ΣΑΝΤΟΡΊΝΗ / Σαντορίνη a.k.a. Thira (ΘΗΡΑ / Θηρα)
With a Caldera View, Under the Orthodox Cathedral
Santorini is one of the Mediterranean’s most dramatic islands: a flooded caldera (a collapsed volcanic crater) with a long, steep, multicolored arc of cliffs, thrusting up a thousand feet above sea level. Sometimes called “The Devil’s Isle,” this unique place has captured visitors’ imaginations for millennia and might have inspired the tales of Atlantis. But the otherworldly appeal of Santorini (sahn-toh-REE-nee) doesn’t end with its setting. Perched along the ridgeline is a gaggle of perfectly placed whitewashed villages, punctuated with azure domes, that make this, undeniably, one of Greece’s most scenic spots. If this place didn’t exist, some brilliant fantasy painter would have to conjure it up.
The island’s main town, Fira (Φηρα, FEE-rah)—with Santorini’s handiest services and best museum—is both functional and scenic. While Fira is dramatic, the town of Oia (Οια, EE-ah), on the northern tip of the island, with its chalk-white houses and vivid domes, is even more so—it’s the place you imagine when you think “Santorini.” Strolling through Oia is like spinning a postcard rack—it’s tempting to see the town entirely through your camera’s viewfinder.
Not surprisingly, Santorini is hugely popular and can be very crowded—and expensive—in high season (roughly July through September, peaking in the first half of August). Tourism—virtually the only surviving industry here—has made the island wealthy. It’s one of the few places in Greece where the population isn’t aging (as young people don’t have to move away to find satisfying work). Fortunately, it’s not difficult to break away from the main tourist rut and discover some scenic lanes of your own. In both Fira and Oia, the cliffside streets are strewn with countless cafés, all of them touting “sunset views”...the end of the day is a main attraction here.
The five islands that make up the Santorini archipelago are known to Greeks as Thira (Θηρα, THEE-rah). Most of the settlement is on the 15-mile-long main island, also called Thira. But most travelers call it Santorini (a Venetian bastardization of “Santa Irene,” after a local church), and I do too. The west side of Santorini is a sheer drop-off (i.e., into the mouth of the former volcano), while the east side tapers more gradually to the water (the former volcano’s base).
The primary tourist towns are on the steep, western side of Santorini: The town of Fira is the island’s capital and transportation hub, but the main attraction is Oia, a village six miles to the northwest. The relatively level east and south areas have the ancient sites and the best beaches.
Santorini deserves at least two nights and a full day divided between Oia and Fira.
While Fira is the handiest home base (with the best transportation connections and services), to really soak it in, hang your hat in Oia. On this popular island, rates skyrocket in peak season (July-Sept). To widen your budget options, consider sleeping outside pricey Fira and Oia (for example, Firostefani and Imerovigli—sleepy villages just north of Fira, easily reached via the Fira-Oia bus—offer rooms with equally good caldera views at significantly lower prices). If you’re renting a vehicle, you can save even more by staying outside these main towns (for example, near the beaches on the “back” of the island). That said, given that the spectacular views are one of the main things you came here to see, if you can afford it I’d recommend springing for a place with a caldera view.
If your time on Santorini is short, make a beeline (by bus or taxi) to Oia to get your fill of classic Santorini views. Try to catch the sunset from somewhere along the caldera ridge (which spot is best depends on the time of year; in mid-summer, Oia’s tops). You can fill any additional time in Fira, where the only worthwhile sight is the manageable, well-presented Museum of Prehistoric Thira (described later). It’s also fun to explore some of the steep lanes below Fira’s Orthodox cathedral.
On a longer visit, venture to other points on the island—ancient sites, red- and black-sand beaches, and maybe a boat trip to the active volcano crater and hot springs in the middle of the caldera.
No matter how long you stay here, don’t count on the opening hours for museums and archaeological sites given in this book. Though they were accurate at the time of printing, the times are likely to fluctuate wildly at the whims of the government and the Greek economy. Check locally before planning your day.
Boats arrive in one of two places on Santorini: Passenger ferries and catamarans come to the New Port at Athinios, about five miles south of Fira; cruise ships usually tender passengers to the Old Port, directly below Fira.
By Passenger Boat at the New Port (Athinios): From the Athinios port, a serpentine road climbs up the hill. Taxis and buses meet arriving boats to take new arrivals into Fira, where you can connect to other points on the island (taxi-€15; bus-€2.20, pay driver as you board or upon arrival in Fira). As these buses can be very crowded in peak season, don’t dawdle—get on the bus as quickly as possible (marked Local Bus).
Coming to Santorini—by boat or by plane—your eyes can’t help but trace the telltale arc of the island, a sure sign that you’re about to set foot on what was once a volatile volcano.
