Have you ever heard about the lost city of Atlantis? Well, some people believe that Santorini could be it. Many many moons ago… around 1600 BC the largest known volcanic eruption occurred in Santorini and sunk the middle of the island and civilization along with it. There have been findings in the town of Akrotiri that depicts the existence of an advanced civilization that has had many archeologists and theorists alike speculating on the likelihood. The legend of Greek philosopher Pluto describes a majestic place of opulence and glory, where its people’s excessive conceit and greed lead Zeus and the other gods to the credence that they must be stopped… and so, they destroyed the city and all its people… and that is how the legend goes (short version, but you get the gist of it).
Personally, we were drawn there for the picturesque landscape and dreams of evenings watching sunsets while soaking up vitamin D and sipping cocktails. Hail to the sunsets!… The majority of the people heading to Santorini, are doing so for that reason alone!
Also, I had seen a few movies and became intrigued to learn more. I don’t know about you, but if I’m watching a movie in a place that looks cool, I become intrigued to go there! The movies that drew my attention to Santorini, were Lara Crofts Tomb Raider with Angelina Jolie and The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (1&2). There is also a classic movie called Summer Lovers that was filmed way back in 1982, that a few of you might have heard of.
Santorini is a unique and beautiful place to behold. The main cities are built high on the cliffs of the caldera with views that go on for miles. They have the coolest cave homes that provide a refuge from the summer heat and the perfect place to escape from the crowds that take over during peak season. Most of these are in the town of Oia, and I’ll talk about that a bit later.
Santorini was a highlight of our Greece trip. We put aside 8 days to explore it, which was lots of time. I’m going to break it down into the three places we stayed and the highlights of what to do in those areas! We stayed in Fira, Oia and Kamari. Each one had a little something special to offer!
Fira
Fira is a great place to base your stay. It is the capital of Santorini and centrally located. It is 220m above sea level, providing spectacular views! Fira’s restaurants and accommodations are more affordable than Oia and just a short 20 min bus ride away. It has a lively atmosphere during the day and a great nightlife.
Depending on where you are staying in town, you might need to do a bit of walking with your luggage. Some side streets aren’t accessible by car. Keep this in mind when booking a place and wear nice flat shoes, because the streets can be bumpy. We only walked about 2 blocks, but it was on a hill, and I was appreciative of my sensible shoes and sturdy suitcase rollers.
Once we got settled in, we couldn’t wait to get out and see what Fira had to offer!
Here are our favourite things to do in Fira:
Sunset at Paleo Kameni Bar (PK Bar)
I know everyone raves about the sunsets in Oia, and yes, they are gorgeous, but Ty and I both agree that we felt the two evenings we spent at PK’s Bar during sunset took the gold! We were drawn in by the music and the unique doorway.
The bohemian atmosphere, curvy black iron railing, creative cocktails and views were spectacular. They have multi-leveled patios, hanging over the caldera… So much so, that some people were hesitant to sit by the railings.
One thing Ty really loved, is that they brought over a variety of complimentary snacks and would replenish these little bowls as fast as we would eat them.
Because we were there at the beginning of October, we were lucky enough to get a seat right where we wanted (they do recommend booking reservations). As the sun went down, they offered blankets to the guests and once it got dark enough, there was a little firework show off in the distance.
Hike from Fira to Oia
This is such a great way to spend the first part of a day. The trail is approximately 11km/7ml long and can take anywhere from 3-5 hours. Some people hike to Oia and back. We on the other hand were happy to do the 11K and enjoy a nice lunch in Oia and let the airconditioned bus drive us back for 2 Euros!
We stopped at a cute cliffside place to have breakfast just as we were leaving Firostefani (Crown of Fira). When we reached Imerovigli, we took our time had a look around…. we thoroughly enjoyed the day.
Try to leave nice and early to avoid the heat and bring plenty of water and sunscreen. A good reference point to start from is the Atlantis Hotel in Fira. Once there, just keep along the caldera, you will see some markers along the way. There are big hills to climb but the terrain is easy to navigate; just be sure to wear good shoes because there are loose rocks in some areas.
*There was a little hut at the base of the last big hill before Oia where they had fresh fruit smoothies! This is the perfect spot to break and refuel!
The views were outstanding! A highlight was defiantly the descent into Oia…..seeing the city off in the distance, built up the excitement and felt very rewarding.
When we arrived in Oia, we found a lovely place to relax and enjoy a leisurely lunch at Melitini Restaurant. It was unassuming from the street but once we reached the rooftop patio we were pleasantly surprised by the view and lovely breeze. We truly enjoyed our meal and were surprised when our bill came, how affordable it was!
