Planning travel to Santorini Greece for the first time? Santorini is easily one of the most stunning destinations in the Cyclades, a beautiful island of dramatic cliff tops, white cave houses, stylish terraces and unforgettable caldera views, and you’ll want to make your trip as smooth as possible!
I’ve visited Santorini three times, and this May will be my fourth. I love the style, atmosphere and postcard-perfect scenery of this island, it’s incredibly unique and somewhere you’ll never forget. But there’s definitely a right way to do Santorini, along with a few things worth knowing before you arrive!
My curated Santorini Greece travel guide for first-time visitors covers everything from where to stay and how to get around to the best time to travel to Santorini and the top experiences you shouldn’t miss!
Santorini Trip Planning At A Glance
Don’t have a lot of time? Here’s a quick mini travel guide to Santorini to help plan your first trip!
When To Visit: May to early October for the best weather.
Santorini Is For: Romantic getaways, luxury boutiques, stunning views!
Where To Stay In Santorini:
- Oia: Oia Spirit – best location in Oia!
- Imergovili: Akra Suites – idyllic!
- Fira: Cosmopolitan Suites – caldera views!
Don’t Miss In Santorini:
- Fira to Imergovili walk
- Oia blue dome views
- Catamaran boat trip
Best Time To Travel To Santorini Greece
Santorini’s main season runs from May to September, but the best time to travel to Santorini is within the shoulder months mid-May or late-September to early October for warm temperatures, fewer crowds, and lower accommodation prices compared to the peak summer months of July and August (which are bursting with tourists and best avoided).
How Many Days In Santorini
I recommend staying in Santorini for a minimum of four full days to cover the highlights of the island – including a sunset boat trip, you’ll also want to enjoy your hotel pool views and relax with a glass of wine over the caldera! But it’s so stunning you might want to stay for at least a week and split your time between two spots, which is my favourite way to experience the island!
WHERE TO STAY IN SANTORINI GREECE
Choosing where to stay in Santorini Greece can completely define your trip, especially if it’s your first visit to the island. Oia is famous for its luxury cave hotels and iconic sunset views, while Imerovigli offers a quieter and more romantic atmosphere on the caldera-clifftops. Fira is the liveliest area with restaurants, nightlife and easy transport links, while Pyrgos feels more traditional and peaceful, perfect for a slower stay away from the crowds! Here’s a quick breakdown of the areas:
Oia
Oia is the place you see on all the postcard-perfect pics, the white buildings and blue domes are iconic and even though it all comes at a premium, it lives up to the hype, Oia best for luxury stays, iconic sunset views and stylish terraces.
Imergovigli
Imergovigili sit’s on the sprawling cliff tops between Fira and Oia, it offers stunning volcano views across the caldera – the best on the island, expect a quieter, romantic ambience and some of Santorini’s most beautiful caldera hotels!
Fira
Fira is Sanotini’s capital it’s lively and central with restaurants, shops, nightlife and easy transport links around the island – Fira is more budget friendly, but doesn’t compromise on views!
Pyrgos
Pyrgos is a quieter hilltop village with boutique stays, traditional charm, pretty restaurants and fewer crowds, perfect if you prefer a slower and more local side of Santorini.
For a full breakdown of the best areas, boutique hotels and caldera-view stays, read my complete guide on where to stay in Santorini Greece (coming soon).
HOW TO TRAVEL TO SANTORINI GREECE
Santorini is part of the Cyclades group in Greece and it lies 150 miles southeast from Greece mainland and is well connected by ferry to other islands and even has it’s own airport!
Flying
Santorini Airport (JTR) is the islands airport, providing direct flights from major European cities and Athens, Easyjet and Jet2 are the main carriers, making travel to Santorini super easy. As an alternative to ferry’s you can also get flights between the islands, such as Mykonos.
Ferry
Ferry’s depart multiple times per day from Santorini to the mainland and the other Cyclades islands, perfect for island hopping, there are many companies, summer schedules and prices, I recommend using Omio ferry to compare and book!
First Time Arrival Tips!
Waiting taxis at the airport and ferry port are the most expensive, it’s almost criminal and the experience hectic! With this in mind, I recommend pre-booking your private pick-up transport in advance, especially if you have cases – to avoid the wait and €50 flat fee for a shared minivan – we waited in the van for 30 minutes before it went anywhere – please do your research!
Book your private airport or port pick-up here from €14 per-person!
HOW TO GET AROUND SANTORINI
Walking Between Villages
Oia, Imerovigli or Fira are compact and easy to walk around, and you can also walk between them, especially Fira to Imerovigli along the beautiful cliff tops, there’s terraces enroute – and majestic views (it’s actually one of the best things to do in Santorini)!
Taxis
Taxis are plentiful from the main transport hubs and even though very expensive are handy if you are on a time crunch and need to get from A to B quickly – your hotel can also book them for you!
Public Buses
Local buses (KTEL) will take you all over the island, the main bus hub is in Fira, it’s a little busy and chaotic at times, but you can bus between towns, villages and beaches cheaply – get the Santorini bus time table.
ATV
ATV’s are a popular way to travel around Santorini, for fun and freedom, you can park easily and they can be cost effective per day.