Situated atop an edgy stack of tectonic plates, Santorini was created by volcanic activity that lasted more than two million years. The island once had a tidy conical shape, but around 1630 B.C., it exploded in what geologists call the “Minoan eruption”—one of the largest in human history. It blew out 24 cubic miles of volcanic material—at least four times the amount ejected by the huge 1883 explosion of Krakatoa (in today’s Indonesia).
It appears that the volcano gave Santorini’s inhabitants ample warning before erupting (with a major earthquake and, later, an initial small eruption). No human skeletons and few valuable items from that time period have been found here, suggesting that islanders had time to pack up and evacuate. Good thing. Soon afterward, large amounts of ash and pumice blasted out of the crater, and superheated pyroclastic flows (à la Mount St. Helens) swept down the island’s slopes. Eventually, the emptied-out volcano collapsed under its own weight, forming the flooded caldera (meaning “cauldron”) that we see today.
The volcano’s collapse displaced enough seawater to send a huge tsunami screaming south toward Crete, less than 70 miles away. Archaeologists speculate that the tsunami (and perhaps earthquakes near the same time) caused severe hardship, eventually leading to the downfall of the Minoan civilization.
The volcano isn’t done yet. Two little islets in the middle of the caldera emerged from the bay quite recently (by geological standards)—Palea Kameni (“Old Burnt Island”) in 197 B.C., and Nea Kameni (“New Burnt Island”) in A.D. 1707. To this day, these islets go through periods where they sputter and steam, and earthquakes continue to wrack the entire archipelago (including a devastating one in 1956). The last small eruption (on Nea Kameni) occurred in 1950, and steam and sulfur dioxide are sometimes emitted at the current active crater. Today, the hot springs on Palea Kameni are a popular tourist attraction.
Although the historic eruption devastated the island, it also created its remarkable shape and left behind a unique ecosystem and agricultural tradition (see sidebar on here). The volcanic soil was also the basis for a local industry. The upper layer of pumice and volcanic ash left by the eruption was quarried, pulverized, and mixed with lime to create a remarkably strong concrete (produced, until recently, in the big, deserted, blocky building on the cliff near Fira—visible from the bay below). Santorini is the country’s sole source of this type of material.
Strolling on scenic, seismic Santorini, you’re on special ground...carved out more than four millennia ago by one very big bang.
Visible from the road above Athinios, the ringed-off area in the bay just below the switchbacks is the site of the Sea Diamond shipwreck—a cruise ship that sank here in 2007; all but two of the 1,195 passengers were rescued. The ship rests in 450 feet of water. Concerned that it might slip deeper and that it’s polluting the bay, islanders are hoping to pull it up.
For boat connections from Athinios, see here.
By Cruise Ship: Cruise ships generally anchor in the caldera below Fira. Passengers taking excursions get the first tenders, which go to the New Port at Athinios (described earlier). Note that after your cruise-ship excursion, the bus drops you off in Fira, where you can take the cable car (or ride a donkey or hike—see next) down to the return tenders below.
Independent day-trippers are tendered to the Old Port directly below Fira. From the Old Port there are three different ways to reach Fira’s town center on the cliff above: Take a cable car, hike up, or ride a donkey. The cable car is the easiest option (€4 each way, €2 more with luggage, daily 7:00-21:00, every 20 minutes or more with demand, 3-minute ride to the top). But, because the cable car is small (6 cars take 6 passengers each, maximum 36 people/trip), you might be in for a long wait if you arrive on a big ship. Hiking up the 587 steep steps is demanding, and you’ll share them with fragrant, messy donkeys. You can pay €5 to ride up on a donkey, but the stench and the bumpy ride make this far less romantic than it sounds.
Once at the top (the cable-car and donkey trail converge near the same point), you’re smack in the middle of town. If you go down Gold Street (true to its name, it’s lined with jewelry and tourist-trinket shops), you’ll eventually reach the Orthodox cathedral, some recommended eateries and accommodations, and Santorini’s best museum (the Museum of Prehistoric Thira). Or, if you want to escape some of the crowds and browse the scenic veil of cafés that cascade down the cliff, head toward the water, go left down the stairs just past Kastro Café, turn off onto the road, and explore to your heart’s content.
Santorini’s airport sits along the flat area on the east (back) side of the island, about four miles from Fira (airport code: JTR, tel. 22860-28400; www.santorini-airport.com). It’s connected to Fira by taxi (€15) or bus (€1.60, roughly every 2 hours, 15 minutes).
By Bus: Fira is the bus hub for the island. The bus station is a block off the main road, near the south end of town (just downhill from the Orthodox cathedral and Museum of Prehistoric Thira). Buy tickets on the bus and get information at the kiosk at the far end of the lot. In peak season, buses can be extremely crowded. For bus connections, see “Fira Connections” on here.
