Santorini travel guide

UGH you will never understand how gorgeous Santorini is until you are there in person. Photos will never capture it! I often found myself showing people photos, them wowing over the photos and me saying ''no you do not understand the picture is nothing compared to being there.

We spent more time in Santorini then we needed too. You only really need three days max, it is such a small island. We could have done another island but it was nice to have chill days before returning home.

When to visit Santorini Greece:

We went on off season which was perfect! The locals said that when its summer the island has 100 000 tourists- I am sure you have seen how packed it gets, it is almost not enjoyable at that point.

April is a good time to go because everything there for tourist is starting to open up and it is way less crowded.

The weather is a bit colder. It is an island so the winds can be strong, up to 50 km/he is what we experienced on someday. The water is cold to swim in. However, that was just because the last few day of our trip the weather turned. The first few days were gorgeous.

Where to stay in Santorini:

I am so happy we did not stay in Oia. Oia is the popular place to stay because of the blue domes. However, the food is over priced and not as great there. It also has way more people because it is so popular.

We stayed in Thira and I loved it. They had great food, which was more affordable then Oia. Not as cheap as Athene's but that is because of shipping supplies into an island, it can get costly.

There was great shopping and you still got amazing views.

What to do in Santorini Greece

Sunset dinner is a must

If it is in Thira or Oia its just such a beautiful experience all resturants will advertise if they have a sunset view so its easy to book.

Oia

You have to go get a photo with the blue domes. Walk around find a good spot. There is a very well known spot but on off season the line takes an hour and a half just for a photo. I hate lines, lol so we found another spot that was just as good.

Sunset in Oia - to see that is a must there are certain spots on the island that have the best sunset. Even on a cloudy day it is amazing.

Catamaran is a fun way in which we ended the trip. It was too cold to swim but normally they take you to different beaches, unlimited drinks, food, and you get to meet amazing people. They also have an option for a later boat were you can see the Oia sunset from the water.

Shopping

Everyone said to buy things in Athene's because it was cheaper. I agree for food, and souvenirs. However, in Thira I did notice the price for items such as clothing and designer goods to be the same as Athene's.

The Beaches

Even though it was cold it was still nice to experience the beaches. The island is a volcanic island so the sand at the beaches are black, which was really cool. Perissa and Perivolos are two of the black sand beaches. However, the island has so many more you can go to.

Skaros Rock

Referred to as 'Kastro' (Greek for castle). The rock was inhabited during medieval times, offering refuge from pirates. Skaros served as the capital of Santorini until the 18th century. It is worth it to see it. Its a great hike. You can go all the way up and walk around. We did not do that because it was so windy that day and we could not even stand up straight without getting blown over. It is a great historical part of the island.

Akrotiri

Referred to as the Pompeii of the Aegean, Akrotiri is an impeccably preserved archaeological site that bears testimony to the thriving community that inhabited Santorini circa 4000 BC. We went with a travel guide and it was amazing to hear the history. They had pluming back then! It is funny because before Akrotiri was discovered the island could not figure out how have plumbing and toilets yet in 4000BC they already had them. I do recommend doing this with a guide for more of the history and to know the details of Akrotiri.

It always amazes me even when we went to Mexico how smart, resourceful earlier civilisations were. Especially since they did not have the tools and technology we have now!

Here is my: Mexico Travel Guide

Where to eat and what to eat in Santorini

The Wine !!!! Oh my gosh I was obsessed. The white wines you have to try are: Vincanto, Assyrtiko, and Athiri. They grow the grapes for their wines on the island. I have never been more obsessed with wine until I got to Santorini.

We did do a wine tour but I don't think it was needed to be honest. All the resturants we ate at had great choices, and you could always pick up a bottle from a market.

LukuMum has the best modern take on the traditional Greek doughnuts. They also have amazing and affordable meals for breakfast and lunch! We became very good customers we went there seven times. The coffee is also really great! You know if you read my Athene's Travel Guide how amazing the coffee is in Greece!

You can read my Athene's Travel Guide here

The sea food is a must to try. It is such a different taste and freshness. Also, for quick meals gyros are my favourite.

For desserts every island has their own take on desserts. The baklava and orange cake from Θηραϊκή Bakery (Thira Bakery) was the most authentic and not commercialised, I highly recommend it. The pricing was also way better than anywhere else on the island.

For more of my travel guides:

Athene's Travel Guide

Mexico Travel Guide

Nova Scotia Travel Guide

Alberta/Banff Travel Guide