15 Best Things to Do in Santorini (Greece) 2022
Santorini is one of the Cyclades islands in the Aegean Sea. It was devastated by a volcanic eruption in the 16th century BC, forever shaping its rugged landscape. The whitewashed, cubiform houses of its 2 principal towns, Fira and Oia, cling to cliffs above an underwater caldera (crater). They overlook the sea, small islands to the west and beaches made up of black, red and white lava pebbles.
- Area: 29.42 mi²
- Max length: 11.18 mi
- Max width: 7.456 mi
- Area code: 22860
- Administrative region: Southern Aegean
Index
The extraordinary island of Santorini in the South Aegean lies in the eastern part of a collapsed caldera.
Their villages have whitewashed cave houses with blue doors carved in tiers into the tops of looming dark cliffs.
These west-facing settlements like Oia, Fira, and Imerovigli enjoy front-row views of one of the world’s most beautiful sunsets. Their tavernas fill up long before the sun slips behind Nea Kameni and Therasia in the boiler in summer.
There is ancient history in Akrotiri, which was abandoned in the second millennium before the cataclysmic eruption that shattered the old island.
Let’s explore the best things to do in Santorini :
One). oia
Source: Feel Good Studio / shutterstockOia, Santorini
Perched on the northern rim of the caldera is the village of Oia, arguably the most charming in Santorini and the best place to watch the sun go down.
Oia has the cave houses of Santorini, bored out of the rock and arranged in a theater in vertical rows.
In the 19th century, Oia flourished thanks to a fleet of merchant ships that sailed to Saint Petersburg.
The captains of these ships built themselves some of the best houses in town, with Venetian-inspired architecture and exceptional views of the caldera.
As well as its ring of restaurant terraces with dreamy views, Oia has art galleries, a maritime museum, and the ruins of a Byzantine castle at its highest point.
Like many places in Santorini, much of the town is car-free.
Recommended Tour: Traditional Santorini Hop-on Hop-off Tour with Oia Sunset
Two). Akrotiri
Source: Georgios Tsichlis / shutterstock Akrotiri
Ancient Akrotiri was encased in volcanic debris by that eruption 3,600 years ago, many of the houses were preserved above a high story, and the frescoes were in excellent condition.
A treasure trove of undamaged items such as cooking and eating utensils, vases, bathtubs, pots, beehives have been found, giving historians vital insights into the Minoan civilization.
The houses are protected under a roof structure completed in 2012, while all but one of the frescoes and the most valuable artifacts have been moved to the Museum of Prehistoric Thera and the National Archaeological Museum in Athens.
You’ll traverse the walls on metal walkways, and you’ll be able to see ceramics standing where they were left 3,600 years ago.
Only one piece of gold and no bodies were discovered in Akrotiri, telling us that the city was peacefully evacuated.
3). Museum of Prehistoric Thera
Source: saiko3p / shutterstockMuseum of Prehistoric Thera
Many of Akrotiri’s treasures have ended up in this fantastic museum in Fira.
The museum is in four parts, dealing with the geology and volcanic activity in Thera, The history of archaeological excavations in Akrotiri, The history of the island up to the late Bronze Age, and the golden age Akrotiri around the 17th century. This final section is the bulk of the exhibit. It has vivid frescoes (composed of mineral-based paints) and compares them to similarly accomplished pottery paintings.
The Blue Monkeys fresco is incredibly sophisticated, considering it was painted 36 centuries ago.
You can delve into the development of the city’s urban plan and its bureaucratic system and examine figurines, jewelry, and pottery dating back to the Neolithic period.
4). Ancient Thera
Source: Georgios Tsichlis / shutterstock Ancient Thera
This settlement was founded in the 9th century BC. C. on a ridge on Mesa Vouno Mountain, long after the explosive eruption, and was inhabited for the next 800 years.
At this point, you will undoubtedly feel closer to the Greek gods.
The ruins were first explored in 1896 by the German Friedrich Hiller von Gaertringen and then twice in the second half of the 20th century.
Walk up the twisting road from the coastal villages of Kamari or Perissa (or take a taxi) to inspect the remains of ancient houses, the agora (main square), the stoa, which has rows of Doric columns in place, and the theater of the era 2nd century AD Roman C. Something curious about the architecture of Thera is so exquisite, public monuments were built with blocks of limestone. In contrast, private houses are made up of small, miscellaneous stones.
5). Perissa Beach
Source: Ciro Orabona Creative / Shutterstock Perissa Beach
Looking at photos of Santorini, you will surely see this black volcanic sand beach on the south coast of the island.
