Santorini travel blog — The fullest Santorini travel guide for first-timers

In Thira besides wandering in the village’s alleys, strolling between the staircases that are from one house to another on the cliffs, there are also some special places you need to know to to not be missed that can be mentioned here as:

Fira Old Port

The old port in Santorini is located at the foot of the mountain where Thira village is located 980 ft (300 m) from the peak. The main port has now been replaced by the new port, which if you take the Blue Star Ferry, it will dock there. If you want to get down to Fira Old Port you can walk through the zig zak road with stairs, or hire a donkey service of indigenous people (note that the donkeys here are very foul), and the other way is to go by cable car. The price of a donkey ride of €8 / way, a cable car of €5 / way, about 20 minute has a trip and a daily opening from 6.30am-10pm, and it’s free if you walk but a very tired to climb!

Virgin Mary Catholic Church

Legendary blue roof with three bell towers: Although Santorini is characterized by blue-white houses and countless blue-painted dome, but there is a church with three bell towers so beautiful because it in isolated position, located opposite the sunset. You can easily see the image of this church on many postcards sold in the village. But this church is not located in the center of the village, to get here you have to go from the village of Thira to straight to the cliff in the middle of the village, then follow the stairs to the right (go north if you look on map), about 300m from the village center.

Museums in Thera

Santorini not only has beautiful beaches, unique villages, but also museums displaying artifacts about an island with a long history. The two main museums, including the Museum of Prehistoric Thera, are open on weekdays except Tuesday (from 8.30am – 3pm) and Naval Maritime Museum are open on weekdays except Tuesday (from 10am to 2pm and 5pm – 8pm).

Oia (Ia) Village

Oia Village is a village located in the northwest, located at the top of the island, also the most famous village of Santorini. Cost of living, room rates in this village are also more expensive than in Thira. Some places to explore and activities should try here:

Walking in Amoudi Bay

Santorini’s peak but not on the mountain but a very beautiful beach, crystal clear water that if not for the winter I would have jumped into the shower.

Walking around Oia

Just like Thira, you will take a day to wander through the overhanging houses on the cliff.

Buy souvenirs in Oia

A lot of beautiful souvenirs made of terracotta, colorful colors, besides the clothes here are also extremely stylish, you will see some shops as in fairy tales.

Watching the sunset

Oia Village is famous for being one of the most beautiful places to watching sunset in the world. Located at Santorini’s highest peak, if you want a pleasant spot to watch the sunset, you need to come here before 4pm, take a walk around the village and choose a seat to enjoy the beauty of sunset that how many people wish for this.

The location where people gather to watch the sunset is a protruding ledge that was built around by brick walls, located in the middle of the village. From here you can look straight to the west where the sun goes down, with the right side is the houses hanging on cliff (as in the picture).

Perissa Village

This is a village less known to tourists because it is simply not as famous as Oia and Thira, but it is also a nice place for travelers to explore. Santorini’s sandy beaches have a unique blend of colors between red, white and black. One of the most black sandy places is Perissa. Usually when visitors are not in one of Oia or Thira villages, they will choose this village to rest when visit Santorini.

Red beach & white beach

This area is located at the foot of the island, where you can easily recognize the features of Santorini formed from the surrounding volcanoes. The sand and mountain colors here cover a distinctive red color that rarely available in anyplace. The Red Sea is also a favorite place for tourists who like to swim, you will easily catch sunbathing tourists all day here, even without wearing anything.

Imerovigli & Firostefani Village

Looking on the map you can easily see some other places that can be explored when traveling to Santorini. You can visit some small villages such as Imerovigli village, Firostefani village (also located near Fira village, although not as famous but the view from these villages to the sea is also very beautiful), the common feature is that these two villages is very quiet instead of the hustle and bustle in Thira and you can get to Thira quite close by walking or bus.

Nea Kameni Volcano

If you have the conditions and time you can buy a tour to visit the famous Nea Kameni Crater here, it is an uninhabited island located in a flooded volcano. The unique thing about this island is that the craters formed from the eruptions for a long time, what is left is just a big deep pit, spreading from top to bottom and not like the usual crater. You can pre-buy the tour at here for a price (~ 20 euro and more) or right in the hotels, the island hostel has a tour. The entrance fee of the volcano is 2 EUR / person.

Nea Kameni volcano is considered a geopark and needs to be preserved in Santorini, so there will be warning signboards to remind you not to bring gravel from this volcano to “as a souvenir”! You will have to walk up on the one-sided volcanic rim, so be sure to bring walking sandals or shoes to make it more convenient, and you can bring more sunscreen, sunglasses, and swimwear because there is a pretty beach here.

