SANTORINI, GREECE

Santorini, otherwise known as Thira, is probably one of the most famous of the Greek islands due to its stunning views of the Caldera from the volcanic formations that make up recognizable white and blue cliff sides. The Mediterranean’s clearest and bluest waters can be found here along with some of the most picturesque views including classic Santorini blue domed churches with the white washed villages and houses along the cliffs. There are three main towns that make up Santorini: Fira, Oia, and Imerovígli and all offer something a little different. Our stay was in Oia which is the northern part of Santorini and where you want to stay when you think of ‘classic’ Santorini. It is easy to travel to and from the other villages/towns by car so it’s really a preference of what you want to get out of your travels here but my recommendation is to stay in Oia as it is every bit as beautiful and magical as in the photos. The only thing is that it does get a bit touristy and overly crowded, as expected, so just plan for this during the summer months.

WHERE TO EAT:

Dimitri’s

Greece is known for their tavernas which is essentially a small Greek restaurant that serves traditional Greek food. Dimitri’s is a well known taverna, located in Amoudi Bay, and known for their fresh seafood fare and traditional Greek dishes. Nothing fancy here, just a hut of a restaurant down by the water where you can enjoy fresh fish caught hours before, and watch the fisherman boats come and go down at the Bay. The food was good here but nothing out of this world as we had heard prior to coming. There’s a few other tavernas in the same area which I heard were all pretty good, so not sure if you have to come this exact one but there seems to be a lot of hype around it….. wasn’t exactly sure why.

lolita’s

There weren’t a lot of gelato options in Oia, and this one was Instgram’d a lot so decided to give it a try. It’s located on a side street off the main road with a couple of other shops and places to eat, so there’s other things to explore besides the gelateria. It’s not the most amazing gelato and nothing worth coming out of the way for, but if you’re in the area and feel like a scoop, then it’s fine. Otherwise, overhyped and nothing special.

218 Degrees

Sure there’s no shortage of cafes and restaurants on the cliffs of Oia and all offer pretty good views of the caldera. However there are a few that take up some prime property and have amazing views. 218 Degrees is one of those places. Perched up on one of the high cliff tops, this restaurant/ bar has both indoor and outdoor seating but you want to swing around to the back of the restaurant and get a table on the outside patio and take in some insane views of the Caldera.

WHERE TO EXPLORE:

amoudi bay

Amoudi Bay is a famous little spot in Oia because of a few things. First, it’s' one of the main ports where boats and catamarans will dock for the rides around the island so a lot of tourists naturally have to come here. Second, there’s a handful of tavernas (local joints) right by the water that are known to serve up some of the best food on the island (some I think are better than others and a bit overhyped). Third, it’s a spot known to be one of the best spots to catch the beautiful Santorini sunsets. And lastly, in order to get there, you have the option to grab a cab or walk the famous Amoudi Bay steps which are about 200 steps down to the Bay from the Oia cliffs. The steps are also where you can do the famous donkey rides to take up or down the steps from one place to the next. Honestly my favorite part of Amoudi was taking the steps, as the scenery is really pretty and offers different views of the waters than the main streets. If you go around or close to sunset, be prepared for mobs of other people trying to find a prime spot on the steps for the sunset viewing. It’s worth taking the steps at night to see the shimmering lights of Santorini but it’s dark and hard to see so it’ll take a bit longer. Either way, it’s a sight worth exploring.

BLUE DOMED CHURCH

When you think ‘Santorini’, there’s nothing more recognizable and iconic than the blue domed churches in Oia, if not the blue domed church that gets photographed and posted a million times over on social media. Finding this picturesque dome is not the easiest and when you do find it, there’s usually a crowd of people trying to take the exact same shot. If you follow directions for the steps leading down to Amoudi Bay, it will also take you to this famous spot but if not, ask any of the shop owners and they’ll point you in the right direction. Try to go super early in the morning or just wait your turn if there’s a crowd in the day. Sometimes you can get lucky and there will only be 3 or 4 people. It’s off a small street, so just plan for it to feel tight either way but between the church, the views, and the beautiful blooms that cover the walls here, it’s worth the wait.

