Santorini Holidays

From al fresco dinners to hikes, beach days and museum tours, there are plenty of things to do in Santorini!

• Visit Fira, the vibrant island capital, to soak up the bustling atmosphere and tour the excellent museums.
• Oia is famous for its stunning good looks – here you’ll find sugar cube houses nestled into the volcanic rock, the perfect place to watch the sun set over the Aegean.
• If you’re into history, make for the Museum of Prehistoric Thera and the Orthodox Metropolitan Cathedral in Fira, as well as the Bronze Age Minoan settlement in Akrotiri.
• Santorini is a haven for foodies and wine connoisseurs. The island has a long history of wine-making, and is bursting with bars, wineries, and eateries – you can sample everything from haute cuisine to rustic home cooking in a local taverna!
• To experience the island’s abundant natural splendour, make some time to tour Santorini’s curious lava beaches. On the east coast these beaches feature dark basalt sand, while those on the south coast they are famous for their multi-coloured sands.
• For those seeking adventure activities, there are plenty of water sports on offer – scuba diving and snorkelling are particularly popular. Santorini is also a great place for hiking, so if you like to walk make sure you visit the Balcony of the Aegean in Imerovigli.

Santorini’s beaches are not the golden strands found on other Greek Islands, but remarkable stretches of black and red volcanic sand.

• The most visited Santorini beaches are Kamari and Perissa on the east coast. Both are well equipped, with sun loungers, lifeguards, facilities for water sports and plenty of tavernas and restaurants. The sand here is dark, and the sea blissfully clear – ideal for snorkelling.
• Perivolos is next to Perissa and has much the same range of amenities, plus scores of lively bars. If you’re seeking nightlife, Perivolos, Perissa and Kamari are the places to be for the island's beach parties and buzzing after-dark scene.
• Monolithos is a great beach for families, as it's split into two beaches; one with shallower waters ideal for little ones, and one with deeper waters for swimming.
• Vlichada beach is known as ‘moon beach’ after its surreal rock formations, which resemble a lunar landscape. Catamarans depart from here to explore Santorini.
• Perhaps Santorini’s most spectacular coastal stretch is Red Beach (Kókkini Ámmos), where the sand is a spectacular vivid red, and the bay is framed by ochre cliffs.

It’s not hard to find excellent food on Santorini, whether you’re dining at a 5-star hotel or picking up a quick snack at the beach.

• The rich volcanic soil of Santorini is said to produce incredibly tasty produce. Local staples include tomatoes, fava beans, white aubergines, capers, and cucumbers – not to mention fish and seafood.
• Specialities to try out include domatokeftedes (tomato fritters), poulia yemista (stuffed courgette flowers), and Greek salad topped with local cheese.
• Some of the best restaurants in Santorini can be found in Fira and Oia, but there are plenty of casual tavernas and cafes to be found across the island, including in Kamari and Perissa.
• Assyrtiko grapes grown on the island also benefit from the volcanic soil, which means Santorini’s wineries produce some excellent white, red and rosé wines. Make sure you try vinsanto, a sweet, amber-coloured wine that has been produced here for centuries.

Santorini may be famous for its sunsets, but there’s plenty going on after dark too. The island boasts a variety of restaurants, bars and clubs to keep you entertained.

• Most of Santorini’s nightlife is concentrated in Fira, where you’ll find everything from tavernas playing traditional Greek music to glitzy nightclubs. The capital is said to have the best bars in Santorini, although you may have to test that theory yourself!
• You can also party until the small hours in the seaside resorts of Kamari, Perissa and Perivolos. These regions are all about hip beach bars and tend to attract a younger crowd than Fira. In the summer months they’re the place to be for all-night beach parties.
• For a more relaxed and sophisticated vibe, head to Oia, where you’ll find chic cocktail bars looking out over the water.
• If you’re planning on staying out late, just remember to wear comfortable shoes – walking around hilly Santorini can get tiring!

Santorini family holidays may not offer major theme parks, or much in the way of glitzy tourist attractions like other parts of Greece, but they do offer life’s simple pleasures in spades.

