Are you planning a trip to Santorini, Greece, for the first time and don’t know what to expect? Keep scrolling to check out my top travel tips for Santorini, Greece!
This list of travel tips for Santorini, Greece, was written by family travel expert Marcie Cheung and contains affiliate links, which means if you purchase something from one of my affiliate links, I may earn a small commission that goes back into maintaining this blog.
Are you dreaming of whitewashed villas, unforgettable sunsets, and delicious food that can only be found on a trip to Santorini island? We got the best tips for Santorini for your first trip!
It’s no wonder this popular island is a favorite among travelers! I remember how it took our breath away when we visited.
Santorini is one of the Cyclades Islands in the Aegean Sea. Santorini has become a summer vacation hotspot thanks to its unique architecture and Instagrammable good looks.
It’s an idyllic and beautiful small island, for sure. But the crowds mean planning a trip to Santorini requires a little forward-thinking.
That’s why you need to know all the top travel tips for Santorini, Greece.
This ultimate guide to Santorini covers everything you need to know before traveling to Santorini. It includes where to go in Santorini, how to get around, what to eat, and all the Santorini tips and tricks you would have never known otherwise.
Read on to learn how to plan a Santorini itinerary, so you have a magical and unforgettable vacation!
Travel Tips for Santorini You Need To Know
Before You Go to Santorini, Apply for an ETIAS Visa
If you’re planning a trip to Santorini, don’t forget an important travel requirement—starting in 2025, travelers from visa-exempt countries (like the U.S.) must have an ETIAS visa to enter Greece.
The application is straightforward and entirely online. You’ll need a valid passport, an email, and a card to pay the €7 fee (free for travelers under 18 or over 70). Most approvals come through within minutes, but it’s best to apply at least 96 hours before your trip to avoid any delays.
Once approved, your ETIAS is valid for three years or until your passport expires, allowing multiple visits to Santorini and other Schengen countries. Without it, you won’t be allowed entry, so be sure to complete this step before your trip.
Planning Your Santorini Visit
Any Santorini guide will tell you that the top things to see and do on this popular island are the beaches, watersports, exploring ancient ruins, and hiking.
If you love nature and are active on vacation, you must hike from Fira to Oia (or vice versa) along the Caldera’s Edge. It’s around seven miles long and offers breathtaking views, making the trek well worth it.
Despite the crowds, sunset watching from Oia is a must-do experience, as it’s one of the best ways to see the amazing views of Santorini. We sat at one of the cliffside restaurants that Rick Steves recommends and enjoyed fresh mussels while watching the incredible Santorini sunset.
If you’d prefer to watch it with fewer people, take a sunset cruise instead. A sunset cruise allows you to witness the spectacular views from the water, often with stops at Nea Kameni, a volcanic island in the Caldera’s Edge.
Enjoying a movie at the Open Air Cinema in Kamari is a perfect activity that the whole family can enjoy. They screen English-language films under the stars all summer, and you can buy popcorn!
Taking the Cable Car of Santorini is also cool to do with kids. The cable car ride provides breathtaking views of the island’s capital, making it a fun experience for both kids and adults.
Santorini has a few soft white sand beaches, but they’re still worth visiting. Perissa Beach and Kamari Beach are two black volcanic beaches, while Perivolos Beach, Red Beach, and Vlychada Beach offer stunning coastlines shaped by volcanic activity.
Skaros Rock and Akrotiri have cool ruins. The Akrotiri Lighthouse and the ancient city of Akrotiri are must-visit sites. These places showcase the island’s fascinating past, including the effects of the massive volcanic eruption that shaped Santorini Island thousands of years ago.
Ammoudi Bay, a charming fishing village near Oia, is another great place to visit. Here, you can savor the best seafood on the island, featuring fresh caught fish and other local specialties.
How Many Days in Santorini?
Around three to five days is the about right amount of days to spend in Santorini. It’s not the best Greek island for a relaxing beach break or resort vacation of one week or more due to the crowds. It’s an island for exploring!
You’ll want to stay a minimum of three days in Santorini to make sure you see some ruins, enjoy the breathtaking views, take a boat tour, and soak up the island’s charm.
But you can have even more fun with four days in Santorini! You can add unique activities like wine tasting, cooking classes, or a sailing trip around the Caldera’s Edge.
How To Travel to Santorini
You have two options for getting to Santorini, Greece: by plane or by ferry.