By Taxi: Just around the corner from Fira’s bus station, along the main road, is a taxi stand (figure €15-20 to Oia, €15 to Athinios port, €15 to Kamari’s beaches, €18-20 to Akrotiri, and €18 to Perissa). You can also call for a taxi (tel. 22860-22555 or 22860-23951).
The island’s main town, Fira, is a practical transit hub with an extraordinary setting. Sitting at a cliff-clinging café terrace and sipping an iced coffee gives you the chance to watch thousands of cruise-ship passengers flood into town each morning (on the cable-car and donkey trail), then recede in the afternoon. All of this built-in business has made Fira a bit greedy; its so-called Gold Street, starting at the cable-car station, is lined with aggressive jewelry salespeople and restaurants with great views, high prices, and low quality.
But if you can ignore the tackiness in this part of town, you’ll discover that Fira has a charm of its own—particularly in the cozy labyrinth of streets that burrow between its main traffic street and the cliff edge, and on the steeply switchbacked lanes that zigzag down the side of the cliff. Fira also has a pair of cathedrals (Orthodox and Catholic), the island’s top museum (the excellent Museum of Prehistoric Thira), and a handy array of services (Internet cafés, launderettes, and so on).
Remember that Fira is not the setting of all those famous Santorini photos—those are taken in Oia (described later).
The core of Fira is squeezed between the cliff and the main road through town, called 25 Martou. This street—with a taxi stand, TI kiosk (sometimes open), various scooter/ATV/car-rental places, Internet cafés, and other services—is busy and fairly dingy. The bus station is a block off this drag (around the corner from the TI and taxi stand). Most places of interest to visitors are in the cluster of narrow streets between the bus station (along the main road near the south end of town) and the cable-car station (along the cliff near the north end of town)—a distance you can easily cover in about a 10-minute walk.
Even where street names exist, locals completely ignore them. Making navigation even more confusing, it’s a very vertical town—especially along the cliff. Use a map, and don’t be afraid to ask for directions.
Fira has the island’s TI kiosk, but hours are sporadic and it’s often closed (along the main road, about 50 yards toward the town center from the bus station). If it’s not open, try asking at local travel agencies or other businesses for help.
Also on the main road are a bookstore with a decent selection of books in English (Books & Style, open long hours daily, tel. 22860-24510) and a sizeable supermarket (Carrefour, Mon-Sat 8:00-21:30, Sun 9:30-14:30, at the south end of town).
While no competition for Greece’s top archaeological museums, this little one is Santorini’s best, presenting items found in the prehistoric city buried under ash near Akrotiri. (A visit is particularly worthwhile if you plan to see the excavated ruins of that city, at the southern end of the island—see here.) That settlement was the largest city outside Crete in the Minoan-era world, dating back to the earliest documented civilization in the Aegean (third to second millennium B.C.)—impossibly ancient, even to the ancients. The people who lived here fled soon before Santorini blew its top (likely around 1630 B.C.—see sidebar), leaving behind intriguing artifacts of a civilization that disappeared from the earth not long after. Most of those artifacts have been moved off-site, either to this museum or to the biggies in Athens. Everything in this manageable museum is described in English and well-presented in modern, air-conditioned comfort.
Cost and Hours: €3, Tue-Sun 9:00-16:00, closed Mon, tel. 22860-23217, www.culture.gr.
Visiting the Museum: The model of the Akrotiri site in Room D puts the items in context. From here follow the letters counterclockwise through the exhibit, starting with the Early Cycladic figures and vessels, dating from 2700-2300 B.C. The stiff figurines, with their arms crossed, perplex archaeologists, who speculate that they might represent the Mother Goddess worshipped here.
The majority of the museum’s pieces date from the Late Cycladic Period (mid-17th century B.C.), when Akrotiri peaked just before its residents fled the erupting volcano. Although they took valuable items (such as jewelry) with them, they left behind easily replaceable everyday objects and, of course, immovable items such as wall frescoes. These left-behind items form the core of the collection.
Primitive cooking pots, clay ovens, and barbeque grills, along with bronze vases, daggers, tongs, and fishing hooks, offer clues to the Aegean lifestyle. The Thirans were traders rather than warriors, so many items reflect their relatively comfortable lifestyle, connection with the wider world, and consumer society. One plaster cast shows the shape left by a (now-deteriorated) three-legged wooden table that could have passed for Baroque from the 17th century A.D.—but it’s from the 17th century B.C.
The stack of metal weights illustrates the evolution of standardization during early trading. Also look for the three large containers, each one marked differently to suggest its contents—for example, a vessel that held water was decorated with reeds (aquatic plants).