Rental Cars
You don’t really need a rental car in Santorini, rental cars are not a very common mode of transport on the island at all, but are available, often the vehicles are a older models – so be thorough with inspections!
TOP THINGS TO DO IN SANTORINI GREECE
Watch The Sunsets At Oia
Watching the sunset in Oia is a must, expect golden skies, whitewashed buildings glowing pink and hundreds of people all trying to snap the same photo, but honestly, the views really are worth the hype – you can also book a sunset dinner or caldera-view cocktail for a more refined experience!
See the best things to do in Oia here!
Experience Santorini’s Wine Scene
Santorini is famous for its volcano wine and there are family ran winery’s and venues across the island including Santos right along the beautiful cliff top and local vineyards that offer wine tastings, it’s easily one of the most stylish ways to spend an afternoon in Santorini Greece.
Take A Catamaran Cruise Around The Caldera
Santorini is known for it’s dramatic cliff tops and volcanic island views rather than it’s beaches and this dramatic coastline is best experienced by catamaran, you’ll see the uniqueness of the island, swim in the hot springs, visit the cliffs, caves and enjoy lunch onboard your private catamaran!
Check out the best Santorini boat trips here!
Book A Caldera View Dinner
Dinner overlooking the Caldera is one of the main reasons why people travel to Santorini, you can expect fabulous sunsets, chic terraces, candle-lit cave restaurants and some of the most incredible dining views in the whole of Greece!
Explore Santorini’s Cliffside Villages
Exploring the island’s beautiful whitewashed villages perched above the caldera is the best thing to do in Santorini, from sunset famous Oia to romantic Imerovigli and Fira with it’s lively restaurants, shopping and dramatic sea views – you can even hike between them!
Looking for more inspiration and unforgettable experiences? From chic sunset cruises and wine tastings to the prettiest villages and must-see caldera views, don’t miss my full guide to the best things to do in Santorini Greece (coming soon).
TRAVEL TO SANTORINI FOR THE FIRST TIME TIPS!
Book your caldera view boutique hotel in advance
Santorini’s is one of the most popular places in Greece and the best boutique hotels can book out months in advance in summer. If you’re travelling between June and September, it’s worth planning earlier than you normally would, especially for Oia and Imerovigli stays!
See my full guide on where to stay in Santorini!
Explore Santorini earlier in the morning
Santorini’s main towns such as Oia and Fira are best explored in the morning, before the cruise ship passengers descend and it’s not too hot for walking along the cliff tops, it’s also a nice time to begin the Fira to Imerovigli walk and visit smaller villages like Pyrgos!
The reality of walking around Santorini
Santorini is incredibly picturesque, but it’s not always the easiest island to navigate. Many hotels and restaurants are built into the cliffs which mean heaps of narrow stairs, steep walkways and uneven stone paths – and they are all part of the experience, especially around Oia and Imerovigli.
How to best experience the sunsets
Sunsets in Santorini are spectacular and I recommend finding your own space to enjoy it without the crowds, for a more special experience, book a sunset dinner, a catamaran cruise, or choose a hotel with its own caldera terrace.
Reserve restaurants & boat tours ahead in summer
For stays across summer, you should be booking those sort after cliff-top restaurants in advance, early evening especially and same goes for premier boat tours (with small numbers) in particular, which is one of the most popular things to do in Santorini!
Take a peak at the best Santorini boat tours!
Pack layers for the evenings!
Santorini is chilly in the mornings and evenings, especially in shoulder season (April-May, September- October) due to the location and winds and many of the terraces are wide open – bring a few layers, evening shawls and jackets.
Is Santorini expensive?
Yes, Santorini is known as one of the premier Greek Islands and everything from boutique hotels with a view and cliff edge restaurants come with a hefty price tag, but can you can avoid the highest prices by booking accommodation in advance.
Is Santorini Worth Visiting for First-Time Visitors?
Yes absolutely! Santorini is one of those destinations that truly lives up to the hype! Between the dramatic caldera views, chic cave hotels, sunset dinners and beautiful Cycladic villages, it’s easily one of the must-see Greek Islands – and definitely one of the most memorable!
Planning More Greece Island Hopping?
Santorini pairs perfectly with some of the other beautiful Cycladic islands, whether you’re looking for nightlife and beaches in Mykonos (2-3 hour ferry), quieter luxury escapes like Paros (2 hours) or slower traditional villages with a visit to Folgrandos – only an hour away!
Plan your travel to Santorini!
If you’re building your itinerary next, these in-depth guides from things to do in Dubrovnik to the best boutique hotels and day trips will help you plan the perfect stay:
- Where to Stay in Santorini – best areas & boutique hotels
- Things To Do in Santorini – top experiences & hidden gems
- Best Boat Tours from Dubrovnik – best scenic excursions!
- Things to do in Oia – from sunset viewpoints to restaurants!
- Best Caldera Views Santorini Hotels– boutique & luxury stays!
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Michelle Trudie, is the founder of Little Wanderblog, a luxury boutique travel site. She has travelled to over 30 countries in the last 15 years. Michelle share’s her passion for stylish and affordable luxury travel experiences in Europe and beyond! Her goal is to make travel planning easier to hidden gem places!