10 things to do in Santorini in Greece

Santorini is an island of 83km² and 15,000 inhabitants, located in the Cyclades archipelago in Greece. It’s certainly the best-known and most photographed Greek island in the Cyclades! Its white and blue houses, amphitheatrical villages and magnificent view of the caldera make it hard to stay indifferent. With its own airport, Santorini is a Cycladic island with many assets that appeal to many. Beware, however, that Santorini is a victim of its own success, and is overcrowded in summer. If possible, you’ll be better off enjoying it in the off-season. Are you spending a few days on vacation or a weekend in Santorini and wondering what to see and do? Then here’s our Top 10 must-sees in Santorini, Greece!

1- Stroll in Oia early in the morning

Oia (pronounced “i-a”) is the most beautiful village of Santorini: the troglodytic houses clinging to the cliff, the narrow white streets, the charming port of Amoudi, the blue domed churches perched above the caldera… impossible not to fall under the charm.

To admire the famous three blue domes (and take THE picture that you see on all the postcards), you have to take the small street that goes down towards the sea, between the Alexandros jewelry shop and a church.

A tip: try to go early in the morning (before 10 am), to avoid the influx of cruisers.

=> You can find a wide range of accommodation in Oia on Booking and Airbnb.

2- Walk from Fira to Oia

A superb well-marked hike, on a very accessible path, links the two main villages of the west coast. It takes about 3 hours of walking, without photo breaks. This path overlooking the caldera offers breathtaking views of the bay and its volcano.

It is best to do this hike early in the morning, to avoid the heat, or at the end of the day to arrive in Oia at sunset.

If you don’t have the courage to walk the whole way, then you can just walk from Fira to Imerovigli (30 minutes).

3- Cultivating in Akrotiri

Akrotiri is an important archaeological site, sometimes called “Greek Pompeii”. Except that unlike the Italian site, no human remains or precious objects were found, suggesting that the population had left the area early enough to escape the awakening of the volcano.

The site is sheltered by a bioclimatic wooden roof. It is therefore cool and shady, which allows you to take your time to admire this 3,500 year old city, particularly well preserved (perhaps the legendary Atlantis). Akrotiri is an impressive and even a bit moving site, which will delight archaeology lovers and will also interest those who are not fans of “old stones”. A must-do in Santorini! You can buy your ticket directly online: Ticket to the archaeological site of Akrotiri. We have also spotted but not tested this guided tour in English of the Akrotiri site (entrance ticket not included).

4- Visit Santorini’s museums

In addition to its caldera and sunsets, Santorini also has several interesting museums to see:

• The Lost Atlantis Experience Museum in Megalochori, our favorite must-see museum to learn all about the myth of the lost city of Atlantis. Museum ticket
• The Industrial Tomato Museum near Vlychada beach. The former Nomikos factory, now a museum, traces the life of a tomato from its cultivation on Santorini to its canning. Tomato paste will hold no secrets for you! Admission + Audioguide in English
• The Thira Prehistoric Museum, a small museum best visited after the Akrotiri site. It exhibits many of the discoveries made on the archaeological site, including magnificent, colorful wall frescoes and various objects.
• The Koutsoyannopoulos Wine Museum in Vothonas, in an old traditional cellar. An interesting visit with audio guide and wine tasting at the end. Admission ticket + audioguide in English.
• Or the Santorini Maritime Museum in Oia…

For a more relaxing stay, don’t hesitate to book in advance.

5- Go see the famous red beach

The famous Red Beach, this beach lined with impressive red cliffs, offers a unique spectacle. It is reached by a small dirt road (about 5 minutes walk). If the place is worth seeing, we advise you to change beaches for swimming, as the heat and the number of tourists do not encourage you to linger there.

6- Lounging on one of the beaches of Santorini

The beaches of Santorini are characterized by their diversity: sandy or pebble beaches, red, black or white, accessible by bus, on foot or by boat.

One of our favorite beaches is Messa Pigadia: a black pebble beach, sheltered from the wind, with a developed part.

7- Setting sail: the joys of the sea

Take a boat ride in the caldera

When visiting Santorini, don’t miss the boat trip down the caldera to the active volcano. A must-do on any visit to Santorini, it’s a tourist attraction, but one that’s not to be missed!

