Contents 28
Santorini (Thíra), in the Cyclades, is what remains of a collapsed volcano: its white villages, chiefly Oia and Fira, cling to the rim of a caldera of red and black cliffs, facing the volcanic islets of Nea Kameni and Palea Kameni.
Three or four days cover the island: the caldera villages, the Fira-to-Oia hike, the Minoan town of Akrotiri buried around 1600 BC, Ancient Thera on Mesa Vouno, the black-sand beaches of Kamari and Perissa, and a boat trip to the crater.
Overview
Santorini, a volcanic island in the Cyclades, is famous for its caldera, whitewashed clifftop villages (Oia, Fira), black-sand beaches and ancient sites.
Santorini (Thíra) is one of the most spectacular islands of the Cyclades, in Greece. Its crescent shape is the remnant of a major volcanic eruption in the 16th century BC, which carved out the vast caldera where the active islet of Nea Kameni still smoulders.
People come for the white villages clinging to the cliff — chiefly Oia and Fira — the sunsets over the Aegean, the black- and red-sand beaches, and leading archaeological sites such as the Minoan town of Akrotiri and Ancient Thera. It is a destination blending volcanic landscapes, heritage and Greek living.
11 places to take with you
In the guide's order, ready for Google Maps or your GPS.
Book the activities from this guide
Our picks for Santorini, well rated and free to cancel.
-
Book this activity
Catamaran cruise around the caldera
€110 per person, meal and drinks included (GetYourGuide price 2026)
-
Book this activity
Boat trip to the Nea Kameni volcano and hot springs
€30 per person, volcano access fee extra (GetYourGuide price 2026)
-
Book this activity
Three wineries at sunset
€180 per person, 12 wines tasted (GetYourGuide price 2026)
Affiliate links: Travel Advice earns a commission if you book, at no extra cost to you. Learn more
Oia
At the island's north-western tip, Oia stacks its white houses, blue domes and old captains' houses carved into the cliff above the caldera. The castle ruins (Kastro) at the end of the village are the most sought-after sunset viewpoint.
Below the village, about 300 steps lead down to the small port of Ammoudi, with its fish tavernas and rocks for swimming. The maritime museum, set in a 19th-century mansion, tells the story of the island's seafaring past.
Fira
The island's capital, Fira lines the caldera on top of a cliff more than 200 metres high. Its promenade leads to Firostefani and Imerovigli, and its lanes are packed with shops, tavernas and bars.
The Museum of Prehistoric Thera displays the frescoes and objects found at Akrotiri. From the centre, a cable car drops to the old port, where boats leave for the volcano; the steep stairway next to it is used by donkeys.
Akrotiri archaeological site
This Bronze Age town, linked to Minoan civilisation, was buried under the ash of the Thera eruption in the 16th century BC. Excavations led by Spyridon Marinatos from 1967 uncovered paved streets, two- and three-storey houses and a drainage network.
The whole site sits under a large roof, so a visit works even in midsummer. The frescoes that decorated the houses are displayed at the Museum of Prehistoric Thera in Fira.
Fira to Oia hike
The trail follows the caldera rim for just under 10.5 km from Fira to Oia, via Firostefani and Imerovigli, where Skaros rock juts into the sea. It alternates paved lanes and dirt path, with some climbs after Imerovigli.
Allow 2.5 to 5 hours depending on pace and stops. Finishing in Oia lets you stay for sunset and take the bus back.
Ancient Thera
On Mesa Vouno, 360 metres above Kamari and Perissa, lie the ruins of the city founded by Dorian settlers in the 9th century BC and inhabited until Byzantine times: agora, theatre, sanctuaries and houses along a main street.
The view drops on both sides to the black-sand beaches. You drive up a hairpin road from Kamari, or walk up a path from Perissa.
Red Beach
Near Akrotiri, in the south-west of the island, the Red Beach (Kokkini Paralia) gets its colour from the red and black volcanic cliffs above it. It is one of the most photographed views in Santorini.
Part of the beach has been off-limits since 2013 because of rockfalls, and it was closed again in February 2025 after stones fell during seismic activity. View it from the lookout above the small harbour, or from the sea on a catamaran trip.
