8 Things To Do in Santorini
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We flew to Santorini from Athens on Aegean Airlines, and we were excited to return to an island environment after our incredible experience in Zakynthos. Santorini did not disappoint! Here are eight of our favorite things to do in Santorini:
1. Eat at Floga.
We arrived to Santorini around lunch time. After we dropped our luggage in our room, we were eager to explore — and eat! Our incredible hosts noted 1800 Floga as a dining suggestion, and wow do we appreciate that! We were so focused on our time in Zakynthos and Athens that we (somewhat uncharacteristically) had done almost no research for Santorini apart from receiving guidance from friends. (Check out one such friend and her expat adventures on Instagram @kwinlondon — thank you again for the recommendations!)
1800 Floga is a gastropub overlooking the Aegean Sea in Oia (pronounced Ee-uh), which is a fairly ritzy part of the island of Santorini (also referred to as “Thira”). We often grab street food or something quick so that we can really make the most of our adventures when we travel. Not today. Today we had been on an early flight, had only coffee for breakfast, and were ready to sit down and enjoy a table service meal. We weren’t prepared for what we found in 1800 Floga — it was amazing.
The service was incredible. The food was incredible — it even looked incredible. There were tiny blue beads of blue curaçao across apple slices, and ouzo arrived with an incredible haze from dry ice. We’ve eaten in some pretty amazing places, and we can definitely tell you that 1800 Floga is in a category of its own. It has since been named one of the 5 best restaurants in Santorini by Elite Traveller Magazine.
It was so good that we did the unthinkable — we returned for dinner again before we left. We really enjoy taking in as much as possible when we travel, and this includes sampling different food options. So when we say it was good enough that we went back, we mean it was so good that we didn’t want to leave the island without one more taste. And, based on the Russian oligarch who dined next to us after he completed his day aboard the super yacht that was docked below our room, we’re pretty sure were not the only ones....
2. Rent an ATV (or a Smart car!) to see more of the island.
We intended to rent an ATV during our time in Santorini. Unfortunately, we didn’t book ahead, and we didn’t even really plan ahead for this. We decided one day that we’d like to rent an ATV, and we asked our hotel hosts for help. Though basically everything was sold out, our hosts made it happen for us (this will become a common theme).
They located a hilarious Smart car. But this wasn’t just any Smart car — this was a Smart Crossblade. A rare (only 2,000 were ever produced), roofless, and essentially windowless vehicle described as “ridiculous,” “wacky,” and “outrageous” by Road and Track. People were literally pointing and laughing as we drove through the crowded streets of Santorini, and we couldn’t help but shrug and laugh with them. Speaking of which, don’t get a big vehicle. Just don’t. Check out our YouTube video below to see why.
This rear-engine monster is packing a 599cc inline-three cylinder engine tuned by Brabus to a pulse pounding 70 horsepower—just enough to almost make it up steep hills.
All joking aside, our “car” rental enabled us to see so much more of the island. We drove to Akrotiri (see #4, below) and all around the entire island. We experienced incredible views in places that felt completely isolated, which is a feat on such a relatively small island. We also saw the beautiful domed churches of Santorini without a crowd, some of which actually have red domes.
When we needed to gas up, we stopped by a local gas station. For those of you accustomed to pumping your own gas (we’re looking at you, everyone except New Jersey), you should note that the majority of gas stations in Greece are full service. While it is not customary to tip full service gas station attendants in Greece (especially if they are not providing additional services like cleaning your windshield or checking your oil level/tire pressure), we typically make it a habit to tip unless doing so might be construed as offensive.
If you’re from the United States, it’s worth noting that the price of gas in Greece—and Europe in general—can be relatively high compared to what you might be accustomed to. According to GlobalPetrolPrices.com, gas prices in Greece averaged around USD $6.80 per gallon in January 2020, and were likely even higher on the island. However, we ultimately didn’t end up spending much on gas thanks to our ridiculous, wacky, outrageous, fuel-sipping little Smart car. If you decide to stay in Oia, you should also note that there are no gas stations in Oia, and all of the gas stations between Oia and Fira are closed on Sunday. Be sure to plan your stops accordingly, or you might end up rolling back to the rental agency on fumes and a prayer…
3. Watch the sunset from different vantage points.
The sunset is a big deal in Santorini. Like, a BIG deal. There’s a lot of discussion all over the island, all day long, about where you will get the best sunset view that evening. We knew this ahead of time, but didn’t really know where to start.
