Santorini - it's white, it's blue.
Chances are, you've seen photos of the sun setting over a cave house-studded caldera. And if you have, there's an even greater chance that Santorini is on your list of places to visit one day. That was true for me and my family. Despite wanting to plan a more restful vacation, we couldn't not squeeze in a stop at Santorini. In other words, I was going to see that sunset.
Here are my recommendations if you're planning a trip to Santorini:
If you take a look at Shay Mitchell's trip to Greece (see 6:18 - 7:00), you'll see that Santorini's peak tourism season is the summer. Who wouldn't want to enjoy the beaches on a hot day? Problem is, too many people descend on the small island from May to September. There's Greeks looking to vacation, tourists flying in, tourists taking the ferries in, and cruise passengers stopping. Everyday.
Local shop owners recommended that we revisit right before the peak season begins or as it ends: March-April or October-November. The weather is still nice and the crowds are much more manageable. I recommend this as well.
We, on the other hand, went during the off-season. As I mentioned in my previous Santorini post, we were incentivized by cheap plane tickets. Winters on the Mediterranean island range between the low 50's to mid-60's. Not beach weather, but you can still enjoy the sights. The deterrent about the off-season, however, is the rain. If you're traveling to Santorini just for the sunset, don't go in the winter. While we were fortunate enough to have sunshine, the winter sunset colors were lackluster and the sun didn't set over the calderas like they do during the summer (over the water instead).
The upside to visiting in January is that there is almost no one. Be aware that many shops do close in the winter; think about how busy shop and restaurant owners are during from May to September: long hours, seven days a week. The island isn't dead, though, and it's freeing to not have to fight hordes of tourists to capture a photo. Frankly, as you'll read later, there are few activities to do on the island itself. You visit Santorini to admire the beautiful architecture (there are other Greek islands with beaches), so I don't think spending all your time in stifling summer crowds isn't worth the stop.
Oia, a town at the northern tip of the island, is where you go to see the famous sunset, but Fira is Santorini island's capital. This is where your cruise ship docks, plane lands, or ferry arrives to.
The two primary ways to arrive are by ferry and by plane. Santorini Dave offers a detailed 2019-2020 guide to ferries from Athens, and that is what we referred to as we weighed the pros-cons of flying. Ferries are slightly cheaper, but trips average 8 hours during the day. We couldn't justify sacrificing time on a boat, so we opted to fly instead - flights aren't much more expensive. Partially due to traffic, the Athens airport is about 1 hour outside of the city center, so we flew directly to Athens and scheduled to fly to Santorini a few hours after arriving to the airport.
If flying, expect older, smaller planes from Athens to Santorini through Aegean Airlines and Olympic Air (read: avoid Ryan Air). You can expect delays due to the winter winds, but ferries can be delayed for the same reason and the 1 hour flight is worth it. Flights are offered at multiple times daily, unlike the ferries which operate on a more limited schedule. Double check your carry-on and luggage requirements as they will be stricter on these small planes than on your international Boeings.
Seriously. Reread those requirements five times.
Your living arrangements will likely be a rented cave house or family-run "hotel" in Fira. Find these options on AirBNB, Google Maps, or any booking website. You may find some attractive options in Oia, but expect them to be pricier, especially during peak travel times. I don't recommend staying in any other part of the island, because the main attractions are Oia and Fira. Take a taxi or take the public KTEL bus to spend a few hours in other towns instead. (I highly don't recommend renting a car. Greeks are notoriously fast drivers and the road from Fira to Oia is extremely narrow and unlit at night.)
We stayed at Nectarios Villa, a short 15 minute drive from the airport in Fira, where our hosts, Katerina and Nectarios, welcomed us warmly. As Americans, we were foreign to the concept of heating up your water before taking showers. When we were in Spain, we also found the water to be too cold, so this seems to be an American novelty. Just be sure to heat up your water at least 20 minutes before taking a shower (and don't take too long).
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| A bookstore I'll have to return to explore |
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| Real-life princess taking honeymoon photos in Oia |
As mentioned, there aren't many attractions on Santorini. There are beaches and wineries, but most people will wander along the calderas by foot (or by donkey!). We used Rick Steves' self-guided walking tour of Fira and Oia as an outline and wandered leisurely. This was a great way to achieve a relaxed pace. If I went with friends, I'd have taken the walking path between Fira and Oia instead of the bus; it's supposedly beautiful. Sit and enjoy the caldera view as you count the number of donkeys, dogs, and cats that pass by, or explore the supermarket in Fira for a taste of local life.
We wanted to try Lucky's Souvlakis, but it was closed for the season. Between Obelix and Yogi Gyros, Yogi was our favorite, and we have receipts from two visits to prove it. The same guys who served us at midnight with a side of good humor and smiles were the same guys who skillfully carved rotating spits of lamb for the 11 am opening rush the next day. I dare you to find anything of similar quality for under $4 in the States.
For a more upscale experience, consider Krittos at Pelican Kipos. The outdoor garden is beautiful during the day and night, the seafood is fresh and beautifully treated, but prices are much higher. We experienced a slower service that night due to a large tour group, but our servers did their best and like with many Greek restaurants, dessert (a dessert wine) was on the house.
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| Krittos at Pelican Kipos |
Want to see more of Santorini? See Journey to Fira, Santorini.
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