7 Things You Need to Do in Santorini
Santorini saw its topography forever altered by a volcanic explosion that occurred more than three millennia ago. Today, 2 million tourists annually come to the Greek island to gaze upon the flooded caldera and stunning lava formations left in the eruption’s wake.
Although a place of breathtaking natural beauty, it is also so much more. Rated by US News as the world’s No. 1 island destination for 2024, Santorini offers sundry delights for those who know to find them. Considering a trip to the Aegean Sea destination? Here are seven things you can’t miss.
1. Hike from Fira to Oia
This six-mile hike connects the capital Fira to the northern village of Oia. From the top of the red and black cliffs on the edge of the caldera, tourists can take in one jaw-dropping ocean view after another. It’s no wonder the elevated trek has been hailed as the best way to experience Santorini’s natural beauty.
The hike is considered moderate and usually takes three hours. Those looking for a less strenuous physical challenge can pick up the footpath at any of the several villages that sit along the way. Along with water vistas, you’ll find humanmade sites like a castle and church to explore.
Upon reaching Oia, travelers interested in another hike can hop on a boat to the nearby island of Nea Kameni, where an unforgettable black-lava crater awaits. Alternatively, stay in Oia to tour the quaint northern village before watching the sunset from Panagia Theoskepasti, a secluded chapel located below Skaros Rock.
2. Delve into Ancient History
Santorini was once home to the ancient cities of Thira and Akrotiri. Thanks to the volcanic eruption, the ruins of each have been well preserved.
To ensure you get the most of your trip into the past, hire a tour guide. Among the best is Kostas Sakavaras, a local who combines his expertise in Minoan history with visual guides to animate for travelers the lives of these ancient peoples.
Following the tour, stop in at the Museum of Prehistoric Thera. Located in Fira, this small museum houses frescos, cooking utensils, figurines, and other archeological treasures that provide fascinating insight into the Greek island’s rich history.
3. Tour the Wine Trails
Santorini’s reputation as a premier wine destination comes in part thanks to its soil. Rich in volcanic sediments, it gives the island’s indigenous grapes—and thus its wines—a distinctive flavor.
Fortunately, visitors to Santorini will find no shortage of opportunities to sample world-class varietals. No less than 19 wineries, from Domaine Sigalas in Oia to Venetsanos in the inland village of Pyrgos, are located across the island.
Travelers can tour the wineries themselves or rely on the expertise of a local guide, such as Iliana Sidiropoulou of Santorini Wine Trails. A wine museum in Fira is also a great place for oenophiles to immerse themselves in the island’s wine history. Those who prefer a more expedited wine-tasing experience, meanwhile, can stop in at Oia Vineyart, a wine bar that offers each of Santorini’s more than 100 varietals.
4. Photograph Red Beach
Among Santorini’s signature attractions are the majestic red cliffs that tower over this beach on the island’s southern coast. While the potential for landslides has made Red Beach too dangerous to tour on foot, you can still take in the photogenic lava formations from the water.
Sunset cruises around the caldera are popular, but travelers looking for a more unique experience can paddle to Red Beach themselves on a guided kayak tour. The tours, which cater to people of all fitness levels, provide opportunities to see the glorious cliffs up close, as well as to snorkel inside sea caves.
5. Eat Some Tomatoes
Along with grapes, tomatoes are one of the few crops that thrive on Santorini. Sample the sweetly intense fruits at Faros Market, located inland from Red Beach in Akrotiri village. Further north in Pyrgos, Penelope’s tavern serves delectable tomato fritters, known locally as domatokeftedes.
A major tomato exporter in the decades after World War II, Santorini was home to no less than nine tomato-canning factories. One of these has been transformed into the Tomato Industrial Museum, located in the Santorini Arts Factory in Vlychada. Here, visitors can tour the formerly bustling factory floor and try their hand at sealing a can of tomatoes.
6. Wander Inland
From the steep cliffs to the ancient archeological sites, many of Santorini’s most well-known destinations sit along its picturesque coastline. Located in the island’s inland, however, are any number of hidden wonders.
Pyrgos, along with its food and wine, enchants visitors with a 16th-century castle surrounded by winding whitewashed lanes. Elsewhere, the village of Emporio contains nearly as many churches as houses. One of the island’s oldest places of worship, Palia Panagia, beckons travelers with its baroque bell tower. Inside, visitors can light a candle and marvel at a 16th-century mosaic floor.
7. Search for Atlantis
Legend has it that Santorini was once home to the ancient kingdom of Atlantis. Today, travelers can search for the lost kingdom on scuba-diving tours led by conservation-minded divemaster Apostolos Stylianopoulos.
As Stylianopoulos reveals to travelers hidden wonders like shipwrecks, coral reefs, and sea grass meadows, he works to ensure minimal disruptions to the underwater environment. His approach is part of a larger initiative with Pierre-Yves Cousteau—the son of famed oceanographer Jacques Cousteau, who himself believed Atlantis was once here—to create a Marine Protected Area around Santorini’s coast.