Nea Kameni
In the middle of the caldera, Nea Kameni is Santorini's active volcanic islet; its last activity dates from 1950. A marked gravel path climbs about 130 metres to the crater rim, between black lava flows and sulphur-scented fumaroles.
Boats leave mostly from Fira old port and Athinios. Most trips then stop at Palea Kameni, where you swim to a small bay of warm, iron-rich water.
Kamari Beach
On the south-east coast, at the foot of Mesa Vouno, Kamari has a long beach of black sand and pebbles, lined by a promenade of tavernas and cafés. The water is easier to reach than on the caldera side, with plenty of facilities (loungers, showers).
It is also where the road up to Ancient Thera starts. On the other side of the mountain, Perissa and Perivolos continue the black sand for several kilometres.
Monastery of Profitis Ilias
The Monastery of Profitis Ilias (the Prophet Elijah), founded in the 18th century, stands on the island's highest point, at about 567 metres, above Pyrgos. On a clear day you see the whole island, the caldera and the neighbouring Cyclades.
A road leads up by car, sharing the summit with antennas and a military installation. The church can be visited when the monastery is open.
Pyrgos
Pyrgos Kallistis, inland, wraps its lanes around a hill crowned by the remains of a Venetian castle. Less busy than the caldera villages, it keeps its churches and traditional houses.
From the top, the view spans the caldera on one side and the vineyards and east coast on the other. Several wineries are a few minutes away, towards Megalochori.
Thirasia
Opposite Oia, Thirasia is the western fragment of the old volcano, away from mass tourism. Its main village, Manolas, sits on the ridge above the harbour, with tavernas and a view across the caldera to Santorini's villages.
The island is often included in volcano cruises; local boats also link it to Ammoudi, below Oia.
Catamaran cruise around the caldera
Five to six hours by catamaran, in the morning or at sunset: a half-hour stop off the Red Beach, snorkelling by the sea caves of the White Beach, then a swim in the volcanic hot springs. The Greek meal is cooked on board and the bar is open. The highlight: sailing below the villages along the caldera cliffs.
Allow €110 per person on GetYourGuide, with hotel pick-up and free cancellation. The evening departure ends facing the sunset below Oia; book several days ahead in summer.
- 5-6 hrs
- €110 per person, meal and drinks included (GetYourGuide price 2026)
Boat trip to the Nea Kameni volcano and hot springs
Three hours from the old port: a ten-minute crossing to Nea Kameni, about 1 hour 15 to climb to the active crater with a guide, then on to Palea Kameni, where the boat anchors some thirty metres from Agios Nikolaos bay and its warm water. The highlight: the view over the whole caldera from the top of the volcano.
Allow €30 per person on GetYourGuide, with free cancellation; the volcano access fee (about €5, cash) is not included. Closed shoes and a swimsuit.
- 3 hrs
- €30 per person, volcano access fee extra (GetYourGuide price 2026)
Three wineries at sunset
A small-group round of three wineries: Sigalas near Oia, Argyros in Episkopi Gonias, then Santo Wines in Pyrgos, on the caldera, for the last tasting. Twelve wines in all, including Assyrtiko, Nykteri and Vinsanto, with a look at the cellars and the basket-trained vines. The highlight: sunset over the caldera from the Santo Wines terrace.
Allow €180 per person on GetYourGuide, with pick-up in Fira and free cancellation. The tour is in English.
- 4-4.5 hrs
- €180 per person, 12 wines tasted (GetYourGuide price 2026)
Akrotiri with a licensed guide
Seventy minutes on foot through the buried town, with an official guide met at the entrance: the paved streets and squares, the two- and three-storey houses, the kitchens, latrines and drainage, plus photos of the frescoes now shown in Fira. The highlight: understanding how the town lived just before the eruption.
A private tour in English, from €177 for the group on GetYourGuide, with free cancellation; the site ticket (€20 in 2025) is extra. The site is roofed, so the visit works in any season.
- 1.25 hrs
- From €177 for a private group, entry not included (GetYourGuide price 2026)
Getting there
By air to Santorini airport (JTR), or by ferry from Piraeus (Athens): ~5h fast, 6-9h conventional, arriving at Athinios port.
By air: Santorini International Airport (code JTR) takes flights from Athens and, in season, from several European cities.