Explore the town
Fira is a beautiful town with historic buildings, churches, and shopping for all. They have everything from name brands to local artisan clothing, crafts, jewelry, and art galleries. Head to Fira Theotokopoulos Main Square and say hello to the donkey statue… this is a good spot to grab kitschy fun souvenirs and branch out and take some postcard-worthy photos! Turn left, walk to the right and see where you end up! The whole island felt like a very safe place, both in the day and night.
Some popular points of interest are:
- The Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist
- Candlemas Holy Orthodox Metropolitan Cathedral of Thira
- The Museum of Prehistoric Thera
- Three Bells of Fira
- Mati Art Gallery
Karavolades Stairs and Old Harbor for lunch
This was a fun little way to fit in some exercise and work up an appetite for lunch… I always enjoy a meal so much more this way! First off, only do this if you have good knees… if that’s a no, you can take the cable car both ways.
As we headed down, we noticed the stairs were numbered… not that you want to count them, but there are around 600! Each stair has a short rise and a long run and can be bumpy, so you might want to pay attention to your footing. The stairway just winds back and forth until you reach the bottom. We talked to a few people making their way up and they said they thought the return was easier! I’ll just have to take their word for it because we opted for the 6 Euro cable ride back up which was a breeze to take and provided a cool view.
There are a couple of restaurants, with a nice selection of traditional Greek dishes. We had fried anchovies, dolmades and a large seafood dish.
You will see tourists taking donkeys up and down these 600 stairs. This was upsetting to see. I know donkeys are working animals, and I was told that they switch them out throughout the day, but from what I could see, these donkeys didn’t look happy carrying 200-plus lb people in the heat of the day.
Drinking Holes and Dancing!
Our time in Fira was where we let loose and had some very very late nights. This town has so many options when it comes to a night out partying… I’ll share the few that stood out to us.
On our first night, we ventured through the town starting at The Highlander. They lured us in by offering a free shot… what can we say, it worked!
We really enjoyed the next two places we went. The Enigma Bar and Koo Club are right across from one another. They both had nice atmospheres with a large outdoor space, great music, and a cool design. These are good places to head to for a night when you want to dress up and party late! We had read that there was an entrance fee, but I think because it was October and quieter, we weren’t charged.
The other night we were out late, we had met another couple from New York on their honeymoon. We were getting our Caricature done on the street and they came over to have a look and before we knew it, we were out having cocktails late into the night with them. The last part of the evening was spent at Murphy’s Bar. This was a crazy fun place, where everyone was dancing and doing shots. We may or may not have had a wee bit of a hangover the next day! Lol
Oia
Oia was the next place we stayed. It was our splurge part in Santorini! Many couples come here to get married or for their honeymoon. We must have seen a dozen couples having photo shoots during our time there. We stayed at one of those Cave hotels I mentioned earlier. There are a lot of these in Oia to choose from. This was such a neat experience. Our room had stairs leading out to a hot tub and a mini pool with an unobstructed view of the cliffside and sea.
Around 11 am, you’ll notice large groups of people coming in off the cruise ships, like herds of cattle. The streets quickly become crowded, because of this, and being the hottest time of the day, we would have lunch and then relax at our awesome cave suite. We toured the town in the early and later parts of the day.
Here are our suggestions of what to do while in Oia:
Sunrise Walk
This is the most peaceful time of the day. We set our alarm to wake us up early and headed through town where we found a bakery open (Passaris Bakery) and grabbed some of their scrumptious pastries and coffee. It was one of the only places open at that hour and was full of locals grabbing breakfast before their workday. We watched the sun come up and continued to the outskirts of the city, taking it all in! We felt like we had the place to ourselves. The early mornings in Oia feel sacred and special. If you want to share in that feeling, try getting up early and experiencing it for yourself!
Catamaran Tour
I can’t recommend this enough! We went on a 5 hour tour that left Amoudi Bay in Oia and brought us to the famous Red and White beaches where you could swim or stay on board and sip on wine and beers. It was a smaller group of 15 or so guests, so we were able to have a more intimate day, getting to know each other through this shared experience.
They took us to the inlet where the volcanic hot springs provide a lovely warm area to swim in that is said to have healing properties… if you do this, just avoid wearing light-coloured swim suites, because the sulphur in the water can turn them orange.
We were given a delicious Greek meal that the staff made on board. The meat was grilled to perfection and the shrimp and tapas were a hit with all! The crew was fun and engaging, sharing stories about their lives and the island. The tour is organized, so you end up back in Oia, where you watch the sunset from the boat. Our captain said this was his favourite spot on the whole island… and just as the sun went down, he looked up and said “See you tomorrow”… what a nice way to end the day.
