Santorini Travel Guide, Greece
Discover everything you need to know about your holidays in Santorini in our Santorini travel guide. Find out about the best things to do, where to stay in Santorini, your wining and dining options and insider local tips that you won’t necessarily read in the guide books.
Santorini, the supermodel of Greek islands
From the midnight blue waters of the caldera to the soaring multi-coloured cliffs topped with cubist white-washed villas and cave houses, Santorini’s beauty today is as remarkable as its volcanic beginnings.
The croissant-shaped island was formed by a cataclysmic eruption beyond imagination. In one of the most violent eruptions in history, the centre of the island collapsed causing the sea to rush in and fill it. What was left, the present, crescent-shaped island is now one of most iconic places in the world and most definitely the supermodel of the Greek islands. Santorini.
Santorini Frequently Asked Questions
Santorini Travel Guide 2021
To help you plan your perfect Santorini holiday we’ve pulled together the most common questions we get asked. We hope this list of Santorini FAQs helps you plan the trip of a lifetime. If you’ve other questions or need advice, please send us a message and we’ll get back you with more information.
Santorini is in Greece. One of the Cyclades islands, it is located in the Aegean Sea. It is the most southerly of the Cycladic islands about 200 kilometres from mainland Greece and 120 kilometres north of Crete.
There are two ways to reach Santorini, by air and by sea. Santorini has one airport called Santorini Airport (airport code JTR) and a ferry port, called Athinios.
By Air: If you are travelling from Europe, Santorini is connected to many European cities by air. Click here for a current list of airlines that fly directly to Santorini. If you are travelling to Santorini from outside of Europe, you will need to connect via a European City such as London, Paris, Amsterdam or Athens. From the UK the flight time to Santorini is between 3.5 and 4 hours. If you fly into Athens, there are a number of airlines that fly from Athens to Santorini. Aegean Airlines is the national carrier of Greece. Ryanair, Volotea, Sky Express also offer connections between Athens and Santorini. The flight time from Athens to Santorini is approximately 45 minutes.
By Sea: Popular with island hoppers, another way to get to Santorini is by ferry or high speed ferry. Ferries leave Athens, the port of Piraeus early morning (Blue Star Delos leaves at 07.30am), stopping of at Paros, Naxos and Ios arriving at Santorini’s port Athinios around 15.00. Other high speed options are available taking around 5 hours as opposed to 7.5 hours on the regular ferry. For timetable and booking your ferry check out www.ferryconnection.com
Realistically, unless you are a day visitor from a cruise ship or Crete, the absolute minimum number of nights we recommend is 3. Sure it’s possible to see the highlights in 2 nights, but you’ll have very little time for relaxing, and you will feel rushed. At Demeter Cave House the average duration is 5 nights, the most popular is 7 nights and the longest 14 nights.
There isn’t a best month to visit Santorini. It simply depends on what you’d like to do, your budget and your overall holiday itinerary. The main tourist season normally starts in April and finishes at the end of October. Increasingly, however the off season months are being more popular.
If beach and sea time are important to you, then the best time to visit Santorini for good weather, boat tours, swimming and sunbathing is June to September. That said even in May, the weather is warm and it’s possible spend time on the beaches, although the sea isn’t at its hottest. October has warm sunny days too, and the sea temperature is still pleasant. If beach time and hot weather are not your number 1 priority and you’re more interested in sightseeing and exploring then late March, April, May, October, and early November are also great months.
Between April and October, a holiday in Santorini most certainly means you’re going to enjoy warm, sunny days. The hottest months are normally July and August, but there’s usually a medium to strong breeze to keep things bearable. Santorini boasts a Mediterranean climate. Summers are long, hot and with little rainfall. Increasingly, weather is becoming less predictable. In 2020, for example October had some of the best weather of the season, with calm, warm sunny days and light winds. There were heatwaves in May and August was arguably cool compared to normal.
There are many ways to get around Santorini so hiring a car is not essential. That said if you want the flexibility of your own wheels, then a car hire is recommended, even for a couple of days. You can easily cover off the main highlights of Santorini in a couple of days.
Santorini is a relatively small Greek island. Measuring 16 km long and between 1 to 5 km wide, it takes just 45 minutes to drive from one end of Santorini to the other.
Santorini’s main beaches are volcanic blank sandy beaches. There’s also the famous Red Beach, White beach and the lunar landscape beach of Vlychada. Many beaches like Perissa and Kamari are organised with plenty of tourist facilities. If you prefer quieter more off the beaten track beaches, then a car is recommended to reach them.
If you arrive to Santorini by ferry or high speed ferry, then you will arrive in the main port of Santorini, called Athinios. Your options to get from Santorini port to your accommodation include hiring a car, taking the local bus (least recommended unless you stay in Fira), taxi or pre-booking a private transfer. Booking a private transfer is by far the best option. You will met by a driver, taken to your transport and be driven to your accommodation. This is by far the least stressful option and a great start to your holiday in Santorini.
Taxis are limited at Santorini port. Buses are generally crowded and unless you are staying in Fira, to get to other destinations like Pyrgos, Kamari, Perissa and Oia, you will have to take a second bus from Fira.
If you arrive in Santorini by air then you will arrive at Santorini’s airport (JTR). At Santorini airport you can hire a car (recommend to pre-book this), head to the taxi rank (expect queues) or pre-book a private transfer. There is a bus stop at Santorini airport although the buses run infrequently.