The first night, our hosts (yet again coming to our rescue) hooked us up with reservations to view the sunset at the Sun Spirit Cocktail Bar. We arrived to find a little “reserved” sign on a front table, and we were a little worried since it was the only table left. When we gave our names and the name of our hotel to the hostess, we were quickly shown to that very table. We were treated to an incredible, unobstructed view of the sun setting into the blue Aegean Sea behind one of Oia’s iconic windmills (some of which are actually available for rent on VRBO!). It doesn’t get any better than this. If you’re thinking of making a reservation, though, be sure to get a map. It can be a little hard to find, and our hosts informed us that they are very strict about their reservation times.
The Sun Spirit Cocktail Bar is a perfect place to enjoy an unobstructed view of one of Santorini's famously beautiful sunsets.
At this point, it’s safe to say that we trusted our hosts for recommendations. When they brought breakfast to our caldera-view balcony the next morning, we immediately asked for recommendations for the remainder of our trip. Their first recommendation was for us to drive down to Amoudi Bay (not to be confused with Amoudi in Zakynthos) for another spectacular sunset from a different perspective.
After driving our rental “car” around the island for the day, we started making our way down the steep hill to Amoudi Bay later that afternoon. We arrived early to ensure we had a parking space (thank you again, hosts!), and set out in search of our seat for the evening. We met some fellow travelers from Argentina (recognizable by their thermoses of maté), and spent the evening exchanging stories about our earlier travels to Buenos Aires and Cordoba, and their experience traveling to Washington D.C. While our Spanish is terrible (albeit better than our Greek), we bonded with our new friends in the common language of our love for travel.
Amoudi Bay fills up quickly with tourists at sunset, so make sure to arrive early to get a parking space and stake out a seat.
If you decide to head down to Amoudi Bay for a sunset and want to stay for dinner while the crowd disperses, there is supposedly an incredible seafood restaurant on the water called Amoudi Fish Tavern that came highly recommended by our hosts. We felt like we had been eating nonstop since we set foot on the island, though, so we decided to pass on dinner (this time). Instead, we spent the evening taking photos and soaking up the incredible warmth of the Mediterranean sunset.
We tried to catch this lovely couple before we left so that we could email them this photo, but they slipped away before we could reach them. Please reach out to us if you recognize them!
4. Tour the Akrotiri Archeological Site.
The archeological dig at Akrotiri is a very cool experience. There are walkways built over top of the dig so that the visitor traffic does not deteriorate the ancient ruins. As we walked through and around the exposed ancient Minoan city that some speculate may have been the inspiration for Plato’s Atlantis, we learned how advanced the Minoans were for their time—there was even an indoor toilet with running water (a luxury that wasn’t even available in the rural United States until the 1930s). The city of Akrotiri was sadly buried in volcanic matter after the great eruption of Thera in the 16th century BCE.
The Akrotiri Archeological Site is a massive indoor active archeological dig uncovering an ancient Minoan civilization that was destroyed by the Thira eruption in the 16th century BCE.
The incredible preservation of the archeological site is said to rival that of Pompeii. Unlike Pompeii, however, there are theories that the ancient Minoans knew that the volcano was about to erupt due to the change in the color of the surrounding sea water, and they fled in advance of the eruption with all of their valuables. This theory faces many debates, including whether the Minoans actually had the ability to flee quickly enough to escape such a catastrophic eruption.
5. Take a sunset Catamaran cruise.
Once we realized our hosts were the key to our hopes and dreams in Santorini, we worked with them to book a sunset catamaran cruise for our final night in Santorini. Our hosts recommended Sunset Oia Catamarans, and they were once again dead on. Our first mate was hilarious, the views were wonderful, and we made new friends from Toronto.
There were several opportunities to swim during our cruise, the first of which were the hot springs off the coast of the small island of Palea Kameni. While many of our shipmates took the opportunity to jump in, we decided to pass. The sulfur content in the water at the site is high enough to tarnish silver on contact and turn white swim suits brown, and can also apparently cause an allergic reaction in some (although it didn’t impact anyone on our boat). Our first mate also stressed that some of the lava rocks in the shallows are slippery and razor sharp, and he was beside himself when he saw several people standing on them despite his warnings. If you decide to swim in the hot springs, please do not stand on the rocks!
Sostice Arvanitis is the sole inhabitant of the small volcanic island of Palea Kameni. Palea Kameni is the smaller of the two islands located in the half moon-shaped caldera of Santorini. The rust-colored staining at the water line is caused by the high sulfur content of the island’s hot springs.
At a clearer and calmer part of the journey, most of the passengers decided to go for a swim. Shannon dove in from the side of the boat along with new passenger friends, and can confidently state that the Aegean Sea in early June is still quite chilly! Michael joined her thereafter, and we both saw some fish before climbing back on board the boat.