Dinner at Candouni’s Restaurant
Do yourself a favour and book a reservation at this place! A gentleman that worked at our cave hotel recommended it, and we were grateful we went. It is an authentic Greek restaurant with traditional live music. Make sure to ask which nights they perform and get yourself a table, because you are in for a treat. The food was incredible (and decently priced), but the cozy atmosphere and welcoming hospitality were what we loved the most.
Atlantis Books
Santorini lends itself to the kind of place where an afternoon spent with a book in hand while admiring the view is all a person needs. This quintessential bookshop is inside a cave home and is stuffed full of new and used books in many languages. You can read the quotes on the walls and meet the friendly cats that are tucked away in corners.
Meteor Café
This cute little coffee shop was right above our cave suite. We went there a few times. There’s a small area inside with seating and a view out the back and a cozy area outside perfect for people-watching. They have good tunes, and great coffee and deserts are delish, delish!
Sunset at Lioyerma Lounge Café Pool Bar
This is also a nice place to go during the day if you don’t have a pool where you’re staying. As long as you’re ordering food and drinks, you can use their pool and stay as long as you like.
For sunset, make sure to come early to secure a good spot. We enjoyed some cocktails, and shared some meze (small plates/bites) and Greek salad because we just couldn’t get enough of Greek feta and olives!
Kamari Village
This little seaside village sits at the base of Mesa Vouno Mountain and was a nice place to relax on the beach and enjoy some different things the island has to offer. It is a small village with a few shops and plenty of restaurants. We found a lot of affordable places to eat with large servings.
We stayed at The Kamari Beach Hotel. It was right at the beach which had sunbeds to use and a large pool. The staff were very personal and went out of our way to ensure we had everything we needed. This was a relaxing couple of days, that let us unwind before heading to Athens.
This is what we got up to in Kamari:
Pyros Kallishis Village and Santo Winery
We live in our wine region of the Okanagan in British Columbia Canada and spend a lot of our summer days off, visiting wineries and their restaurants. We were looking forward to tasting some Greek varieties, such as Assyrtiko, Athiri and Aidani that we don’t have here in Canada. We had read about Santo Winery and put it at the top of our list!
We left in the afternoon and got a taxi to the village of Pyros Kallishis (5km from Kamari) and took a stroll through the medieval streets. This is a beautiful little town that once was the capital of Santorini. Everything seems to slow down here, we felt like we went back in time. There are small boutiques, cozy coffee shops and traditional tavernas. Many people like to head to the Pyros Castle up on the hill and take pictures. Pyros Kallishis is the highest village in Santorini.
I think there are more cats in the village than people. We stopped to talk to a sweet lady feeding a dozen or so cats in the neighbourhood. She explained how it was everyone’s responsibility to take care of them. We also had an interaction with a donkey just meandering down the road. Our time in Santorini and being around donkeys has created a little soft spot in my heart for them. They are special creatures.
There isn’t much to do in the village, but it has views that extend as far out as the eye can see! Given time, Penelope’s Ouzeri is the place to sit and sample meze and have a glass of wine or a cold beer while taking in the scenery!
For the hikers out there, there’s one you can do that goes from Pyrgos to Kamari. We didn’t get a chance to do this one but were told it is best to start at Pyrgos main square and hike to Kamari. It’s about 6km long and takes 1-2 hours.
From there we walked to Santo wines. The winery uses a very unique method of dry farming, that depends primarily on moisture from sea mist and humidity in the air, that is absorbed in the volcanic soil. The grapes are grown in a special basket shape called “kouloura” to help protect them from the elements and hold in moisture. The volcanic elements provide a natural barrier to diseases. This approach to farming yields smaller crops with a distinct flavour all its own.
The winery is stunning… from the architecture to the shop and restaurant… but most importantly the sunset! The tables are set up for a perfect view of the Aegean Sea. We did a tasting that included cheese and then ordered wine and dined from their well-thought-out and constructed Mediterranean menu. I can’t imagine coming to Santorini and not experiencing this!
Cinema Kamari
Have you ever been to an open-air cinema before? Well, if you haven’t, I strongly encourage you to go to this one! We saw a poster advertising Mamma Mia playing one evening while wandering around Kamari and decided to check it out. What a treat this place is! The people working the door and inside were dressed in top hats and funky vests and glasses (I’m not sure if that is the norm, but we liked it!). Once we walked inside, we felt like we entered a magical place where something special was about to happen. There were large tropical plants and an old-time atmosphere with director-looking chairs and a full bar serving up cocktails and snacks. Watching Momma Mia in Greece was a surreal moment in time!