The beach and its village are located at the foot of the gigantic rock, Mesa Vouno, home of ancient Thera.
From here, the beach gently curls up for seven kilometers and is lined with long columns of umbrellas and sun loungers.
The sea is evident when the sun is shining, and the moderate swell and shallow gradient mean that non-swimmers can hold their own.
On the coastal road that traces the beach, there are cafes, restaurants, taverns, and water sports centers that come to life from May to October, and many on the north side have seats right next to the sand.
6). Caldera Boat Tour
Source: dancer / Shutterstock Caldera Boat Tour
Sometimes you’ll have to do the touristy stuff to get the most out of a destination, and that’s the case with Santorini’s caldera cruises.
Leaving from the port south of Fira, these boats will take you ashore at Nea Kameni, which we will talk about next.
In neighboring Palea Kameni, you can bathe in the green sulfurous hot springs, a rare experience under burned volcanic rocks.
It is incredible to think that Therasia, on the western edge of the caldera, was once part of the same island as Thera (Ancient Santorini). Here, you can stop for a bite to eat and climb to climb the ridge to see Santorini in its entirety.
< br />
7). Nea Kameni
Source: PNIK / Shutterstock Nea Kameni
Most of the tourist boats will dock on this island in the middle of the caldera so you can disembark.
Nea Kameni was born from repeated eruptions of ash and dacite lava, and the Roman historian Cassius Dio made an early reference to the island.
It has gotten bigger after four eruptions in the last 400 years, including two in the 20th century.
Rising 130 meters in the center of the island is a crater with the smoldering vents in the hillside and the scent of sulfur in the air: you’ll take a path through this lunar landscape,
adorned with red succulents in the summer to take a tour of the rim and photograph the white houses of Fira and Imerovigli that crown the black cliffs of Santorini.
Available Tour: Volcanic Islands Cruise with Palea Kameni Hot Springs
8). Imerovigli
Source: Aetherial Images / Shutterstock Imerovigli
On the road from Thera to Oia, Imerovigli is a listed ‘Traditional Settlement,’ which means there are rigid guidelines on new development.
Those low, whitewashed Cycladic houses are lined up in a bowl along the caldera’s rim at its highest point.
Many are cave dwellings carved into the cliff.
And if that sounds primitive, many of these properties are exquisitely decorated boutique hotels.
The name Imerovigli roughly translates to “Day Lookout” and comes from when Pirates threatened Santorini.
If there is an ideal to come, it is at sunset when the view to the west over the caldera is something people travel the world for.
9). Skaros Rock
Source: Abdieff / shutterstock Skaros Rock
In Imerovigli, you can open a walking path to this conical promontory in the caldera.
Skaros Rock was the most important of Santorini’s five medieval Venetian fortified settlements and had hundreds of houses.
Skaros was virtually impregnable in medieval times, surrounded on three sides by cliffs.
Its end came in the 17th century when it had to be abandoned after a series of earthquakes caused by the underwater eruption of the Kolumbo volcano.
Its stone was recycled for other buildings, but you can still find weak ruins along the way.
If you have the energy, stay on the ladder.
About 200 steps down, you can photograph Theoskepasti Church, a typical dome and bright blue doors.
10). Fair to Oia Hike
Source: berni0004 / shutterstockFira an Oia Hike
With a bit of preparation, you can embark on the ride of a lifetime on what feels like the edge of the world.
The trail north from Fira to Oia is on the sheltered edge of the caldera and treats you to the scenery that almost defies description.
With the sun going down in July or August, it can take up to half a day to complete the hike, and you’ll need a hat, good hiking shoes, snacks, and plenty of water.
You can make pit stops at Imerovigli and Finikia, but for most of the hike, you’ll be alone in an alien landscape, hundreds of meters above the remnant of a volcanic caldera.
If at any point you got exhausted, look to your left at the archipelago or at the clifftop village of Akrotiri to feel energized once again.
eleven). wine tourism
Source: kelifamily / Shutterstock Santorini Wine Field
Along with its caldera, ruins, and whitewashed Cycladic houses, Santorini’s other calling card is its wine, and there’s a whole directory of wineries to visit all over the island.
In the mid-2nd millennium BC, the Thera eruption left Santorini’s soils with mineral-rich volcanic ash, solidified lava, and pumice, which has proven ideal for vines despite minimal rainfall on the island.
That lack of rain is offset by high nighttime humidity caused by a sea mist.
Santorini is best known for its native white Aidani, Athiri, and Assyrtiko grapes, grown on vines that hug the ground to minimize wind damage.
A signature white Santorini will be crisp, very dry, and rich in minerality—just the ticket for grilled seafood and meat.
