Santorini’s basically the Beyoncé of the Greek islands—everyone knows her, and she looks drop-dead gorgeous from every angle. Those cliffs? Wildly dramatic, splashed with colors like someone got a little too excited with a paintbrush, and then you’ve got those iconic white buildings just chilling up top, flexing for every postcard ever.

Discover Santorini, Greece: Everything You Need to Know Before You Go

With sunsets that make you question reality and those crazy black-sand beaches (seriously, volcanic sand is weird until you’re lying on it), it’s no shocker that everyone and their grandma wants to go. The place is practically built for Instagram. Stick with this guide and you’ll dodge the rookie mistakes—and maybe even have a trip that’s actually as epic as it looks on your feed.

When should I go to Santorini?

If you wanna experience Santorini at its wildest, brace yourself for July and August. That’s when the whole island turns into a sun-baked mosh pit of tourists. Prices? Through the roof. Hotels? Good luck finding a bed—unless you booked, like, last year. Every beach gets swarmed, cruise ships dump waves of day-trippers, and the famous viewpoints? Packed tighter than a can of sardines. It’s fun if you love chaos, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.

If you’ve got any wiggle room with your travel dates, hit up the shoulder seasons—late April through June or September to October. The crowds chill out a bit, especially if you wander over to the east coast (trust me, you’ll thank me later).
The weather’s still dreamy from May to October, perfect for lazy swims and epic sunsets. Pro tip: the seawater’s way toastier in the fall, so if you’re a cold-water wimp like me, plan accordingly.

Now, winter’s a whole different vibe. Total peace, bargain prices, and those jaw-dropping views are still there—minus the selfie sticks. Downside?
A bunch of tourist spots shut down for the season, so double-check before you go. Oh, and the real party doesn’t kick off till Greek Orthodox Easter hits in mid-April, so that’s when things start picking up again.

How much time should I spend in Santorini?

Santorini’s pretty notorious for draining wallets—seriously, if you stack it up against those quieter Greek islands, the price difference is wild.
How much do you squeeze into your Santorini adventure? Totally depends on how much cash you’re willing to burn, and—no joke—the time of year makes a huge difference. Summer? Get ready to pay for the privilege.

You wanna give yourself at least three days if you don’t wanna breeze past all the good stuff. You’ve gotta soak up those ridiculous caldera views, hop on a boat at least once, kick back on some beaches, nerd out on a bit of history, and—come on—sip some local wine. Anything less and you’re cheating yourself, really.

Top things to do in Santorini

Views & history! Everywhere!

If you’re on Santorini, the move is just to hit the caldera edge and soak up those jaw-dropping views. Like, you can’t really beat that. Wandering around Fira? Unreal—especially if you head north and keep following the cliff path through Firostefani and Imerovigli. Every few steps, it’s like, “wow, hello, postcard moment!”

If you don’t stop for a million photos (good luck with that), you’ll end up in Oia. Heads up, though—it’s not just a cute little stroll. We’re talking about a 6.5-mile trek, so yeah, budget a solid 4 hours, one way. Bring water, slap on some sunscreen, and maybe wear authentic shoes instead of cute sandals unless you want regrets.

Oh, and sunsets? Everyone loses their minds for an Oia sunset. You’ll see mobs crowding every balcony and crumbly stair, fighting for a selfie as the sky goes all cotton-candy over the sea. Sure, any spot along the water is magic when the sun goes down, but Oia’s where people go to avoid the paparazzi. Just saying—expect a crowd, but hey, it’s kind of worth the hype.

Santorini’s got history for days. We’re talking serious ancient vibes. Akrotiri? That place is wild—a whole Minoan city just chilling under volcano ash since like 1600-something BC. You walk through there, and it’s like, “Wait, people were living their best lives here before the volcano decided to hit reset.”
And hey, if you want more of that ancient scoop, hit up the Museum of Prehistoric Thera in Fira. They’ve got the goods—artifacts, stories, all that. Makes you wonder what else is hiding under those sun-bleached cliffs, you know?

Taste the island

Santorini’s food and wine game is absolutely popping off right now. Honestly, it’s about time people noticed. The island’s got these killer dry white wines—super crisp, super refreshing—and then there’s Vinsanto, this golden, sweet dessert wine that’ll sneak up on you in the best way. Both of ‘em come from this local grape, Assyrtiko.

You’ll see it everywhere. There are, like, a dozen vineyards dotted around, and most let you swing by for tastings (yeah, you’ll probably drop a few euros, but it’s worth it). Some spots even throw in snacks, and when you’re sipping wine overlooking those wild volcanic cliffs? Total primary character energy. If you have no clue where to start, head to SantoWines—they’re basically the OGs. Or be fancy and hop on a wine tour. Either way, your taste buds are in for a treat.

Take a tour

Maybe you don’t see yourself as the tour-bus type. Santorini island’s stacked with agencies just waiting to set up whatever wild or chill adventure you’ve got in mind—think winery hopping, digging through ancient ruins, or just chasing those ridiculous sunsets everyone won’t shut up about. Still, boat cruises totally steal the show. The go-to trip? Hopping around the caldera’s volcanic islands, Nea Kameni and Palia Kameni. You’ll end up peering into a live crater on one, then soaking in steamy hot springs on the other. Not bad for a “tourist trap,” huh?

My favorite thing to do in Santorini

A caldera walk’s gotta be top-tier on my Santorini to-do list. Sure, the views are jaw-dropping—like, you’ll run out of phone storage just snapping pics. But the real magic? It’s the weirdly awesome extras you stumble into: some funky little brewery tucked away, wine caves splashed with local art, and cooking classes where you’ll probably eat more feta than you ever thought possible. The island’s suddenly all about food, and I’m definitely not mad about it.

After I’ve dragged myself off a trail or flopped around on a beach all day, I’m all about the open-air cinema in Kamari. Honestly, it’s gorgeous—trees everywhere, the whole place glowing. I mean, sunset-watching is the obvious number one, but this is a close second. Harmful rom-com, deckchair, popcorn, maybe a couple of local beers… If that’s not a vacation, what is?