One of those destinations to visit absolutely at least once in life. Here are some tips on what to do in Santorini, the experiences not to be missed to fully experience its magical atmosphere.
What to do in Santorini
Enveloped in a magical and mysterious allurement, Santorini is a marvelous place full of wonders, both natural and not, that will captivate you with its charm: magnificent beaches overlooking one of the most beautiful sea in the world, extraordinary sunsets, excellent cuisine and stunning scenery.
First of all, during a holiday in Santorini you should not miss a visit to the most beautiful and famous beaches, which are all unique and different from each other due to the volcanic origin of the island. In addition to visiting the most popular beaches such as Red Beach, White Beach and Kamari Beach, the advice is to look for the most remote beaches such as: the beach of Vlychada, a stretch of black sand surrounded by high tufa cliffs and a lunar landscape; or the Koloumbos beach, immersed in an extraordinary natural setting, ideal for those who are looking for a quiet place.
Moreover, the sea of Santorini is ideal for fun with fantastic scuba diving and snorkeling, discovering beautiful waters full of suggestive sceneries.
The island is famous for the beauty of the beaches but also for the wonderful sunsets, in fact, one of the most remarkable activity is to take a break for admiring the twilight. The reflections of the lights that envelop the island in the evening, let both tourists and inhabitants speechless. One of the most spectacular places to see the sunset is the village of Oia, from where the sun falls behind or alongside the island of Folegandros, which is literally engulfed by light. The best vantage point is the kastro, the highest area of the town where there are the ruins of an old Venetian castle. In addition to the village of Oia you can enjoy a wonderful sunset even from the capital Fira, from Imerovigli, from Pyrgos and from the lighthouse of Akrotiri, where you can admire one of the most romantic and solitary sunsets of the island.
Another thing to do in Santorini is the boat trip to the islands of Nea Kameni, Palea Kameni and Thirassia, a truly lifetime experience that let everyone in awe. Thanks to the numerous tourist agencies present you can book your tour, departing either from Fira, from Vlichada or from Oia, from which you will discover any small islands still affected by volcanic activity.
In Akrotiri, there is also the possibility of visiting the settlements of the civilization submerged by the explosive eruption of 1,500 BC, which is believed to have caused a visible cloud on all continents and which has even caused Egypt's plagues, leading to the decline of many communities of the Mediterranean.
Relevant to the theme of prehistoric eruptions, the experience of the three-dimensional simulation show with special effects at the "Lost Atlantis" park in the village of Megolochori should be mentioned.
The first stop of the excursion is at the volcanic island of Nea Kameni, where crossing a characteristic path you can reach the top, up to the crater Georgios. After admiring the crater, the tour continues by boat to the volcanic island of Palea Kameni, where you can enjoy all the benefits of Hot Springs, sulphurous water springs at high temperatures. Finally, you reach the island of Thirassia, where the village of Manolas, known for its winding streets and traditional style houses, is worth for a visit. For Trekking lovers, the west coast of the island is perfect for interesting excursions along roads and paths.
Finally, do not leave the island without having tried local cuisine, which has an ancient tradition and is based essentially on typical Mediterranean products such as olive oil, vegetables, meat and excellent fish. Do not miss the chance to try: the famous moussaka, a delicious aubergine, potatoes and meat pie in layers, seasoned with meat sauce and béchamel sauce; the saganaki, a cheese fried in batter seasoned with honey; the domatokeftedes, tasty tomato balls flavored with mint and oregano; and mezedes, antipasti based on pickles, anchovies and dolmades (ie rolls of rice or minced meat). All accompanied by a glass of Santorini Assyrtiko wine, considered the best wine of Greece. And speaking about wine there are plenty of tours dedicated to the discovery of the cellars around the island.
Find out more about
The territory of Oia-Santorini
Testimonials
What our guests say
Wonderful
Read the great reviews and had high hopes. Our stay at Katharos Villas was nothing short of amazing and exceeded all hopes and expectations.
We had some dealings with our wonderful hosts, notably Francesco, before arrival and were relieved to have timely and extremely helpful responses.
After our arrival and throughout our stay, we were treated like royalty - nothing was too much trouble but everything was dealt with in a calm, sophisticated, professional way. This is a chic, classy place to stay and the hosts are a huge part of that. We were a party of 5.
Great experience!!
My husband and I really enjoyed our stay at Katharos Villas. Alessandro and Francesco were extremely attentive and accommodating. The room was very spacious (2 floors, 2 bathrooms, kitchenette) and clean.
We arrived from the airport at 4 am and Francesco came to meet us to open the room and to welcome us!
We travel a lot but this kind of service was truly genuine and great to experience.
Would definitely recommend to stay here!
Exceptional stay at Katharos Villas!
Wonderful stay at Katharos Villas! They go way above and beyond the normal standard of service and hospitality. Alessandro and Francesco were the nicest, kindest, and most helpful people I've ever met. They treated me and my wife like family.
On our first day there my wife suffered some trauma to her eye and Alessandro dropped everything and rushed us to a doctor in town. The next morning, he drove us all the way to the hospital to look for an opthamologist which they didn't have there so he went with us to 2 other clinics until we finally found one. We are eternally grateful for them for their kindness and help in our time of need!
The villa is spacious and the private pool was awesome and fun to relax in, just a little chilly, but Alessandro told me they would be getting heaters for the pools in the future. Everything was clean, well taken care of and comfortable. It was an amazing vacation even with our medical emergency and we can't wait to return to Katharos Villas!
From Hollywood to Santorini
My associate and I came here for work just last week. We traveled from Los Angeles to Athens and then Santorini. The email communication of this team is excellent. Very good english and warm hospitality. They even helped arrange a car rental for us which made traveling very convenient. The rooms were very clean and the property was very cozy and quaint. Our fridge had food and they even offered to buy groceries for us. The reception staff was so kind and made us feel very at home. I really want to book this space again when we return later this year. A+ experience