By the time we anchored to watch the sunset, we were having so much fun chatting with our new friends that we honestly didn’t care that it was cloudy that evening. The trip was a success, the evening was incredible, and it was really cool to see Santorini from the water.
An sunset Catamaran cruise is great way to get a clear view of Santorini’s world famous light show. We unfortunately missed the sunset on our cruise due to cloudy weather, but it’s easy to imagine why there are so many boats anchored in Amoudi Bay on clear evenings.
6. Walk around the shops of Oia in the early morning or late evening.
Oia itself is quaint, picturesque, and perfect. There are hand-written “no drone zone” signs (which we got a kick out of) tastefully placed, adorable shops, and just an incredible island vibe. Since our hotel was located in Oia, we often strolled around the shops during the early morning and late evening hours. We really enjoyed soaking in the quiet moments as the shopkeepers were opening or closing their stores, before the day trippers descended on the island.
PRO TIP: Do your shopping first thing in the morning or later in the afternoon to avoid the large cruise ship crowds that are common during peak season.
Oh, the day trippers. While we were sitting on our balcony one morning, we heard a sort of rumbling noise coming from the bay. It got louder and louder until it crescendoed as a throng of people came spilling shoulder-to-shoulder over the top of the hill. It was kind of a shocking sight given that Oia itself is pretty small. We learned from a local shopkeeper that the stampede was a common occurrence, and came from a cruise ship that had just docked in the bay. It had no impact on our day (crowds don’t really bother us), but if you aren’t a fan of crowds, you might want to pay attention to the cruise schedules so that you can plan to be away from the main thoroughfare during the busier days/times.
7. Stay at DelfiniVillas.
This is our top tip. We almost feel like we’re sharing a family secret with this one, but we’re going to do it anyway—stay at Delfini Villas. The hotel itself is impeccably run by ladies who actually care about making your trip amazing. They are lovely, kind, and go the extra mile. Our room was clean, beautiful, and the view was absolutely remarkable. Breakfast was included with our room, and it was served each morning on our private balcony overlooking the caldera. When we had an early flight out, they even gave us breakfast pastries for the shuttle ride to the airport, and then walked us to the shuttle.
Our wonderful hosts delivered a fabulous, fresh (and free!) breakfast to our private balcony each morning. While very little in Santorini is cheap, Delfini Villas was an excellent value. And that view!
We are sure you can tell from the constant references in this article that they helped us immensely with planning our trip. This trip simply would not have been as amazing as it turned out to be without these recommendations. After you book with them, contact them directly so that you can request help on reservations and excursions in advance.
Despite the luxury accommodations, prime location, and stunning views, it was actually far more affordable than many of the other options nearby. Shannon found a great price on Expedia, but they also have rooms listed on Trip Advisor, Booking.com, Orbitz, Hotels.com, etc. The room was 50% less than most other options, and worth every penny.
A note for family travel to Santorini: While we traveled to Greece on a couples’ trip, we would absolutely bring our kids to Santorini. It’s safe, fun, and offers a variety of accommodations and dining options. There are a lot of stairs, so it’s important to keep this in mind for any age when stairs can be a concern, but particularly for littles who will need to be carried. For very young children, a soft-sided carrier such as the Tula Ergonomic Carrier (we love the travel-chic Navigator pattern) is a great option for navigating the steps. If you or someone in your group has trouble with stairs, pay special attention to the location of your hotel in relation to the main walkway, as some options may require you to climb several flights of stairs as you come and go. Our room at Delfini Villas was only one or two flights of stairs below the main walkway. For those of you who, like us, are squeamish about strapping your toddler to an ATV (or doorless, windowless glorified golf cart, as the case may be), there are also normal cars available for rent.
8. Prepare your pocketbook.
Santorini is an absolutely magical place. It is just as beautiful—maybe even more beautiful—than what you see in the photos. It is, without a doubt, one of our favorite places in the world. One thing Santorini is not, however, is a budget destination. In fact, the Santorini leg of our Greece trip cost more than both the Zakynthos and Athens legs combined. While our choices of dining and excursions no doubt contributed the overall cost, it quite simply is not a cheap place to visit. We want to be clear, however, that we are saying this to prepare you, not to discourage you. In our opinion, Santorini is one of those rare places that are worth the price.
Check out a brief highlight video of some of our favorite Santorini moments:
We hope you’ll have as much fun in Santorini as we did! After we left Santorini, we had a one day layover in another country. Check out next Saturday’s blog article to hear about where, and what we did!
View our other adventures in Greece:
Part 1: Zakynthos and Shipwreck Beach
Part 2: Athens and the Acropolis
Part 3: 8 Things To Do in Santorini