*Just make sure to bring cash because that is all they were excepting when we went.
Microbreweries and Wineries
For all you beer lovers out there, I haven’t forgotten you! There are two microbreweries for you to enjoy! Rent an ATV or your preferred means of transport and head out for tastings at Santorini Brewing Company and Ftelos Brewery.
Santorini Brewing Company
I would start with Santorini Brewing Company. They are a multicultural group that started in 2011. They have a fun laid-back approach and are more than happy to share their beers with you and chat it up! The beers are alive, unpasteurized and preservative-free. Their apparel was fun and quirky featuring the adored donkey. The t-shirts and glasses make the perfect keepsake for your time on the island.
Estate Argos Winery
We popped into Estate Argos Winery because it was right beside the brewery and called out our names! I didn’t enjoy the wines as much as Santo, but still worth the stop.
Ftelos Brewery
Ftelos Brewery has a chic modern Greek design with an innovative approach to beer making. They use a reverse osmosis water filtration system and process that increases the ph. levels… so in a way, you could say that their beer is healthy! They focus on sustainability and leaving a low carbon footprint, making this a place you can feel good about supporting.
The chef pairs the dishes with their beer that you can enjoy at the tapa bars and a roof-garden Restaurant.
Ftelos is a place meant to bring people together. They host a variety of events, art exhibitions and concerts throughout the year, so enquire within to see if something you would enjoy lines up with the time frame, you’re on the island.
Kamari Beach was all about relaxation and recharging. We took our time and leisurely walked through town, lounged at the beach and our hotel pool and treated ourselves to some gastronomic delights and cocktails.
Our days in Santorini did not disappoint. We enjoyed the friendly hospitality and long sunny days with sunsets on a league all their own. Whether you go for a few days or a week, it will be a memorable trip indeed!
An extra bit of Info
As far as the language goes. Most of the people in the main towns speak English. Once you head out to the smaller communities, you’ll want to know a few words or phrases to help you get by. The Greek people are very friendly and welcoming, and a little effort goes a long way. Give some of these a try:
- Ya sas = hello/goodbye
- Ne = yes
- Ochi = no
- Efcharistó = thank you
- Parakaló = your welcome
- Kalimera = good morning
- Ya mas! = cheers!
- Many of the people that are serving you in the tourist areas on the island, work 12-plus hour days, and work weeks and weeks before getting a day off… so please keep this in mind and be kind.
- It is a NO-NO to put Toilet Paper or anything that isn’t excrement from your body down the toilet on the Island. It takes some getting used to, but just do your thing and put the TP in the waste bins provided.
- Santorini isn’t the easiest of the Greek islands to visit if you have mobility challenges or need to push strollers around.
You can arrive to Santorini by plane from Athens in under an hour and it is only a 10min drive from the Santorini airport into Fira. The ferry from Athens takes 5-8 hours depending on which ferry you choose.
We were in Mykonos before coming here and we decided on the ferry (2hrs) because the idea of island hopping sounded romantic. I’m still glad we chose that route because it was an experience and cost-effective… but not romantic!
I want to give you a heads-up on what to expect, to help you avoid a bit of stress. Things aren’t laid out in Greece like they are in North America. The more we travel, we have learned that everything in North America seems to be laid out in laymen’s terms. Greece is not like that. We had to put on our thinking caps and figure things out.
In Mykonos, they tell you to catch the ferry at the New Port, but not exactly where; so, you must ask people or get in long lines for answers. We even stood in one line for 15 minutes and then realized, we were in the wrong one. The people ahead of us were just as confused. We were laughing about it, but it was a bit stressful.
When our ferry arrived, the people were scurried off and then we were rushed on. It was funny and uncomfortable all at the same time. They sort of yell at you to get on in a hurry. I’m used to the ferries in Canada, where everyone is so chill and relaxed, so this was a change.
Arriving at Port Athinios in Santorini was also a bit hectic… everyone was rushed off with a sense of urgency. In hindsight, I now know, the locals were just competing to get the tourists to use their means of transportation to the main towns. Knowing this ahead of time will hopefully put you in a better mind frame. If your hotel offers to pick you up at the ferry, choose that all day long. Otherwise, just breathe and follow the line until you find a stand and get yourself a bus ticket into town. It takes 20-30min to get to Fira.
The whole thing was so odd because everything else in Greece seemed to go at a nice slow pace!
Thanx for stopping by!
Check these out for other places to visit in Greece…
Nice Article!
Thanx for taking the time to read it. I am glad to hear you liked it!