By ferry: from Piraeus (Athens' port), allow about 5h on a high-speed catamaran and 6 to 9h on a conventional ferry. Boats dock at Athinios port, ~8 km from Fira. Inter-Cyclades links also connect Mykonos, Naxos, Paros, Ios and Crete.
Getting around
KTEL buses from Fira, a car or quad for more freedom, and a cable car between Fira and the old port.
KTEL buses radiate from the Fira station to Oia, Kamari, Perissa, Akrotiri, Pyrgos and Athinios port. It's cheap but tied to timetables.
For more freedom, rent a car, quad or scooter (book early in summer; roads are narrow and winding). Between Fira and the old port, the cable car avoids the steep steps also used by the donkeys.
What to do
Caldera villages and the Fira-Oia hike, Akrotiri and Ancient Thera, a boat trip to the volcano, black-sand beaches and an Assyrtiko tasting.
On the caldera, walk Oia and Fira early in the morning, then hike from Fira to Oia via Imerovigli. For history, the Minoan town of Akrotiri and the Museum of Prehistoric Thera go together; visit Ancient Thera in the morning, before the heat.
At sea, take a trip to Nea Kameni and the hot springs, or a catamaran cruise past the Red and White beaches. For swimming, Kamari and Perissa; in the evening, a tasting at a winery in Pyrgos or Megalochori.
Food
Fava, tomatokeftedes, white aubergine and grilled fish; for wine, Assyrtiko and Vinsanto from the wineries around Pyrgos and Megalochori.
Santorini's cooking makes the most of its volcanic soil: fava (yellow split-pea purée), tomatokeftedes (cherry-tomato fritters), white aubergine, capers, grilled octopus and the catch of the day at Ammoudi or Vlychada.
For wine, the island is known for its dry white Assyrtiko, from vines trained into low baskets against the wind, and for Vinsanto, a sweet wine. Several wineries can be visited around Pyrgos and Megalochori.
Itineraries
Day 1: Fira and the hike to Oia; day 2: Akrotiri, the Red Beach and Pyrgos; day 3: volcano boat trip, then Kamari and Ancient Thera.
Day 1: Fira and the Prehistoric Museum in the morning, then the caldera hike to Oia and sunset there.
Day 2: Akrotiri at opening time, the Red Beach lookout, a fish lunch in Vlychada, then Pyrgos and a tasting in Megalochori late in the day.
Day 3: a morning boat trip to Nea Kameni and the hot springs, then the afternoon on the black sand of Kamari or Perissa. With an extra day, go up to Ancient Thera and the Monastery of Profitis Ilias.
Climate & seasons
When to go to Greece?
Monthly averages over the past 5 years (Open-Meteo).
Best months
- January
- February
- March
- April
- May
- June
- July
- August
- September
- October
- November
- December
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Our take | ||||||||||||
| Weather | ||||||||||||
| High | 15° | 14° | 15° | 18° | 22° | 27° | 29° | 29° | 26° | 22° | 19° | 16° |
| Rain (mm) | 42 | 35 | 33 | 13 | 16 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 10 | 21 | 60 |
| Beach | Beach June | Beach July | Beach August | Beach September |
What to do by season (autumn)
-
Beach
Warm air and water, little rain.
When to go
Late April to June and September to October bring warm weather with reasonable crowds; July-August is the peak.
The best time runs from late April to June and from September to October: it is warm, the sea is warming up and crowds stay reasonable.
July and August are the hottest and busiest months, especially at sunset in Oia, packed with cruise passengers. From November to March many hotels and restaurants close, but the island is peaceful.
Budget
Allow €20 for Akrotiri, €10 for Ancient Thera and the Prehistoric Museum (2025 prices), €10 for the Fira cable car and about €5 for volcano access.
Sites are paid at the gate: €20 for Akrotiri, €10 for Ancient Thera and €10 for the Museum of Prehistoric Thera (2025 prices, free for EU citizens under 25). The Fira cable car costs €10 one way and access to Nea Kameni about €5, in cash.
Boat trips range from around €30 for the volcano to over €100 for a catamaran with a meal. KTEL buses are the budget option; caldera-view accommodation in Oia and Fira is by far the biggest expense, especially in July-August.