The museum’s highlights are the vibrantly colorful, two-dimensional wall frescoes. Local artists likely executed these wall paintings, but their naturalistic style was surely influenced by the wider Minoan culture. In keeping with the style of Crete (the home of the Minoans), men appear brown, and the women, white. (If you’ve been to the National Archaeological Museum in Athens, you might recognize this style of fresco from that museum’s collection, which includes wall paintings of antelopes, swallows, and young men boxing, all from this same Akrotiri site—see here.) The wall frescoes from the House of the Ladies show exquisitely dressed women. In one, an older woman leans over and appears to be touching the arm of another (now-missing) woman and holding a dress in her right hand. Farther along you’ll see a fragment of another wall fresco showing blue monkeys. Because monkeys are not indigenous to Greece, these images offer more evidence that the Cycladic and Minoan people traveled far and wide, and interacted with exotic cultures.
Between these frescos, the vessels (such as beautiful vases decorated with dolphins and lilies) give us a glimpse of everyday life back then. Look for the ritual vessel shaped like a boar’s head.
In the final display case (near the exit) is an exquisite miniature golden ibex—one of the few items of great value that was left behind by fleeing islanders.
While Oia is more famous for its sunsets, Fira’s are nothing to sneeze at. If you’re on Santorini for just one sunset, ask around about where viewing is best (for some of the year, the last dramatic moments of Fira’s sunsets are blocked by the island of Thirassia). If your hotel doesn’t offer a perch over the caldera, scout out a bar or restaurant during the day so you’ll know where you want to sit well before the magic hour.
This modern cathedral, which caps Fira like a white crown, has a grandly painted interior that’s worth a look. The cliff-hanging lanes just in front are some of Fira’s most enjoyable (and least crowded) to explore.
This museum pales in comparison to the Museum of Prehistoric Thira. Its dusty cases are crammed with sparsely described jugs, statues, and other artifacts from ancient Thira (in contrast to the older Minoan pieces from Akrotiri). Skip it unless you’re an archaeologist.
Cost and Hours: €3, Tue-Sun 9:00-16:00, closed Mon, just up the street from the top cable-car station.
Directly up the stairs from the top cable-car station, this cathedral is the heart of the island’s Catholic community—a remnant of the island’s past Venetian rule. Compare this rare Catholic cathedral with the giant Orthodox cathedral at the other end of town: Inside this one are pews; few wall paintings; and none of the tall, skinny candles that are a mainstay of Orthodox worship. Next door is a Dominican monastery and church.
Hiding in the alleys behind the Catholic cathedral, this modest but endearing local history museum celebrates Santorini life. You’ll see photographs of the town from the early to mid–20th century (including scenes before and after the devastating 1956 earthquake), an archive of historic manuscripts and documents, modern paintings of Santorini, and samples of the various types of volcanic rock found on the island. Find the 1870 clipping from a London newspaper article about “Santorin,” and, next to it, an engraving of a smoldering islet in the caldera. Linger over the evocative etchings of traditional Santorini lifestyles.
Cost and Hours: €3, May-Oct Mon-Sat 10:00-16:00, closed Sun and Nov-April, tel. 22860-23077, www.megarogyzi.gr.
For a one-stop look at all the most remarkable frescoes excavated at the ancient city near Akrotiri, you could duck into this pleasantly modern facility...but what it holds is a made-for-tour-groups collection consisting entirely of replicas. If you’re already visiting the original versions of these frescoes at the Museum of Prehistoric Thira (5 minutes away) and the National Archaeological Museum in Athens, this collection is a bit pointless.
Cost and Hours: €5, May-Oct daily 10:00-18:00, closed Nov-April, on Gold Street near the cable-car station—look for bright orange lettering, tel. 22860-21722.
With bits and pieces left over from a bygone era, this museum gives visitors a small sense of how Santorini sustained itself before tourism. See a restored 19th-century cave house, exhibits on winemaking and other traditional crafts, and a small chapel. It’s probably not worth the long walk.
Cost and Hours: €3, April-Oct daily 10:00-14:00, closed Nov-March, tel. 22860-22792. It’s a 10- to 15-minute walk from the center of Fira, on the northern (Oia) end of town: Find the street one block east of 25 Martou and follow it past several ATV/scooter rental outfits and a launderette or two; after Hotel Horizon, the road bends left—follow it for a few more minutes until you see the MUSEUM sign on the right.
With a few hours to spare, you can venture out on one of Greece’s most scenic hikes. While the main road connecting Fira to Oia is drab and dusty, a wonderful cliff-top trail links the two towns, offering fantastic views most of the way. From Fira head north through the adjoining villages of Firostefani and Imerovigli, then continue along the lip of the crater all the way to Oia. It’s long (about 5 miles, plan on at least 3.5 hours one-way), fairly strenuous (with lots of ups and downs), and offers little or no shade in hot weather, so don’t attempt it unless you’re in good shape and have the right gear (good shoes, water, food, sun protection). Get an early start. You can catch a bus or taxi back to Fira when you’re done.
