We visited Greece in June 2018 since it was always on our bucket list to visit. We landed in Athens but took a small plane to Santorini. Going by boat is also a good option but the cost was about the same so we chose to fly there to save time since we were going to island hop. When we landed the airport at Santorini was very different than any airports I’ve been too. It was small, clean and had no workers other than the flight crew and some deck/baggage attendants.
There really isn’t much to see from the airport and you have to enter the towns to get the IG views. We stayed at a family owned hotel called Acropole Sunrise in Kamari and it was beautiful. Outside of Fira and Oia (the main tourist hubs) so the price is very reasonable per night. Breakfast was served every morning and I still dream about the bread + orange juice!
I recommend you rent a scooter or car to get around the island. Parking is a big tough and you require skills to drive the winding/small roads but it’s worth it! Here is the view of the balcony/shared area space.
There is so much to see in Santorini. For the beaches I recommend Perissa beach or Kamari beach for a day of relaxation. The chairs are paid for unless you order a drink. If you don’t want to spend money on the chairs then you can use the free area and just bring a towel. For a more adventurous beach, I recommend Red beach where all the rocks are red. There’s a small hike up to the top for an amazing view.
If you’re like me and love planning your outfits then this island is the PERFECT backdrop for all your photos. Every wall and door was beautiful to take pictures in front of.
When I was talking to the hotel owner, he told me we had to try the famous Santos Wines. Let me tell you, it did NOT disappoint. The wine was amazing, we chose the “taste test” menu where we got to try 12 different flavors of wine.
Everyone must visit Oia and it is the first place we imagine when we think of Santorini. The sunset view from Oia is beautiful and one of the best in the world. Make sure to get there early if you want a prime spot to view the sunset. It is crowded as the town isn’t very big and there are a lot of souvenir/clothing shops, bakeries and hotels.
Another beautiful town is Fira. Often overlooked by Oia but is just as magical. Also, on the shoreline, you get the same views as Oia. I found Fira to be a lot less crowded and actually more practical because you can walk along the shoreline to enjoy the view of endless waters.