We recently visited Santorini for the first time and fell in love with every moment. Before diving into what makes this island so special, I’d like to share a few tips.
- I highly recommend renting a car, quadbike or scooter to explore the island more freely. Depending on where you’re staying, public transportation can be limited, and you might end up without a bus back to your hotel or villa.
- If you’re visiting from outside the EU, I recommend bringing enough cash. While most restaurants and souvenir shops accept cards, smaller businesses may not — though ATMs are easy to find throughout the island.
- I suggest spending about a week in Santorini to truly experience the island — or at least to see its main highlights.
- If you are having a delivery, I suggest downloading Wolt.
That being said, we stayed for 3 and a half days. Here’s what we explored:
We stayed at a beautiful place called Blue Eyes Villa in Monolithos, located close to the airport …enjoying the breathtaking sea view and the wonderful experience of seeing the sunrise each morning… the place has a bus stop close by and a lovely family tavern in which we ate amazing food. We took a taxi there, but I’d recommend avoiding taxis in general — they tend to be quite expensive in Greece, at least in my experience.
Pyrgos
On our first afternoon, we visited Pyrgos, a charming village in the mid-southern part of Santorini. The whitewashed houses stacked atop one another created a postcard-perfect scene, and we were greeted by countless shy but adorable kittens wandering the narrow streets. From the top of the village, we enjoyed a stunning view of Santorini stretching out below us.
Oia & Fira
On our second day, we set out to explore Oia, the most famous and picturesque part of Santorini — the one you often see on social media with its iconic blue-domed roofs. We woke up early to catch the first bus, and since it was the low season, we had the village almost to ourselves. The quiet streets made it easy to take photos, linger at our favourite spots, and truly soak in the beauty around us. We also enjoyed a cup of rich Greek coffee — absolutely amazing!
We saw quite a few donkeys and even some people doing photoshoots in flowing dresses — it was such a lovely sight. What made me smile was seeing the locals bundled up in coats and scarves, even though it was 23°C! That’s summer weather for me, but they kept insisting it was winter.
There are plenty of jewellery shops around, and Greece in general is home to incredible artisans — especially those working with silver, marble, wood, and handmade textiles.
By around 10 a.m., we had finished exploring Oia, so we went back to the main bus station and decided to spend the rest of the morning in Fira before our 2 p.m. bus. We found some lovely little churches, strolled around town, and of course, couldn’t resist stopping for ice cream.
Akrotiri
On our last full day, we decided to explore Santorini’s fascinating historical sites. Ancient Thira sits high on a ridge overlooking the sea, and reaching it involves a bit of a climb, but the views along the way are absolutely worth it. Walking among the ruins of temples, houses, and marketplaces, you can almost feel the life of this ancient city that dates back to the Hellenistic period. It’s a quiet, reflective place, perfect for history lovers and photographers alike.
Later, we visited Akrotiri, the island’s famous Minoan Bronze Age settlement, often called the “Pompeii of the Aegean.” Preserved under volcanic ash, the site offers an incredible glimpse into life thousands of years ago — from multi-story homes and paved streets to impressive frescoes. Walking through Akrotiri, it’s easy to imagine the bustling town that once thrived here, frozen in time by the eruption. Visiting both Ancient Thira and Akrotiri gave us a fascinating perspective on Santorini’s rich and layered history.
After soaking in the history at the archaeological site, we made our way to Red Beach. The short climb down was manageable, though a little caution is needed in spots — the rocks can be slippery.
Santorini Wine Museum
One of the highlights of our trip was visiting the Santorini Wine Museum, a true gem for wine lovers and history enthusiasts alike. The museum showcases the island’s long-standing winemaking tradition, dating back thousands of years, and explains how the volcanic soil and unique climate make Santorini wines so distinctive. Walking through the exhibits, we learned about traditional methods of vine cultivation, the famous Assyrtiko grape, and the island’s centuries-old techniques of fermenting and storing wine in clay vessels.
The experience wouldn’t have been complete without a tasting, and we opted for the Bronze Package, which included a carefully curated selection of Santorini wines. Each sip told the story of the island — crisp, mineral-rich whites and aromatic reds that paired beautifully with the warm, sunny ambience of the tasting room. It was not just a tasting, but a true immersion into the culture and craftsmanship behind Santorini’s celebrated wines.
A big thank you to Angela for her wonderful and engaging explanations of each wine and its history. We sampled a dry red wine, a dry white wine, a dessert wine (which we couldn’t resist taking home — absolutely delicious!), and a medicinal wine that local housewives used to make. Each sip was a journey through Santorini’s rich winemaking tradition.
We highly recommend this experience!
Don’t miss the chance to eat at the island’s taverns — they’re budget-friendly and serve authentic, delicious homemade food straight from local kitchens. Don’t forget to try:
-Pita Gyros
-Fried feta cheese with honey and bread with black olive sauce
-Seafood
-Greek semolina halva
For further exploration and adventure on a cruise, we recommend: Santorini: Volcanic Islands Cruise with Hot Springs Visit
Thank you, Santorini, and hope we can go back soon! See you in the next post 🩵💙
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Wonderfullllllll!!!!!!!!!😍
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Thanks!
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