I’ve been to Santorini a couple times – and I’ve had my fair share of good times and bad on this island.

Transportation

Fly to Santorini

If you’re headed to Santorini from Athens, I suggest flying there over taking the ferry. A flight is only about 30 minutes of actual in-air time while a ferry can be as long as eight hours. If you’re visiting other islands, I generally tell people to fly to Santorini and ferry their way back up to Mykonos, Paros, Naxos, etc.

Arrange your Transfers Ahead of Time

If you’re staying at an Airbnb, your host likely will offer to pick you up for an additional fee. Or you can easily find reasonable transfer services via Get My Guide.

Arranging your transfer ahead of time will save you the headache of trying to call a cab, and there are no ride-share services on Santorini. Plus, you don’t have to deal with negotiating a price.

Choose Rental Cars Carefully

Listen, I hate renting cars. The first time I rented in Santorini I had a great experience with the Hertz in the airport, so if you do want to rent a car I recommend renting through the Santorini Airport Hertz. Be sure to get an international driver's permit before you do so. The second visit we rented through a private agency and let’s just say it was a nightmare.

The freedom of a car on an island like Santorini is nice. The whole island takes only about 45 minutes to drive from top to bottom. Having a rental car is key if you’re staying outside the main drags of Oia and Fira – which I recommend unless you’re cashing out some big bucks to stay caldera side.

You can use the public transit system, which I suggest on other islands, but I don’t particularly like the reliability of the bus in Santorini. I did however easily use public transit on other islands. I haven’t personally done this, but other bloggers have suggested renting ATV’s.

If you are staying off the beaten path, try and make sure you don’t have to drive down those extremely narrow roads – you’re more than likely going to end up in a donkey traffic jam.

Lodging

Oia or Fira: Where to stay?

Ah, the eternally Googled question: Should I stay in Oia or Fira?

I’m likely going to write an entire post on this question, but here are some basic things to consider for our purposes today:

Oia:

The iconic blue domes
More of the stunning white buildings (both have a ton)
The “romantic” destination spot
Quieter, fewer clubs than Fira. But still plenty of bars and things to do.
North part of the island, farther from airport
More expensive

Fira:

It’s a controversial opinion, but I believe the sunset views are better in Fira
Centrally located. It’s easy to get to the airport or the beaches in the southern part of the island.
More clubs/parties

Regardless of which town you choose to stay in, you should visit both during your time. If visiting in the summer months, be sure to make lodging reservations and sunset dining reservations ASAP.

Another fantastic option for lodging in Santorini is in Perissa Beach. Perissa is inexpensive compared to the rest of the island, and you can be within walking distance to the black sand beaches. One of the best parts about Perissa Beach is that there are seemingly endless amounts of restaurants where you can purchase a frappe and have sunchairs and an umbrella the entire day.

Unless I’m staying in a $10,000/night villa overlooking the caldera (in my dreams) I’ll be staying near Perissa.

Things to do

I’m a believer that Santorini is for relaxing, but if you get a little stir crazy here are a few of the favorite activities I’ve done on my visits to the island:

Akrotiri

The ancient city of Akrotiri was destroyed by a volcano eruption in the 16th century BC. You could call this the Pompeii of Greece. There are some folks out there who believe that this is the lost city of Atlantis. I don’t know how I feel about that claim, but you can see why it invokes those thoughts. You can visit the remains of the city in an air-conditioned indoor museum that is built above the ancient city. It’s located in the southern part of Santorini, and is a pretty cool add on to your adventure if you want to add a little Greek history to your beach vacation,

Catamaran Cruise

I’ll say it once and I’ll say it again: Book a catamaran cruise. My full-day catamaran excursion remains the highlight of both of my trips to Santorini. We booked via Airbnb excursions and had an incredible day. Be sure to book a sunset tour so you can fully capture the beauty of this famous island. Most cruises also include an open bar, dinner, and snorkeling equipment. A catamaran cruise is an absolute must.

These are some of my basic tips and tricks to doing Santorini right. Leave a comment to let me know your experience or what activities you would add.

A Mini-Guide to Visiting Santorini, Greece