For a true getaway with maximum views and charm, sleep in Oia (recommendations on here). But Fira has its own share of breathtaking views, and is handier because it’s the bus hub for the island. Except for Villa Roussa, all the places I’ve listed feature fantastic views of the caldera from a series of terraces that spill down the cliffs.
To reach most of my recommended places from the bus station, walk uphill along the cobbled street toward, and then around, the big, white Orthodox cathedral. In front of it find the small stepped lane just to the left of the red doorway for Palea Kameni Bar; this lane leads down to Villa Renos and bottoms out at a lower cliffside lane leading (on the right) to Studios Caldera and Scirroco Apartments, left to Cori Rigas, and farther along to the left to Maria’s rooms. Be warned that all the places along this lower lane (Cori Rigas, Studios Caldera, Scirocco Apartments, and Maria’s rooms) are a steep walk down from town. To avoid the climb, stay at Villa Renos (still down the stairs, but not as many), Kamares Apartments, or Villa Roussa.
$$$ Villa Renos, just below the cathedral, has nine well-appointed rooms that have more of a hotel vibe than the rest of my listings. It’s a class act all around, well-run by Petros and Zina Matekas and their son Vassilis, who used to live in Rhode Island (July-Sept: Sb-€210, Db-€270; May-June and early Oct: Sb-€200, Db-€245; April and late Oct: Sb-€130, Db-€170; March and Nov: Sb-€100, Db-€150; closed Dec-Feb, pricier deluxe rooms, great breakfast, free Wi-Fi, tel. 22860-22369, www.villarenos.gr, hrenos@otenet.gr).
$$$ Kamares Apartments surround an oasis of white-on-white stucco, with six large rooms, each with its own Jacuzzi (some inside the room, some outside). It’s at the very south end of town, meaning it’s sheltered from some of central Fira’s nightlife noise (Aug: Db-€256, Tb-€286; July: Db-€220, Tb-€268; lower in shoulder season—down to Db-€156/Tb-€182 in April-May and Oct, Qb rooms available, free Wi-Fi on terrace, tel. 22680-28110, www.kamares-apartments.gr, info@kamares-apartments.gr).
$$$ Cori Rigas Apartments has 12 nice rooms, which are a bit less posh, and a tad cheaper, than the previous two listings—but still lovely, and with the same amazing views from its tumbling terraces (Db-€220-350 in high season, April-June and Oct: Db-€190-300, prices depend on size of room, extra bed-€40, closed Nov-March, free Wi-Fi, tel. 22860-25251, www.rigas-apartments.gr, info@rigas-apartments.gr).
$$ Scirocco Apartments, run by a Greek-German couple (Eleftherios and Anja Sirigos), rents straightforward rooms, some of them “cave houses” burrowed right into the cliffside. All rooms have sinks and are stocked with basic dishware, while some have bigger kitchenettes; all enjoy either a private or shared balcony and the swimming pool on the lowest level (late July-late Sept: Db-€125-175; May-late July and late Sept-mid-Oct: Db-€98-155; April and late Oct: Db-€75-130; more for larger units, extra bed-€30, cash only, closed Nov-March, free Wi-Fi on terrace, tel. 22860-22855, mobile 697-986-2943).
$$ Studios Caldera has seven basic rooms with classic cliff views, and a Jacuzzi perfectly positioned to enjoy them—but its biggest plus might be lovely Koula, who runs the place with a gracious hospitality (July-Aug: Db-€150, June and Sept: €120-130, off-season: €70-90, prices vary with size of room, breakfast-€10, tel. 22860-25166, www.calderastudios.com, st.caldera@otenet.gr).
$ Maria rents two small, basic rooms with views of the caldera, tucked on a lane between several other places with the same views charging double or triple. Her spectacular panoramic terrace is just as inviting as the big-money places, albeit sans Jacuzzi. She has no email, but speaks just enough English to make a reservation by phone. As the only really cheap caldera-view lodging in town, her place is understandably popular—book ahead (July-Aug: Db-€70, off-season: €55-65, cash only, no Wi-Fi or guest computer, breakfast either basic or not offered, tel. 22860-25143, mobile 697-325-4461, www.roomstoletmaria.gr).
$ Villa Roussa offers 12 basic but comfortable budget rooms tucked away in a dreary modern building behind the taxi stand along the main road. All rooms have balconies, but not caldera views—which are a short walk away, over the ridge (July-Aug: Db-€65-75, June and Sept: €40-55, Oct-May: €35-45, prices fluctuate with demand, extra bed-€15, no breakfast but shared kitchen, free Wi-Fi, free transfer from port or airport, tel. 22860-23220, www.villaroussa.gr, villarousa@gmail.com, well-run by Peter Pelikanos).