• The beautiful beaches and waters that surround the island are ideal for kids and adults alike. Marvel at the volcanic sand, splash about in the crystal-clear sea on the beaches of Perissa, Kamari and Monolithos, and enjoy scenic boat cruises.
• If you have older kids, they’ll enjoy the opportunities for adventure activities such as snorkelling, scuba diving, and sea kayaking.
• For kids who are into history, Fira is the place to be. Here they can enjoy the charming Lignos Folklore Museum, which has a reproduction of a 19th-century cave house, and the excellent Museum of Prehistoric Thera, which contains artefacts from ancient Akrotiri.
• Eating out with the family is a pleasure on Santorini: the locals dote on children, and there’s a good variety of cuisines available.

If you’re wondering where to stay in Santorini for a couple's holiday, the answer is: you can’t go wrong! This amazing island is bursting with picturesque towns, fantastic accommodation options, and all kinds of romantic scenery and activities.

• Enjoying one or two perfect sunsets is a must while you’re on your romantic getaway in Santorini. For the best views, head up to Oia, and bag a table at one of the sunset viewing points.
• You can also enjoy the sunset views on the move. There’s a walking path that links Fira with some of the other towns and offers beautiful panoramas of the island and the sea.
• As an island famed for its vineyards, Santorini is ideal for couples who are lovers of wine. Book a vineyard tour and finish the day at a waterside bar, enjoying the view with a glass of local wine in hand.
• A fantastic daytime activity for couples is beach-hopping. Pack up a beach bag, slap on some sunscreen and go exploring. The famous multi-coloured beaches of Santorini are the perfect place to snap some selfies.
• For a little more adventure, take a cruise out to the volcanic islands of Nea Kameni and Palia Kameni, making sure you stop for a dip at the hot springs.
• Lastly, if you both enjoy nightlife, you’ll find plenty of fantastic clubs in the island capital of Fira, or if you prefer, at the beach bars of Perissa, Kamari and Perivolos.

A trip to this island wouldn’t be complete without immersing yourself in some Santorini history. Santorini is a place steeped in thousands of years of Greek, Venetian and Minoan culture, all just begging to be explored.

• Santorini is home to some excellent museums, including Fira’s Museum of Prehistoric Thera (Santorini's local name). This contains well-displayed finds from Santorini's ancient Minoan settlement.
• Fira is also home to a delightful folklore museum which has a recreation of a 19th century cave house, and explains how the houses were built into the rock in order to protect them from the elements.
• At the ancient site of Akrotiri you can explore a Bronze Age Minoan settlement which was almost completely destroyed by a volcanic eruption 4,000 years ago.
• You can also visit the ruins of castles and watchtowers built across Santorini by the Venetians, notably in Oia, Pyrgos and Emporio.
• Lastly, you can immerse yourself in Santorini by exploring the markets, sampling specialities at the local tavernas, and chatting with the friendly locals!

What is the best time to go to Santorini?

The weather is fantastic in Santorini, especially during the summer months. But, as you can imagine, many tourists flock to the island during the summer, in order to enjoy its Mediterranean climate. Aside from summer, the best time to visit Santorini would be during May or September. During these times the weather is still warm but there are fewer crowds. 

Average high and low temperatures for each month (°C):

• January: 14°/ 10°
• February: 14° / 10°
• March: 15° / 11°
• April: 18° / 13°
• May: 22° / 16°
• June: 27° / 20°
• July: 29° / 23°
• August: 29° / 23°
• September: 26°/ 20°
• October: 22° / 17°
• November: 18° / 14°
• December: 15° / 11°

Can you fly direct to Santorini from the UK?

Several airports and airlines in the UK offer direct flights to Santorini. You can fly from London, Manchester and Birmingham, amongst others.

How do you get around in Santorini?

You can hire a car once you arrive in Santorini, or use the local buses. There are also plenty of taxis.

Can I drink the tap water in Santorini?

Most tap water in Santorini should not be used for drinking, but it is safe for showering and brushing your teeth. If in doubt ask your hotel when you arrive.