It’s up to you to choose what you like best:

• short version (visit of the volcano only) or long version (with a bath in the hot springs and possibly a stop on the island of Thirassia)
• large capacity boat at affordable price or private catamaran
• during the day or at sunset

There are several options available and whichever one you choose, it remains a must for any visit to Santorini. You can easily compare the different offers and book online on the Get Your Guide website.

We recommend this day trip, for example, which has the advantage of being not too expensive. What’s more, your reservation can be cancelled in full at no charge up to 24 hours before departure. We tried it out, and everyone – young, old and old alike – enjoyed their day out!

We also spotted this a private boat trip from Perivolos beach to snorkel near the thermal springs..

Enjoy a variety of water sports

But there are so many other things to do to enjoy the sea, and in Santorini there’s something for every taste and budget! In particular, we’ve spotted these activities that have very good reviews on Manawa:

• Take a guided jet ski safari from Perivolos to the Santorini lighthouse (in English), or rent your own jet ski.
• Explore Santorini’s volcanic seabed by booking a scuba diving session: for beginners or advanced divers.
• Take to the skies with this parasailing flight, solo or duo. I’ve never tried it, but it’s on my To Do List! What’s more, it’s available in English
• Try your hand at Stand Up Paddling, or SUP for those who know it best, and discover Santorini’s most beautiful beaches and coves while snorkeling.
• Take a kayak trip from Akrotiri beach along Santorini’s south coast
• or take a kitesurfing course, for all levels
• and why not treat yourself to an unforgettable helicopter flight over Santorini to discover the island’s beauty from one of the most beautiful vantage points!
• and many other ideas on Manawa

To make sure you can take part in the activity on the day of your choice, it’s best to book in advance.

8- Visit the villages in the interior of the island

Santorini cannot be reduced to Fira and Oia! Thus, do not hesitate to venture into the inland villages, which are quieter and less touristy:

• First of all, Pyrgos, the highest village of the island, typically Cycladic with its white houses on the side of the rock and its superb viewpoints
• Then, Megalochori, a picturesque village with narrow streets and old-fashioned houses
• But also Messaria, one of the main wine centers of Santorini. Visit the Wine Museum with audio guide and tasting.
• Finally, Emborio and its castle

An original way to visit the island of Santorini: the bicycle! Explore most of the island by electric bike with this guided tour of Santorini’s highlights.

9- Admire the sunset

It’s a cliché, of course… but it’s magical! The lights are changing and the colors are breathtaking when the sun goes down on the sea. In just a few seconds, we go from azure blue to pink, going through the whole range of red-orange. Watching a sunset from Oia, Fira or Imerovigli is one of the great classics of Santorini and remains an unforgettable experience.

For an even more unique moment, we recommend a cruise in the Caldera at sunset. We have for example spotted this excursion in catamaran which allows you to admire the sunset from the sea, with a barbecue and dinner on board.

10- Taste the pleasures of the table

Santorini is an island famous for its gastronomy: fava (mashed yellow lentils), tomato croquettes (tomatokeftedès), white eggplants. There are several famous restaurants on the island. If you are a couple, this is the perfect opportunity for a romantic dinner.

Santorini is also the leading producer of white wine in Greece and its vineyard is known to be one of the oldest in the world. The main grape varieties are assirtiko (a semi-dry, rather fruity wine) and aidani (a sweet, floral wine).

And for hop lovers, don’t leave Santorini without tasting a good local beer! Volkan and Dunkey beers are produced in Santorini and are very successful. If you are interested, you can visit the Santorini Brewery Company, which produces Donkey beers, for free.

Guided tours of Santorini, cruises or catamaran tours of the island

If you want to go on an excursion to the volcano and the hot springs, a day on a catamaran, or a guided tour of the island, there are many agencies that offer all kinds of activities at varying prices. In high season, it is better to book before your arrival in Santorini. We did not test it but we recommend you this site where you will find a large choice of excursions in Santorini, at all prices.

If you’d like to rent a boat yourself, we recommend Click&Boat, where you’ll find a large number of different types of boats: sailboats, no-licence boats…

You can also find our practical advice in Where to stay in Santorini to choose your accommodation and more ideas in Santorini, the mythical island.

Laure M.

Updated April 17, 2024