You have three choices: expensive with a view overlooking the caldera, much cheaper at a more typical Greek taverna, or just grabbing a souvlaki to eat on a stool or to go. In general, places that are closest to the cable car lure in cruise passengers with great views, but—because they know cruisers are only in town for a few hours—have little incentive to put out good food. Natives and lingering travelers do better by dining at the places a 5- to 10-minute walk farther from the cable car.
(See “Fira” map, here.)
The streets just under the Orthodox cathedral (the gigantic white-domed building at the south end of town) are lined with several expensive, trendy eateries with good food...you’re paying a premium for the high-rent location (€10-15 starters, €20-30 main dishes, all open long hours daily in summer, most close off-season). Koukoumavlos is particularly well-regarded (tel. 22860-23807); Archipelagos specializes in Greek standards and pasta (tel. 22860-23673); and Sphinx has a broader Mediterranean menu that includes a fair bit of Italian (tel. 22860-23823). The steep streets below these restaurants are filled mostly with hotels, but many turn their breakfast terraces into cafés; exploring this area to find your favorite perch for a cup of coffee is a fun activity (I particularly like the Art Café at the Cori Rigas).
Argo, which serves traditional Greek food specializing in fish, is also along the cliffs but a bit closer to the cable car. Reserve ahead for the upper deck, with the best caldera views (€4-12 starters, €10-18 main dishes, open long hours daily, along the donkey path just below Gold Street, tel. 22860-22594).
(See “Fira” map, here.)
Deeper in the Old Town is a pedestrian street lined with several good choices (all open long hours daily). Like most Fira streets, it’s nameless, located one block toward the cliff from the main road, a block north of the main square. Along here the following three choices are most enticing: Nikolas oozes a family-run taverna vibe, with one big room crammed with tables overseen by the namesake patriarch; the menu consists of stick-to-your-ribs Greek classics (€3-5 starters, €7-14 main dishes, tel. 22860-24550). Dionysos has nice energy out on its vast terrace (€4-8 starters, €7-20 main dishes, daily 12:00-23:00, tel. 22860-23845). Naoussa is a family-friendly place churning out big plates of sloppy Greek food (€4-9 starters, €8-15 main dishes, tel. 22860-24869).
The Ouzerie (το Ουζερι) offers sea views from its outside tables, albeit ones looking east, rather than into the caldera. That means it doesn’t work well at sunset (unless you’re trying to avoid the crowds), but it’s great for lunch or after dark. Try some of their local specialties, such as meatballs in an ouzo sauce (€8) and the tomatokeftedes starter—fried tomatoes with onions and herbs (€5-7 starters, €7-15 main dishes, daily 11:00-late, near Orthodox cathedral, tel. 22860-21566).
Mama’s House, set a few steps down from the main road next to the taxi stand, is a good budget choice with unpretentious Greek fare (€3-7 starters, €8-12 main dishes, daily 8:00-24:00, shorter hours off-season, tel. 22860-21577).
Souvlaki places dot the streets on the eastern ridge of Fira. Of these, locals like Lucky’s for its quality and Obelix for its sizeable menu and long hours.
From Fira by Bus to: Oia (2/hour—generally departs at top and bottom of each hour, 25 minutes, €1.60), Athinios/New Port (coordinated to meet boats, 20 minutes, €2.20; for boat connections from Athinios, see here), airport (roughly every 2 hours, 15 minutes, €1.60), Kamari and its nearby beaches (2/hour, 10 minutes, €1.60), Akrotiri with its red-sand beaches and archaeological site (nearly hourly, 30 minutes, €1.80), and Perissa with its black-sand beaches and access to the Ancient Thira archaeological site (hourly, 30 minutes, €2.20). Bus information: tel. 22860-25404, www.ktel-santorini.gr.
Oia (remember, it’s EE-ah, not OY-ah; sometimes spelled “Ia” in English) is the classic, too-pretty-to-be-true place you imagine when someone says “Greek islands.” This idyllic ensemble of whitewashed houses and blue domes is delicately draped over a steep slope at the top of a cliff. And in their wisdom, the locals have positioned their town just right for enjoying a sunset over the caldera. On a blue-sky day or at sunset, there’s no better place in Greece to go on a photo safari. In fact, if you can’t snap a postcard-quality photo here, it’s time to retire your camera.
Oia wasn’t always this alluring. In fact, half a century ago it was in ruins—devastated by an earthquake on July 9, 1956. When rebuilding, natives seized the opportunity to make their town even more picture-perfect than before—and it paid off. Though far from undiscovered, Oia is the kind of place that you don’t mind sharing with boatloads of tourists. And if you break away from its main streets, you can find narrow, winding lanes that take you far from the crowds.
To reach Oia from the island’s transport hub at Fira, you’ll have to take the bus (see “Fira Connections,” earlier) or a taxi (€15-20 one-way).
