First Time in Santorini Travel Guide

Santorini was my favorite island from our first trip to Greece. The stunning cliffs, whitewashed houses, and expansive ocean absolutely took my breath away. Prior to our trip, everyone told me how amazing the island was, but nothing really prepares you for your first time in Santorini.

You will absolutely be blown away by the beauty of it all and the friendliness of the people. It’s such a romantic, incredible place. Below are all the details from our first time in Santorini, so you can get the most out of your trip.

And if you’re looking for more to do in Greece, check out this post on the top 5 must do things in Mykonos.

Xx, Kelsey

WHEN WE WENT

We visited during the high season in early August. Since travel has changed so much following the pandemic, we knew it wouldn’t be as crowded during the high season as usual. That being said, the narrow streets were still quite crowded at sunset.

If we were to go back, we’d go in late September or early October. This is the shoulder season when things will still be very warm but not as crowded.

HOW WE GOT THERE

Jon and I took flights from Amsterdam with a connection in Athens. Our flights from Athens were both delayed a few hours. Thankfully we had the Airbnb arrange for transportation from the airport. If your hotel or Airbnb offers this service, jump on it. Taxis in Greece are hard to come by, so it’s worth having one waiting for you when you land.

WHERE WE STAYED

There are lots of gorgeous towns in Santorini, but for our first trip we wanted to go all in and stay in the most popular town, Oia. This is the town you are in all the Instagram photos of the white houses and blue domes. Other great towns include Fira and Imerovigli. Imerovigli is best for sunsets, and both towns will be a little cheaper than Oia. A lot of people will visit Oia in the evenings from these two towns to catch the sunset.

When researching our trip to Santorini, I stumbled upon the most epic Airbnb. For our first time in Santorini, I wanted to be sure we had something with a pool and a view. Santorini accommodations are super pricey, but this one also ended up being one of the best deals for a place with a pool. It gets so hot in Santorini that a pool is very necessary for hanging out during the hottest part of the day in the afternoons. Additionally, the Airbnb hosts here were so helpful and sweet.

HOW LONG WE STAYED

You can also get to Santorini from various other islands via ferry. We took the SeaJets ferry back to Santorini from Mykonos for our flight home. It was also severely delayed, so just something to keep in mind.

We had three full days in Santorini, and it was perfect. For your first time in Santorini, I recommend a minimum of three days. It will give you ample time to see the sights and eat at all the best restaurants without feeling rushed. The thing I loved most about Santorini was that it gave us time to slow down and take it easy. If you’re interested in exploring more of the island and visiting the beaches, four or more days is probably best. If you’re looking to mostly stay in the city, three days is perfect.

WHERE WE ATE

Sphinx Wine Restaurant – This place came highly recommended from my friend Mercedes who was married in Santorini. Her wedding planner is the daughter of the owner. We visited this spot multiple times for cocktails and wine at the bar. The staff is incredibly friendly and the drinks are to die for.

Skala – Our Airbnb host recommended this spot for lunch or dinner, and it quickly became my favorite. The fish here was so good, we did lunch here twice. Order the sea bass, and you won’t be disappointed. The rice salad that comes with it is just incredible.

Sunset Taverna – On the water in Ammoudi Bay, this restaurant boasts the best sunset views. Just beware it’s a major hike down to the bay from the cliffs…and a major hike back up. The fish here was very good, but the cocktails were only mediocre. This is definitely a spot that’s worth it for the views, but don’t expect an incredible meal. Get here early to snag a table right on the water and watch the sun set over the ocean.

Roka – We had some family that was in town at the same time as we were, so we did a group dinner here. The salads were just incredible. We were sat in a corner of the courtyard and have to say it was super hot and stuffy. This location is probably better if you can visit in a smaller group and sit on the terrace overlooking the ocean.

Meteor Cafe – We stopped here one morning for a quick breakfast and were pleasantly surprised by how good the omelets were. Definitely recommend if you don’t like the runny eggs you find at a lot of restaurants in Europe.

WHAT WE DID

Our goal for this portion of the trip before we headed to Mykonos was just to relax, so we spent a lot of time eating and drinking. But we did get out and about too. Here are my favorite things we did during our first time in Santorini.

Wander the streets of Oia – I arrived before Jon due to some issues with our dog sitter, so the first morning I spent wandering the streets of Oia. I basically walked from one end to the other admiring the view and the pretty little shops. The city looks like something out of a fairytale, so it’s worth taking the time to wander and appreciate its beauty.

Spend afternoons in your pool – Afternoons get insanely hot in Greece, so spending the afternoon in your pool is a must. Ours was a small two-person pool and was ideal for hanging out and sipping white wine. Honestly, this was my favorite thing we did. The view was so beautiful that I could sit there for hours admiring it.

Rent an ATV – This is something for the adventurous soul and a great way to see the island. We rented online from Drossos, and I won’t lie it was a bit of a difficult experience. They confirmed our ATV rental the day before but gave it away before we arrived for our pickup. We ended up getting an ATV later in the afternoon. It was really fun to drive around the island. We went to Fira for lunch and drove through all the vineyards. Had we been able to rent the ATV for the full day we had hoped for, we would definitely have taken it all the way to the southern side of the island to visit some of the beaches.

Try Greek wine – Greece is one of the originators of wine but doesn’t export much of it. While on the island, you must try assyrtiko. It’s the white wine that Santorini is known for. We particularly loved drinking assyrtiko from Domaine Sigalas (on many menus and in many shops). If you have a chance to visit their winery outside Oia, I’ve heard it’s a great experience.

Consider a boat tour – Jon and I didn’t do a tour because we didn’t love the idea of being with a bunch of strangers on the boat. But if that doesn’t bother you, I’ve heard great things about the catamaran tours. It’s really a great way to see all of the island in one day. The sunset tours are also supposed to be great.

THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND

Pack good walking shoes – Santorini is full of stairs and very slippery cobblestones. I slipped once or twice walking down to our Airbnb. Make sure to bring shoes with some grip on the bottom and that are very comfortable. This is NOT the place for heels.

Bring a sunhat – A hat is very necessary during the hottest parts of the day. I saw so many people purchasing sunhats, so save yourself the headache and bring one with you.

Santorini isn’t known for its beaches – If you’re looking for white sandy beaches with clear blue water, head to Mykonos. Santorini has nice beaches, but if you’re looking for really amazing ones I’d check out the other islands.

Taxis are hard to find – You can definitely visit Santorini without a car, but you’ll want to book taxis through your hotel or Airbnb. This is also where renting an ATV makes it easier to see more of the island without getting stuck somewhere with no transportation. I’ve also heard the bus system between towns can be good!

Santorini is Instagram heaven – Which means you’ll see a lot of influencers taking photos during the day. We had people climbing on our roof, which is a big no-no, and I’ve heard of others having this problem. I was very happy that our Airbnb had such a great view so I could capture pictures there without being obnoxious. If you want some of the classic pictures with the blue domes or a particular house, head there early in the morning to get it before the crowds.

Make reservations – Especially in a pandemic world, it just makes so much more sense to make reservations for everything ahead of time. We were able to walk into places like Skala for lunch, but if you have a spot you really want to go for dinner or a great view, make a reservation. It will ensure you get a great seat and don’t have to wait. This also applies to activities like wine tours and ATV rentals. During high season, these get booked quickly.