Santorini Travel Guide
SANTORINI TRAVEL GUIDE
Mamma mia, Greece I love you! My trip to Greece kicked off in one of the most beautiful and romantic places to visit, Santorini. Known for it’s stunning sunsets, jaw-dropping views of the caldera, whitewashed buildings and seafood restaurants, Santorini is a magical island. Today I’m sharing my latest travel guide that hoping will be useful when planning a trip to Santorini and what’s not to miss in Greece!
WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO VISIT SANTORINI?
I visited Santorini in early September and highly recommend this time of year. It was still super hot, so perfect for beach club days, but wasn’t as crowded or hot as it can be in the summer. Santorini can get super busy with crowds, especially those visiting for the day from cruises, so warning that the main towns, Oia and Fira, can get very busy in the earlier afternoon and during sunset on the narrow streets.
WHERE TO STAY IN SANTORINI
Oia Rental
Santorini is one of the more expensive islands, especially when it comes to hotels. So when my sister recommended this rental apartment after staying there years ago, we booked ASAP. Not only was the location amazing, directly relocated right in Oia, it had one of the most incredible views. Best of all, the price was amazing and it was directly above the Andronis Hotel which was over $1,200 a night when we were there. This VRBO next door is also another great recommendation!
WHAT TO DO IN SANTORINI
Shop and Explore In Oia
Oia is the most popular area of the island and definitely recommend shopping and spending the most time here. It can definitely get crowded but there are lots of areas to explore, from rooftop bars to local shops and restaurants. Would recommend avoiding Fira, the other popular area, as this was more of touristy crowds and shops. For getting around, Uber was very easily accessible on the island!
Spend A Day At A Beach Club
For us, we really wanted to embrace the hot weather and a beach club is the ideal place to do that while in Europe. We visited Forty One Santorini and loved our day there. The price included our beach chairs, towels and a bottle of wine and we spent 11 am – 6 pm there. We went back and forth from tanning, swimming and eating lunch and thought the food and drinks were incredible. Highly recommend spending a day here, especially if your hotel or stay doesn’t have a pool.
WHERE TO EAT AND DRINK IN SANTORINI
Armeni Restaurant
One of our favorite meals of the entire trip was this incredible fish tavern. The only way to get to the restaurant is by boat and the restaurant picks you up at Ammoudi Bay. Taking the quick 10 minute ride felt straight out of a movie. Once you arrive to the small seaside tavern, get ready for such a fun and seafood filled night. The entire staff is so kind and you get to choose from the fresh fish for your dinner. Make sure to get the shrimp cocktail as well (still dreaming of it!).
Sunset Ammoudi Bay
Another spot that came highly recommended was Sunset which is right on Ammoudi Bay. Ammoudi Bay is at the base of the cliffs of Oia and warning – it may say a 15 minute walk from town but it is a majorly steep restaurant so do not walk down like we did! Definitely recommend an Uber to bring you down. Once there, you’ll see the fresh octopuses hanging and get ready for a great seafood heavy meal.
Pelekanos
If you’re looking for a great spot in central Oia, we loved this rooftop restaurant that had amazing sunset views and grilled octopus.
Pitogyros Traditional Grill House
We sadly didn’t get to grab a famous gyro from here as they were closed when we went but this is perfect spot for a casual lunch or dinner right in Oia.
Lauda at Andronis Hotel
I love a hotel bar and this gorgeous poolside bar was underneath our Airbnb and we had some incredible and fun cocktails after dinner one night. Plus the view cannot be beat.
NAOS
Another fun rooftop bar located right in Oia, perfect for a final final after your sunset dinner.