Oia lines up along its cliff. The main pedestrian drag, which traces the rim of the cliff, is called Nikolaou Nomikou. Oia’s steep seaward side is smothered with accommodations and restaurants, while the flat landward side is more functional. The town is effectively traffic-free except for the main road, which sneaks up on Oia from behind, opening onto a parking lot and the town’s bus stop. From here, just walk a few short, nondescript blocks toward the cliff and its million-dollar views.
The main sight here is the town itself, and the best advice is to just get lost with your camera cocked. Shoot the classic, blue-domed postcard views, but also wander around to find your own angle on the town. At the far tip of Oia, venture down, then up, to reach the old turret-like viewpoint, which faces the windmills on the horizon and affords you a breathtaking 360-degree view.
Why all the whitewash? For one thing, white reflects (rather than absorbs) the powerful heat of the sun. White is the color of lime—the mineral, not the fruit—mixed with water, which makes a good antiseptic (islanders used it to paint their houses, so it would naturally disinfect the rainwater that was collected on rooftops). Later, white evolved into an aesthetic choice...and a patriotic one: During the 400-year Ottoman occupation, Greeks were not allowed to fly their blue-and-white flag. But here in Oia—with its white houses, blue domes, and the blue sea and sky—the whole village was one big, defiant banner for Greece.
The most interesting houses are the ones burrowed into the side of the rock wall. These “cliff houses,” surrounded by air-filled pumice, are ideally insulated—staying cool in summer and warm in winter. While cliff houses were once the poorest dwellings in town, today only millionaires can afford to own them (and most are rented out as very pricey accommodations).
As the best place on Santorini to enjoy the summer sunset, Oia becomes even more crowded when the sun starts to go down. Shutterbugs jockey for position on the town’s best viewpoints, and all that white captures the swirling colors of the sky for a fleeting moment. Many travelers plan their day around being here at sunset. Before you plant yourself for the evening at a bar or restaurant advertising sunset views, make sure you really are positioned to see the sun dip down, as the sunset’s position on the horizon shifts with the seasons.
Every Greek island seems to have its own maritime museum, and Oia hosts Santorini’s. With two floors of old nautical objects and basic English labels, the collection includes roomfuls of old ship paintings, letters and documents, model ships, and well-endowed mastheads. It’s the only museum in town, but it’s nothing to jump ship for, unless you’re a sailor or need a place to get out of the sun.
Cost and Hours: €3, Wed-Mon 10:00-14:00 & 17:00-20:00, closed Tue, well-signposted a block off the main clifftop drag, tel. 22860-71156.
Several interchangeable places rent out appealing “cliff houses” just down from the main cliffside road. They range from smaller rooms or studios for two people, to larger units sleeping four or more. Though expensive, these provide an unforgettable experience. For budget travelers, Oia also has a workable youth hostel.
$$$ Filotera Villas, family-run by Nikolas, offers three big white-stucco cave houses and five small ones, all looking over a swimming pool and Jacuzzi...and the caldera far below. Inside, they’re elegantly rustic, but with modern kitchenettes and bathrooms (July-Sept: smaller Db-€180-200, bigger suites-€230-280; May-June: smaller Db-€160-170, suites-€190-230; April and Oct: smaller Db-€140-160, suites-€180-210; price depends on size and number of people, closed Nov-March, breakfast-€7.50 or use kitchen in unit, free Wi-Fi, tel. 22860-71110, www.filoteravillas.gr, filotera@otenet.gr).
$$$ At Chelidonia Traditional Villas, friendly Greek-Austrian couple Triantaphyllos and Erika Pitsikali rent 13 traditional apartments surrounded by burgeoning bougainvillea and burrowed into the cliff face right in the heart of town. Promising “panorama and privacy,” this place lets you be a temporary troglodyte (June-Sept: studio-€180, villa-€210, suite-€250; April-May and Oct: studio-€160, villa-€185, suite-€230-250, no breakfast but kitchen in units, free Wi-Fi, tel. 22860-71287, www.chelidonia.com, erika@chelidonia.com).
$ Youth Hostel Oia is a well-run place tucked a few blocks back from the cliff edge. It rents 75 beds in institutional-feeling rooms around a tranquil courtyard with a fountain (4-, 6-, or 12-bed rooms in single-sex or mixed dorms, high season: €18/bed, shoulder season: €16/bed, includes breakfast, pay guest computer, laundry, reception open 8:30-14:00 & 17:00-22:00, closed mid-Oct-April, a block straight ahead from the bus stop, tel. 22860-71465, www.santorinihostel.gr).
Dining with a view is a no-brainer here—it’s worth the too-high prices to enjoy caldera views with your meal or drink. The cliffside places are pretty interchangeable, but if you can’t make up your mind, consider one of these.
Flora Café is an affordable alternative to the budget-busting places along the cliff. Set along the main drag (at the Fira end of town), it’s essentially a classy snack bar with a pleasantly casual setting (€4-8 small dishes, €8-10 bigger meals, daily 9:00-late, tel. 22860-71424).