WHITE BEACH

Located near the village of Akrotiri, this was my favorite beach/site on the island. Breathtakingly beautiful, this super secluded beach gets its name because of the color of the rock formations that make up the beach. Calling it ‘stunning’ does not do it justice as it looks like something straight out of the National Geographic wonders. The contrast of the bluest lagoon-like waters with the stark white rocks with streaks of pastels is something else and it’s just beautiful here. The only downside is that it is difficult to get to. The only way here really is by boat, unless you want to try to walk from the neighboring village, but not recommended. There’s no restaurants or amenities here, just a few umbrellas and sun beds but other than that, the idea here is to bring everything yourself. It’s every bit worth the trip, and it makes it even that much more special that it’s not easily accessible.

RED BEACH

Close to the gorgeous White Beach, Red beach is also a very famous beach because of the color of the volcanic rocks that surround the beach and a scenic beauty to see. The red rust-like color of the rocks come from the iron deposits found in the formations. Not as difficult to get to as the White Beach, the Red Beach is a bit more accessible by car and by boat and therefore much more crowded. There’s great snorkeling around here and again the waters are just so clear and beautiful against the red rust color of the volcanic formations.

OIA MAIN STREET

Contrary to what some of the pictures of Santorini suggest, there are not hundreds of little paths to take along the Oia cliffside. There’s actual just one main road/path that goes across and through the village. The rest of the cliffside is mostly private property or hotels. During the peak months, this one stretch of walking path gets very crowded but it’s where you’ll find all the shops, restaurants, and views. Stop in some of the jewelry shops as Greece is known for their gold and offers some of the best Greek jewelry like coin pendents, necklaces, and rings. Try to negotiate the price!

atlantis bookstore

Probably one of my favorite places in Santorini, this enchanting outdoor bookstore perched upon the Oia cliffs is something else. Born out of 2 travelers’ whim to ‘open a bookstore in Santorini’ while visiting the island, this magical concept turned real life destination once topped National Geographic’s Top 10 list of the World’s Most Interesting Bookstores. Upon arriving, you’ll find the famous white washed terrace rooftop of the bookstore and the gorgeous views of the deep blue Aegean Sea. If that isn’t enough to win you over, follow the winding stairs to enter a hobbit-like cave that opens up to a whimsical world of books, books, and more books. The curation of books is just as interesting as the store itself, with rare first edition books mixed in with world travel, mixed with novels both classic and new.

WHERE TO STAY:

Santo Maris Oia Luxury Suites & Spa

The cliffside cave houses or hotels in OIa offer some of the most amazing views and are where most people choose to stay when visiting Santorini. Depending on the hotel, the rooms can be quite small and ‘cave-like’ and slightly claustrophobic, so I didn’t want to risk it and instead chose to stay at an actual hotel property 5 mins from the main Oia village. I just wasn’t familiar enough with the cave hotels and so many of the pictures and reviews seemed misleading so I wanted to stay somewhere where we wouldn’t be disappointed. And this way I could check out the cliffside hotels while we’re there, for if we decided to come back. Also the cave hotels tend to overcharge for the rooms during during peak months because of limited availability, meaning you’ll end up shelling out 5-star prices for 3-star hotels because they know people want to stay on the cliffs.

So instead, we decided to stay at the Santo Maris Resort located right off the main Oia area, and only a 5 mins walk on a private pathway from the property to the main village. I was a bit worried when pulling up to the hotel as there weren’t any of the cliffside views of white houses, donkeys, and blue domes, as I was expecting to at least see some of it from the hotel, but that’s because again, the hotel isn’t located right on the cliff. What the the hotel does offer are some amazing views of the Aegean Sea and the Santorini sunsets. The property is pretty spread out and each ‘room’ is essentially a suite/house and feels like a private oasis compared to the ever busy streets of Oia. The hotel feels modern and sophisticated while keeping true to the Santorini aesthetic with the white washed ‘houses’ and traditional Cycladic architecture. The main infinity pool is gorgeous and relaxing and a great place to dine al fresco, but if it’s not to your liking, there’s 4 other pools throughout the property to choose from. Overall the stay was great and we were happy to have chosen a place that was outside of the village as it changed the scenery and vibe for us which we liked: we could explore the busy town in the day and then come back to the tranquility and quiet of Santo Maris. Some people may find the hotel too quiet and a bit remote, so it would just be a preference as to what you want from the stay.