There are no direct flights from the US to the island, but there are flights from Athens to Santorini, Greece. Athens is easy to reach from the west coast of the US during the peak May – October travel season via Delta Airlines.
Santorini has a small but busy international airport. Many European countries, including the UK and France, offer direct flights during the tourism season, especially in summer.
If you’re planning a Greek island-hopping trip, you might want to arrive by sea.
You can hop on a ferry to Santorini from lots of other islands nearby, like Naxos, Paros, Los, and Mykonos. Services are limited during the winter months but there are tons of services during the summer.
Some of the top ferry companies are AFerry, Ferryhopper, and Letsferry.
How To Get Around Santorini
You can walk around whichever town you’re staying in, whether it’s Oia, Fira, or another of the others, quite easily. But getting around Santorini will require transportation at some point, whether you choose one of the public or private options.
Santorini’s public bus system (KTEL) is inexpensive but unreliable. Most bus routes start and end in Fira and head to most of the top tourist attractions around the island, including Oia and Red Beach.
They’re supposed to run every half hour, but they can get super full during peak seasons and are often late.
One of the best travel tips for Santorini, Greece, is to rent an ATV for a day. They’re much easier to drive on Santorini’s narrow, winding roads and can be super fun.
Taxis and Car Rentals
Only around 25 taxis service the whole island of Santorini. They can legally only carry four passengers, so you’ll have to take two taxis if you’re a family of five. They also only accept cash.
Regular taxis charge around €25 for a journey between Fira and Oia.
Book private transfers to and from the airport or ferry so you have peace of mind that you won’t be stuck waiting for a taxi carrying three suitcases!
Renting a car in Santorini is also an option to explore sites all over the island. Rates start from around €15 per day. Santorini’s roads are not in amazing shape but it’s convenient as you can pick up a car from the airport. Check the latest rental car rates.
Most visitors save money by renting an ATV or using bike rental options for shorter trips around the island.
Money in Santorini
Santorini is in Greece which uses the Euro currency. One of the best Santorini, Greece travel tips that will save your skin is to always carry cash.
Almost all hotels, big stores, and busy restaurants will accept credit cards, but smaller vendors probably won’t. Some also claim their card machine is “broken” if they’d rather accept cash.
Luckily, there are ATMs everywhere. Most credit cards are accepted but if you have an American Express, bring backup cards. Some European countries don’t accept them.
Dining in Santorini Tips
When leaving tips at most restaurants in Santorini, you only need to leave a small, token amount. Tips of 5 – 10% of the bill are normal, and anything that’s 15% or above is considered a huge tip. You’d only tip that much for an exceptional dining experience in a fancy restaurant!
The Greeks, Santorini included, have a very Mediterranean eating schedule. Locals often don’t eat lunch until 2 pm, and they may not eat a full dinner until 9 pm.
However, Santorini is a very tourist-friendly destination and you’ll be able to find plenty of restaurants and other eateries open at earlier times.
If you want a guide to Santorini cuisine, know that it mostly revolves around seafood. Saganaki (fried cheese), baklava cake, fava beans, tomato fritters, Greek salad, and iced coffee are all popular here. Seafood lovers should try the fresh caught fish, which is a highlight in many coastal tavernas.
Wine enthusiasts should take advantage of wine tasting opportunities at local wineries. Santorini Island is famous for its unique volcanic soil, which gives its local wine a distinctive flavor.
A cooking class is another fantastic way to immerse yourself in the island’s culinary culture.
What To Wear in Santorini
Bring comfortable shoes you can walk for hours and hours in. You’ll need sandals or flip-flops to walk on the hot sandy beaches, too.
Since you’re probably traveling to Santorini during the warmer months, pack light-colored and breathable fabrics. Blacks, dark purples, and dark reds are not only uncomfortable to wear during summer, but you’ll stick out like a sore thumb against the white Santorini backdrop.
Don’t forget sunhats and sunglasses too! There is little shade on the hiking trails or coastlines.
And make sure your kids also have hats. We *may* have been scolded by shopkeepers for not putting a hat on our toddler. Oops!
Be an Early Bird
The phrase, “the early bird catches the worm,” could not be truer in Santorini. It’s better to wake up early and explore the island in the morning and relax in the afternoon than the other way around.