Floga dishes up traditional Greek food with a modern spin. It’s a few steps below the main drag at the Fira end of town, with dramatic caldera views—albeit not of the sunset (€8-12 starters, €11-19 main dishes, daily specials, daily 8:00-late, tel. 22860-71152).
Kyprida Restaurant, serving traditional Cypriot cuisine, is set a couple of blocks back from the cliff edge, but its top terrace still has a fine sunset view (€5-9 starters, €11-20 main dishes, daily 12:00-late, closed off-season, tel. 22860-71979).
The island of Santorini has several worthwhile side-trips, doable by car, bus, or taxi: a string of beaches along its eastern side, two major archaeological sites, and boat trips around the caldera. Both archaeological sites have a history of unexpected closures, so carefully confirm in town that they’re open before you set out.
The volcanic composition of the island has created some unusual opportunities for beach bums. There are volcanic black-sand beaches near Kamari (tidy and more upscale-feeling) and Perissa (more popular with backpackers)—both on the east coast, but separated from each other by a mountain. Red-sand beaches are near the town of Akrotiri (facing away from the caldera along the southern arc of the island).
Just before Santorini’s massive c. 1630 B.C. eruption, its inhabitants fled the island, leaving behind a city that was soon buried (and preserved) in ash—much like Pompeii, just 1,700 years earlier. (Consider this: The Minoan-era civilization that lived here was as ancient to the Romans as the Romans are to us; many scholars think this may have been what started the legend of Atlantis.) That city, near the modern-day town of Akrotiri, is still being dug up, with more than 30 buildings now excavated and viewable in a new structure that makes it easy to explore the ruins. Ramps let you climb around and through the streets of the prehistoric city, where careful observers can pick out sidewalks, underground sewage systems, and some ceramic vases left behind. However, the most interesting items discovered here—wonderful wall frescoes, fancy furniture, painted ceramics—are on display elsewhere, mainly at Fira’s Museum of Prehistoric Thira (see here) and the National Archaeological Museum in Athens.
Cost and Hours: €5, one-hour guided tours-€10, open Tue-Sun 8:00-17:00, closed Mon, last entry 30 minutes before closing, tel. 22860-81939.
Getting There: Akrotiri is reachable by frequent buses from Fira (roughly hourly, €1.80; from the bus stop, backtrack up the road a minute or two) or taxi (€18-20). Renting a car, a scooter, or an ATV makes sense, as having your own wheels lets you easily combine a visit to the archaeological site with a trip to a winery and/or one of the beaches that dot the southeastern end of the island.
Dramatically situated on a mountaintop between Perissa and Kamari, this site dates from a more recent civilization. It was settled post-volcano by Dorians from Sparta, likely in the ninth century B.C., and continued to thrive through the Hellenistic, Roman, and Byzantine periods. This place is less distinctive than the Akrotiri site and is only worth a visit by archaeology completists. If you’ve toured other Greek ruins from this era—in Athens, Delphi, Olympia, Epidavros, and so on—you’ll see nothing new here. You can reach the Ancient Thira site from Kamari, which has regular bus excursions; hardy hikers could also huff up from Perissa on a very twisty serpentine path.
Cost and Hours: €2, April-Oct Tue-Sun 8:30-15:00, closed Mon and Nov-March, http://odysseus.culture.gr.
A popular excursion is to sail from the Old Port below Fira out to the active volcanic islets in the middle of the caldera. The quickest trips include only a hike to the crater on Nea Kameni (€12); longer tours allow time for a swim in the hot springs on Palea Kameni (€15) and a visit to Thirassia, the island across the caldera (€19). The “sunset tour” includes a visit to the volcano and hot springs, followed by a boat trip under the cliffs of Oia for the sunset with a glass of wine (€25, 5 hours). Of these, I’d recommend the volcano-only tour, as the “hot springs” are just a shallow and muddy bay, Thirassia doesn’t have much to offer, and Oia isn’t hard to reach by land. It is cool, however, to get a volcano’s-eye view of the inside of the caldera, and the hike on the crater is exciting if you’ve never climbed around a lava field before. Various travel agencies around Santorini sell these trips—look for ads locally.
Remember, the New Port is a 20-minute bus ride away from Fira, and buses can be very crowded in summer—allow enough time to make your connection. For ferry tips and ferry-company contact info, see here.
By Boat from the New Port (Athinios): Santorini is connected daily to Piraeus in Athens (likely 1-2 fast boats daily, but confirm, particularly off-season: 1-2/day in summer, generally 1/day in off-season: 4.5 hours, €55-65; slow ferry: 1/day, additional overnight ferry may be running, 7-8 hours, €35-45), Mykonos (generally 2/day in summer, 2.5 hours, €50), and other Cycladic Islands, as well as to Crete (2-3 hours).