Santorini is the drowned rim of a volcano, a crescent of black cliffs rising 300 metres straight out of a flooded caldera in the southern Aegean. The whitewashed villages of Oia and Fira cling to the lip; the dark beaches of Perissa and Kamari run along the gentler east coast; and the fertile inland plateau hides 3,500 years of history and some of Greece's oldest vineyards. Most visitors come for the famous Oia sunset, but the island rewards anyone who looks past it: the buried Minoan city of Akrotiri, the clifftop ruins of Ancient Thera, volcanic Assyrtiko wine grown in low basket-woven vines, and quiet stone villages like Pyrgos and Megalochori where life carries on much as it did before the cruise ships. It is small (you can drive its length in 40 minutes), crowded in July and August, and genuinely spectacular if you time it right and venture inland.
A full, walkable day in Santorini, free for everyone. Set your pace and start time.
Start early before the cruise crowds; the path is paved but wear proper shoes, not flip-flops.
It's fully roofed and shaded - a good mid-morning choice before the heat peaks. Allow 75 minutes.
Order the fava and the grilled catch of the day; book ahead in summer as it fills with locals.
The highest point on the island for a panoramic view and far quieter than Oia.
Skip the crammed castle ruins - watch from the path toward Amoudi or from a quiet bar terrace instead.
Booking essential in summer; it's calmer and better value than the caldera-edge restaurants.
The village is at its most magical after 9pm when the crowds thin out.
The postcard village of blue domes and cliffside cave houses, and the island's most famous (and most crowded) sunset.
Beloved local institution below the church in Exo Gonia with valley views; book days ahead for the slow-cooked lamb and saganaki.
The capital, with the cliff-edge walk to Firostefani and Imerovigli and the cable car down to the old port.
The 'Minoan Pompeii' - a Bronze Age city buried by the 1600 BC eruption and preserved under ash, with multi-storey buildings and frescoes.
Dramatic Hellenistic and Roman ruins spread across the Mesa Vouno headland 360 metres above Kamari and Perissa beaches.
The tiny red-rock fishing port at the foot of Oia's 300 steps, with fish tavernas and a cliff jump off the islet of Agios Nikolaos.
Fira's go-to cheap eat on the main drag for a fast, generous gyros pita when you don't want a sit-down dinner.
Caldera-rim winery above Pyrgos, the classic spot for an Assyrtiko and Vinsanto tasting flight at sunset.
Family-run fish taverna above Vlychada marina serving the day's catch and excellent fava with a quiet harbour view.
You're reading the free preview. Members get the full Santorini guide, every spot mapped and built into ready-to-walk 1, 3 & 7-day plans, plus 100+ cities across Europe.
$49 a year, under $1 a week. Less than one tourist-trap coffee.
Cancel anytime · keep access until your term ends
Create your account at checkout. · Already a member? Sign in
Greece