Where to stay
Oia and Fira for caldera views (chic, pricey), Imerovigli for quiet, Kamari and Perissa for beaches and better value.
Oia has the finest caldera and sunset views but is the priciest, busiest area. Fira, central, is the best base for transport and nightlife, with caldera views too.
Imerovigli and Firostefani, in between, are quieter. For beaches and a softer budget, Kamari and Perissa (southeast coast, black sand) are great for families; Pyrgos and the interior offer authenticity at lower prices.
Safety
A safe island; watch out for cliffs, rockfalls (Red Beach) and the heat. Emergencies: 112, police 100, ambulance 166.
Santorini is a safe destination; the precautions are mostly natural. The island is volcanic and seismic: an earthquake swarm in February 2025 led to temporary closures, including the Red Beach, already partly off-limits since 2013 for rockfalls. Follow the signage.
The caldera cliffs and the stairway between Fira and the old port are steep and slippery. In summer, heat and the sunset crowds call for water and sun protection. Emergencies: 112 (European number), police 100, ambulance 166, fire brigade 199, tourist police 1571.
Formalities
Greece is in the EU and the Schengen Area: French travellers only need a valid ID card or passport, no visa for stays under 90 days.
Greece is a member of the European Union and the Schengen Area, and uses the euro. For French nationals, no visa is required for stays under 90 days: a valid national ID card or passport is enough.
Bring your European Health Insurance Card. Non-EU travellers should check entry requirements with the Greek consular authorities.
Tips
Book early in summer, visit the villages early, skip the Oia sunset crush and pair Akrotiri with the Fira museum.
- Book accommodation and tours well ahead from June to September.
- Visit Oia and Fira early in the morning, before the cruise crowds.
- For sunset, try Imerovigli or Pyrgos rather than the Oia crush.
- Pair Akrotiri with the Museum of Prehistoric Thera in Fira for the frescoes.
- Take the cable car in Fira instead of the donkey steps.
Fancy a quieter volcanic island after Santorini? In season, a fast ferry reaches Milos in about 2 hours: see the 12 best things to do in Milos.
FAQ
The best time is late April to June and September to October; reach Santorini by air (JTR) or by ferry from Piraeus.
When is the best time to visit Santorini?
Late April to June and September-October form the best window: warm weather, a pleasant sea and reasonable crowds. July and August are the hottest and busiest months, especially at sunset in Oia, which fills with cruise passengers. In winter many hotels and restaurants close, though the island is peaceful. Whatever the season, book accommodation and excursions well ahead between June and September.
How do you get to Santorini?
Two routes. By air, Santorini international airport (JTR) takes flights from Athens year-round and, in season, from several European cities. By ferry from Piraeus, the port of Athens, allow about 5 hours on a fast catamaran and 6 to 9 hours on a conventional ferry; boats dock at Athinios port, roughly 8 km from Fira. Inter-Cyclades services also link Mykonos, Naxos, Paros, Ios and Crete, which makes island-hopping on one trip straightforward.
Do you need a visa for Greece?
Not for French travellers: Greece is in the EU and Schengen, so a valid ID card or passport is enough for stays under 90 days.
Can you swim at the Red Beach?
Better not to. The Red Beach is classed as dangerous and its path officially restricted since 2013 because of rockfalls: view it from the lookout or on a boat trip instead. For swimming, head to Kamari or Perissa on the south-east coast, whose black-sand beaches also suit families. The caldera cliffs and the old steps between Fira and the old port are steep and slippery too, so the cable car is the safe choice. Emergencies: 112, police 100, ambulance 166.
How many days should you plan for Santorini?
Three to four days let you see Oia and Fira, one ancient site, either the Minoan city of Akrotiri or Ancient Thera, a black-sand beach and a boat trip to the volcanic islet of Nea Kameni, without rushing. Visit Oia and Fira early in the morning, before the cruise crowds, and try Imerovigli or Pyrgos for sunset rather than the crush at Oia. With an extra day, add an Assyrtiko tasting at a winery around Pyrgos or Megalochori.
Sources
The figures in this guide come from the sources below, checked on the publication date.
Leave a comment
Share your thoughts or travel experience. Your email will not be published.
