Santorini
Santorini is a volcanic island group in the southern Aegean, shaped by an eruption around 1600 BCE that left a sea-filled caldera ringed by cliffs. Most of what people do here is see the caldera from above, walk or ride between clifftop villages, and visit the volcano and its hot springs by boat.
The most reviewed first. Prices are per person, booked with our partner, Shore Excursions Group.
Exclusive Santorini, Oia and Winery Tour
Panoramic Santorini Sightseeing with Light Walking
Santorini Oia and Fira Highlights with Boat Transfer from Old Port
Private Guided Profitis Elias Monastery, Oia and Winery Tour
Fira
Fira is the capital of Santorini, a white town of cobblestone streets stacked on the caldera rim. Shops, tavernas, hotels and cafes line the lanes, and most visitors come up from the old port.
Oia
Oia is a cliffside village at the north end of Santorini, known for its iconic streets and its sunset over the caldera. Visitors come for the views and the evening light.
Ancient Thera
Ancient Thera is a Classical-era hilltop site on Mesa Vouno, between Kamari and Perissa. Visitors come for the ruins, the history and wide views over the island.
Akrotiri
Akrotiri is a Bronze Age Minoan city buried under volcanic ash and pumice and left well preserved. Walk its streets and see the houses, the layout and the wall paintings the excavation has uncovered.
Nea Kameni
Nea Kameni is a small, uninhabited volcanic islet in the flooded Santorini caldera. Visitors land at a jetty and climb rocky slopes to look into the smoking crater.
Hot springs of Palea and Nea Kameni
Warm sulfur-water springs in the sea around Palea and Nea Kameni, the small volcanic isles inside Santorini's caldera. You swim in natural pools, not in a spa building.
Santorini Cable Car
A three-minute cable car ride up the caldera cliffs from the Old Port to Fira, the island's capital. The car gives wide views of the sea and the whitewashed houses above.
Red Beach
Red Beach is a volcanic sand beach on Santorini's south coast, known for its deep red sand and crimson cliffs. The beach is officially closed because of rockslides, so it is best seen from a distance.
Perissa Beach
Perissa Beach is a long stretch of black sand and pebble on the eastern side of Santorini, lined with bars, hotels and restaurants. It is the main beach of the village of Perissa.
Kamari beach
Kamari is the longest beach on Santorini, a long stretch of black pebbles and shingle with restaurants and bars lining the sand. It is a good place for a swim and a slow afternoon by the water.
Fira to Oia caldera trail
A walking route along the caldera rim from Fira to Oia, mixing cobbled village alleys with gravel and cliff paths. It takes in the caldera views the island is known for.
Santorini wine roads
Santorini's wine roads are a set of wineries across the island where you taste volcanic wines. The usual way to do it is a guided tour that visits three estates.
Imerovigli
Imerovigli is a village on the caldera rim just above Fira, and it is the highest point of the cliffs. People come for the views over the water and the town below.
Panagia Katefiani
Panagia Katefiani is a small chapel built into the hillside above Perissa on Santorini. Visitors come to see the church and the cave with a fountain behind its presbytery.
Good to know
Volcanoes
The caldera and the active crater of Nea Kameni are the island's main draw for people who like geology. A ferry from Fira takes about 20 minutes to reach the islet. From there a rocky trail climbs toward the crater rim, where steam and sulfur vents can be seen from a safe distance. Many boat trips add a swim at the hot springs of Palea and Nea Kameni on the same outing.
Sightseeing and scenic rides
The caldera cliffs are the reason many visitors come. The Santorini cable car climbs from the old port to Fira in about three minutes. From Fira you can walk to the Imerovigli viewpoint just above town. Oia, at the north end of the island, is known for its sunset, which many people watch from the village at dusk.
Wine tasting
Santorini's volcanic wines, including Assyrtiko and Vinsanto, are a feature of the island. Guided tours take visitors along a road of wineries, with tastings at several estates. A winery stop is also often paired with a walk through a village. Visits here are usually arranged through a tour, so book ahead for the season.
When to go
April and May are the most pleasant months, with low rain chances and wildflowers on the hills. Summer is very hot, and many businesses close around midday. The caldera walks and boat trips are most reliable in spring and early autumn.
Good to know
- Wear closed, comfortable shoes. The caldera paths and steps are cobbled, steep and uneven.
- Carry cash in small bills and coins for buses, the cable car and tavern bills.
- Boat trips can be delayed or cancelled in bad weather, especially in winter. Keep track of your return time.
- Buses in peak season can fill up at their first stop and skip others, so allow extra time when heading back.
Coming by ship
Ships usually stay about 12 hours in Santorini, and most arrive between 7 and 9 am.
Getting ashore and around
From the old port, the Santorini cable car climbs to Fira in about three minutes. You can also take a donkey or walk up the 588 steps, but the steps are narrow in parts, with low walls and donkey droppings, so many people choose the cable car. A fee applies each way on the cable car, donkey and steps.
Fira is the hub for getting around. KTEL buses leave Fira Bus Station for Oia, Kamari, Perissa, the airport and Akrotiri, and most routes need a transfer at Fira. Buses take cash only, so bring coins. Walking the Fira to Oia caldera trail takes less than three hours and suits sturdy shoes.
Questions people ask
Can you visit the Santorini volcano in one day?
Yes. A ferry from Fira reaches Nea Kameni in about 20 minutes. The rocky trail to the crater takes some time, and many boat trips include a swim at the hot springs nearby.
These places share what it's known for.