At the other end of the spectrum, Vinsanto is a sweet dessert wine made from grapes that have been left to dry in the sun after harvest.
Suggested Tour: Santorini Wine Roads: 3 Winery Tour with a Sommelier
12). megalochori
Source: Photo Glowe / Shutterstock Megalochori
Tucked away from the edge of the caldera, the picture-perfect town of Megalochori is less frequented by tourists even though it could claim to be the wine capital of Santorini.
There are vineyards all over town and a couple of wineries to visit in seconds.
The core of Megalochori is a tangle of cobblestone lanes walled by classic whitewashed Santorini houses with blue-painted doors and bougainvillea blooms.
In the heart of the town, there is a cozy square with a couple of cozy taverns.
13). Pyrgos
Source: turtix / shutterstockPyrgos
The highest village in Santorini, Pyrgos, has far-reaching views in all directions.
At the top of the settlement, above the alleys and passages, is the Kasteli, one of the five Venetian castles of Santorini.
This fortification was an inland retreat for pirates, while the narrow alleys below were designed to confuse attackers.
The castle is in ruins, but this only adds to its beauty, while there is a monument at the entrance that remembers the island’s inhabitants killed in the Second World War.
The scenery around the Church of Saint Nicholas and the Zannos Melathron Hotel is fantastic, and the high-rise cafes have terraces where you can watch the sun go down.
14). Profitis Ilias Monastery
Source: Camille / Shutterstock Profitis Ilias Monastery
Not far south of Pyrgos and above Ancient Thera is the highest point on the island, at 565 meters above sea level.
This peak is crowned by the Monastery of the Prophet Elijah, consecrated in 1712, and built with sturdy buttresses.
There’s nothing to stop experienced walkers from hiking up for an added sense of accomplishment, but the slopes are exposed, and a trip in the height of summer is best avoided.
The monastery prospered in the 18th century when it owned a ship that traded throughout the Aegean and was a school of Greek language and literature in the early 19th century.
You can walk into the chapel and small gift shop while the monks hold occasional workshops on shoemaking, beekeeping, winemaking, printing, and candle making.
15. Amoudi Bay
Source: kavalenkava / shutterstockAmoudi Bay
In Oia, a staircase with 350 steps leads to the water in the small port of Amoudi Bay.
It is the hard way down to Amoudi Bay, but there is also a switchback path.
At the bottom is a group of whitewashed houses.
The main reason people come down is for a new perspective of the caldera and Oia from below, but also the best fish and shellfish tavernas on the island, all with the waves lapping close to your feet.
Tables are in such high demand that you’ll need to reserve in early summer, and being on the west coast, the sunsets are once again a big part of the allure.
And if you can’t bear to tackle those 350 steps back to Oia, donkeys are waiting to do the legwork for you.
Images for Santorini
- sunset
- greece
- oia
- volcano
- mykonos
- beach
- island
- wallpaper
- wedding
- hotel
- beautiful
- caldera
- fira
- grecia
- map
- thira
- honeymoon
- infinity pool
- hot springs
- kamari
Why Santorini Greece is famous?
Why visit Santorini? Santorini is the most famous of all Greek islands and a number one summer destination worldwide. The beauty of this island is incomparable to any other in the world. The amazing Caldera formed by the volcanic eruption centuries ago, resulted in the most amazing sea views a human eye can ever see.
Why Santorini Greece is famous?
Why visit Santorini? Santorini is the most famous of all Greek islands and a number one summer destination worldwide. The beauty of this island is incomparable to any other in the world. The amazing Caldera formed by the volcanic eruption centuries ago, resulted in the most amazing sea views a human eye can ever see.
Why Santorini Greece is famous?
Why visit Santorini? Santorini is the most famous of all Greek islands and a number one summer destination worldwide. The beauty of this island is incomparable to any other in the world. The amazing Caldera formed by the volcanic eruption centuries ago, resulted in the most amazing sea views a human eye can ever see.
Does Santorini speak English?
Do they speak English in Santorini? Yes, english is very common at all hotels and restaurants. Getting around without knowing Greek is no problem at all.
Related searches
- santorini volcano
- santorini hotel
- santorini italy
- santorini booking
- santorini flights
- santorini beaches
- santorini restaurant
- santorini weather
Top 17 Things to Do in Philadelphia with Kids – Big 7 Travel 2022
24 Best us virgin islands Islands History, Geography, & Maps attractions 2022
15 Best Tours Things to do in Atlanta Actually Cool Winter 2022
Top 16 Things to Do in San Diego Big 7 Travel 2022
15 Best Things to Do in Santorini (Greece) 2022