Other tourists are more active in the afternoons, plus the cruise ship passengers will be out in full force by then. You’ll also miss the most oppressively hot part of the day!
It’s worth being an early bird when it comes to finding good spots for sunset. Settle into a spot at least 45 minutes beforehand. If you have snacks and something to do, the time will fly by anyway.
Book a Family Photo Shoot
Whenever we travel, we almost always book a family photo shoot with Flytographer. They are super easy, affordable, AND it guarantees that I’ll be in some photos. You can get $25 off if you book through this link
Get a Travel Adapter
Greece uses both Type C and F electrical plugs. Type Cs are common types of plugs in Europe with two round prongs. Type F also has two round prongs as well as two earth clips on the side and they fit into the same sockets.
Bring an electrical adapter if you’re traveling from the US or somewhere that doesn’t use this plug. Make sure it converts voltage, too, as Greece operates on a 230V supply voltage, which is different from the US.
Safety and Awareness in Santorini
Numbeo lists Santorini as a 92.05 on its safety rating out of 100, which means it’s an incredibly safe destination. Anyone you speak to will agree that the locals are friendly, and what’s even more surprising is that pickpocketing and travel scams are also uncommon.
That’s unheard of in such a popular vacation destination!
Of course, it’s always better to be safe than sorry. Keep your valuables and money hidden, secure, and always within reach.
One key awareness tip for Santorini you need to know about is road safety. Many tourists hire quad bikes as a convenient way to get around the island. Give them a wide berth just in case the driver isn’t as skillful behind the wheel as they think they are.
Also, if you’re walking along roads near the South Coast or East Coast, be mindful of fast-moving vehicles.
With lots of scenic cliffsides, it’s also important to stay behind any barriers and not get too close to the edge. Instagram photos aren’t worth the risk!
Travel Tips for Santorini Greece FAQs
Where is the best place to stay in Santorini?
One of the best Santorini tips is to stay in one of the main towns. Fira is the capital of Santorini, but Oia is the most popular and the one you’ve probably seen on social media.
Both of these towns are on the west coast, with Oia on the northern tip and Fira in the middle, close to Santorini Airport.
Imerovigli and Firostefani are also great choices if you want to stay in quieter towns. They’re both slightly north of Fira and in a great location. Plus, staying in these towns is usually cheaper than in Oia!
Is Santorini very crowded?
Yes, Santorini certainly can get very crowded during the peak summer months (June to August) and also around Christmas and New Year in December and January.
Many tourists traveling to Santorini, Greece, are cruise ship passengers hopping from island to island. They are only around during the day, so the mornings and evenings are quieter. Most of the cruise ship passengers will stick around Oia.
Oia gets particularly crowded around sunset, with everyone outdoors vying for the best viewpoints.
Can you do Santorini on a budget?
It’s possible to travel to Santorini on a budget if you have flexibility! Visiting Santorini during the peak summer and festive seasons is when the prices in Santorini for accommodation and travel are at their highest.
To save money, visit during the shoulder season, when accommodation and flight prices are lower.
However, Santorini has a seasonal tourist industry. Unlike Athens or other big European cities, if you show up in February you will find that all the restaurants are closed.
Travel during the months around the peak seasons, like May or September. Santorini’s weather during these months will also be really warm but not oppressively hot!
Book as far in advance as possible and take advantage of Black Friday sales. Use the public bus system instead of private transportation. Stay in Fira instead of Oia and fill up on delicious Greek gyros and other street food instead of eating in restaurants.
Booking excursions like boat tours and wine tasting in advance can also help you find reasonable prices.
Travel Tips for Santorini Greece Wrap-Up
So is it worth visiting Santorini? Absolutely! Its spectacular views and rich history will take your breath away.
With this ultimate guide, you can plan the perfect Santorini itinerary and experience all the amazing views, delicious local cuisine, and iconic sunset views the small island offers. This will help you avoid many pitfalls and mistakes most first-time travelers make when visiting Santorini, Greece.
By following these general tips, you’ll be able to easily navigate the island, save money, and make the most of your trip. Whether exploring traditional villages or enjoying a sailing trip, Santorini will surely be an unforgettable destination!
Looking for more Greece travel resources? Check out my Athens travel tips, 15 Best Santorini Hotels for Families Worth Booking, how to plan a trip to Greece, 7 Best Athens Hotels for Families Worth Booking, and the best things to do in Greece with kids!