Other beaches in Santorini

Other beaches in Santorini that if you stay on the island for many days can not be missed. Besides Red Beach, White Beach, there are many other super beautiful beaches stretching around the areas of the island. Each beach will have a unique feature of the complex geology of Santorini, a black sand beach, a white sand beach, then there are earth, rock, sand and gravel all a strange red. Sea water color also changes accordingly. Other famous beaches can be listed here as:

• Black Beach: The beach in Perissa village with distinctive black sand.
• Kamari Beach: The beach is located south of the island, right next to the village of Perissa, which is famous for its large rocks called Mesa Vouno.
• Agios Georgios: Another black beach about 3km from Perissa village, suitable for activities such as Jet-skiing, scuba-diving, ..
• Cape Columbo: A fairly desolate beach located east of Thira village.

There are also a number of other beaches and locations such as Monolithos, Perivolos, Vlychada, Vourvoulos.

Santorini travel blog: What to eat in Santorini?

Traveling to Santorini that you don’t enjoy the famous yogurt here is extremely regretful. Yogurt here has a characteristic aroma and sweetness mixed sour taste that is extremely attractive. One of the best Yogurt in Santorini is Louyo Greek Frozen Yogurt in Fira village: http://www.louyosantorini.gr. In addition, with the daily meals you can eat Pita bread (a type of sandwich), or Gyros with lamb, like Kebab of Vietnam, is also quite good. Especially is Pita, I really love, eating continuously for several days on the island without getting bored.

In addition, the seafood in Santorini is also very delicious, all catch by the fishing boats catch fresh seafood on surrounding seas of the island. Other dishes on the island are similar to those in Athens. Santorini is an isolated island, so it has to import food and fruit from other places. Fruit on the island you can easily buy and enjoy like Cherry, Strawberry or Olives. Fresh fruit is very tasty, cool, but for Olive, it must be someone who is familiar with it, I don’t really like it because it’s strange, hard to eat.

Suggested Santorini itinerary 2 days

A suggested Santorini itinerary 2 days or 3 days is reasonable, the first day you can take a tour around Thira, take a bus to Oia village to watch the sunset there. The second day continued to play at other locations such as Red Sea, Black Sea, Perissa Village, then returned to Thira to watch the sunset. In the evening, you can go out and eat at Thira.

If you have a good financial conditions, you should not miss the cruise tours and watch the sunset in Santorini. It is truly the unforgettable experiences, the cruise will take you from 2pm, sailing around the areas, the most beautiful beaches on the island such as the Black Sea, White beach, Red beach, watching the sunset in Amoudi Bay. On the cruise will have fruit, wine and luxury BBQ dinner. Tour price ranges from 100 Euro / person, to book a tour you can ask the hotel to help you buy.

The basic cost can be summed up as follows: Athens return ferry ticket – Santorini: 75 euros, two nights in Santorini: 30 euros, dining and transportation (vehicle rental): 40 Euro, total cost ~ 150 euros / person.

Some best day tours, trips, activities and transfer services, tickets in and from Santorini you can refer to

• Santorini Traditional Bus Tour with Oia Sunset
• Santorini Volcanic Islands and Sunset Cruise Trip with Dinner
• Santorini Cruise with Winery Tour and Sunset in Oia Village
• Santorini Volcano, Hot Springs, and Thirassia Island One Day Cruise Tour with Oia Sunset
• Santorini Volcanic Islands and Sunset Cruise Trip
• Santorini Wine Tasting Sunset Tour
• Santorini Volcano and Hot Springs Boat Tour
• Santorini Caldera Catamaran Blue Cruise
• Santorini: Volcanic Islands Cruise with Hot Springs Visit
• Santorini: Premium Catamaran Cruise with Fresh BBQ & Drinks
• Santorini: Greek Wine Tasting Experience with 3 Winery Visits & Transfer
• Santorini: Luxury Small Group Catamaran w/ Meal & Open Bar
• Santorini: Greek Wine Tasting Experience with 3 Winery Visits & Transfer
• Santorini: Traditional Sightseeing Bus Tour with Oia Sunset
• Santorini: Highlights Tour with Wine Tasting & Sunset in Oia
• Santorini: Volcano and Thirassia Sunset Dinner Cruise
• Santorini: All-Inclusive Luxury Catamaran Small Group Cruise
• Santorini: Catamaran Cruise with Meal and Open Bar

Are you looking for more Santorini travel guide and top things to do in Santorini: Tours, activities, attractions and other things? Read more: 1 day in Santorini — How to spend 24 hours in Santorini in a day perfectly? And A day in Santorini blog — How to spend one perfect day in Santorini?