldn’t take long.
Where to stay. I stayed in Kamari in a gorgeous Airbnb place called Oceanis Bay. This is the only place I slept in so I can’t comment on any other venues, however mine was simply perfect. It is close to the black beach – cross the road and you’re there! The room was clean and spacious, breakfast was delicious, the hosts were fantastic… and there was (not sure if still is) a cool cat. Loved my stay there.
Where to eat. Everywhere you go, there is no shortage of restaurants. You will no doubt find something that suits your taste. I ate mainly in Almira Restaurant which was close to my Airbnb place. Kamari also has a small grocery shop where you can buy e.g. fruit and snacks to keep you going through the day.
What to do in Santorini
Beaches. Let’s start with the obvious one: white, red and black beaches. They are unique for Santorini, and it’s definitely worth experiencing at least two of them. I had access to the black beach all the time; and I must say it is a weird sensation to walk on such a beach – not bad! Definitely unusual. And definitely worth trying. The Red Beach is near Akrotiri in the southern part of the island. The White Beach is further west of the Red one, also in the southern part.
Ancient Thera. Because I stayed in Kamari, Ancient Thera was within a walking distance for me. If you do decide to go there on foot, please bear in mind there is a winding road leading up the hill to get there. There are a few shaded points, but you may be in the sun quite a lot.
Ancient Thera was named after the mythical ruler of the island – Theras. It was inhabited between 9th century BC to 726 AD when it lost its importance, and also was affected by a small volcanic eruption. The ruins are very well preserved, and they give you a great idea of how people lived there.
Cruise around Santorini Caldera. This is probably the best way to see the wonderful landscape, the significance of the volcanic islands, the harbours, the views… The rough cost of a whole day cruise is 40-45 euro, and trust me it’s worth every minute. Have a look at Kamari Tours and their offers. Here is what you get to see while on a full day cruise:
Nea Kameni – a volcanic uninhabited island with a still active volcano. Practical tip: wear sensible shoes, i.e. Havaians or other flimsy flip flops may fail there. You will walk up the volcanic hill, listen to the story of how the eruption affected the area, and will have a chance to peek into the crater (and smell the sulphur). Everything is safe, don’t worry. The views from this island are spectacular. And on the way to the next island, you can swim in the hot springs!
Therasia – an inhabited volcanic island where you stop for lunch, to explore the island and even swim if you’d like. A sight hard to forget are the donkeys there. The locals use them to transport tourists to the top of the hill. Frankly, I found them scary and preferred to walk everywhere on my own feet. The views from the top of this island are stunning. You also get to see the architecture, and some stray cats.
Oia – by far the most incredible gem on Santorini. I absorbed like a sponge every piece of the white and blue buildings, the views, the jewellery sold there (quite expensive, mind you), and how clean the whole town was. However, the highlight of stopping there is the sunset. It may sound over-the-top that anyone would get this excited about a sunset but trust me – they are breath-taking. To me, the bestest thing was that people from all over the world gather there to watch the sun go down. When I was there, everyone was so kind and helpful, no one hoarded the best spot to themselves – people swapped so that everyone could take pictures. And once the sun had disappeared, we all gave it a round of applause 🙂 I just loved every minute of that evening.
Fira. This town and capital of Santorini is on the west side of the island. You can visit the Museum of Prehistoric Thera there, take a cable car to the harbour, see Nea Kameni from the top of the hill, and indulge in shopping for local goods of all sorts.
Skaros. If you fancy having a walk north of Fira, you can get to Skaros Fortress. All you need to do is follow the main street – I don’t think it’s possible to get lost there – for ca. 30 mins. There used to be a castle there, built in 13th century, however it got damaged in an earthquake in the 19th century. The views are quite amazing again, and the fact that you are staring into the vast space of Aegean Sea is pretty mind-blowing. You can read a bit more about it here.
Open Air Cinema in Kamari. This is a hidden gem and it’s simply fab. I loved the vibe in this cinema, and staff are incredibly nice. You can get a drink and some food before the film, and during an intermission. There are blankets – for free – to keep you warm, and the seats are comfy. My little worry was the safety of coming back to my place in the middle of the night, but Kamari is a really peaceful town. Find out more about this cinema and their program here.
Lastly, take a local bus. I took the bus from Kamari to Fira, and it cost next to nothing. The buses are on time – dont be late! While you’re travelling, you can admire the countryside, and make a note of the wineries that you may want to visit.
I tend not to go back to the same place twice – there are so many others to see and experience in this world. But I promised myself that I will return to Santorini and will watch the sun setting again. I hope I’ve inspired you to go there too!
Have you been to Santorini? Would you recommend anything else? Let me know in the comments – I’d love to hear from you!
And if you like unusual places and experiences, have a look at my trip to Porto, and the Art Festival in Agueda 🙂