Vacation In Santorini Greece
Many of us are looking for unique holiday destinations that offer a fun vacation experience. One of the most exciting spots for holiday in Greece, is Santorini Island. Santorini is an island located in South Aegean Sea which belongs to Cyclades group of islands. The place attracts many tourists from all over the world every year. Santorini Island has a truly stunning backdrop with steep rocks and high cliffs from which the beautiful sunset and sunrises are visible. The place is famous for its wonderful and traditional architecture, beautiful landscapes, clear blue oceans and black sand beaches.
Whether you want to relax, enjoy your family or discover a historical place, Santorini is the answer. It’s one of the Greek islands, rich in culture and romance. Allow yourself to leave behind all of your daily routines during your next vacation and simply provide yourself with some peace and relaxation. When you travel to Santorini don’t only visit the beautiful beaches, but also explore the historical side. Experience a part of a island you wouldn’t have experienced otherwise. Take in centuries of history and let yourself be taken aback by the beauty and close feel of this magical place.
If you have ever seen the pictures of Santorini, Greece, and fantasized about what it would be like to visit the most beautiful place on Earth, then this article is for you. I will tell you where to find cheap flights to Santorini and provide you with tips for your trip.
Santorini, Greece is a popular tourist destination for visitors to the island of Cyclades and is particularly famous for sunset views. It’s popularity has grown during the last few years, with more and more visitors flocking to the prefecture, so air traffic to the island has increased significantly. There are ferry connections with nearby islands and cities.
Santorini is one of the most popular travel destinations in Greece. The island offers an array of attractions, from beaches and tavernas, to historical landmarks and stunning natural scenery.
On our very first trip to Greece, we wanted to include Santorini in our travel plans but weren’t sure if it was worth visiting. This was largely due to many negative reviews we’d read about overcrowding on Santorini and the island’s reputation as being a tourist and cruise ship hotspot.
We decided that the only way to find out was to go check it out for ourselves, and we are so thrilled we did. Santorini is everything you’d expect from an idyllic Aegean Island getaway, and so much more. From the incredible architecture and views to the gorgeous sunsets and delicious food, this beautiful little island has so much going for it.
In my guide to Santorini, I’m going to outline all the essential travel info you need to help plan a perfect trip to Santorini and what to see and do once you get there.
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Where is Santorini
Church overlooking Santorini caldera at Imerovigli
Santorini, or Thira to use its official name, is part of the Cyclades islands. It sits in the Aegean Sea almost halfway between Athens and Crete. Santorini suffered a huge volcanic explosion around 1500 BC. The eruption, probably the largest the Earth has seen in the last few thousand years, completely destroyed the centre of the island which sank into the Aegean.
The Santorini we know today is a crescent-shaped island with a huge crater (caldera) on its western side. The island of Thirassia is nearby to Oia and two smaller islands sit within the caldera makes for the most incredible sunset views from Santorini’s steep clifftops opposite.
How to get to Santorini
Santorini forms part of the Cyclades group of Islands and can be reached by either air travel or ferry.
Flights to Santorini
There are frequent flights from the UK to Santorini during the peak season May to October. Flights are much reduced from the UK out of season.
Check flight availability to Santorini with Easyjet.
If you’re travelling from elsewhere in Europe then connecting directly from Athens and travelling by air on Aegean Airlines would likely be your quickest route. This is a pricier option than taking a ferry but will get you there more quickly. During the more popular summer months, the airline operates regular flights between the various islands and Athens.
Tip: Be sure to book your air ticket months in advance, these routes are very popular and to stand a chance of bagging a good fare, you’d definitely need to book ahead.
Take the ferry to Santorini
Considering a Greek island-hopping adventure? If you’re travelling from, say, Athens to Mykonos and then Mykonos to Santorini, you can do so quite easily by ferry. There are a number of different ferry operators that run these routes, connecting to islands near Santorini including Ios, Naxos and Paros and more.
Schedules are limited during the off-peak periods but during the summer months, these operators kick into high gear, offering regular and daily departures.
Tip: If you plan to travel by ferry, then compare websites such as AFerry, Ferryhopper or Letsferry. These are comparative websites that allow you to view all available fares and schedules on one site, as well as allowing you to book your tickets online too.
Blue domed church overlooking Santorini caldera
How to get from Santorini Airport to your hotel and back
We recommend pre-booking a private transfer to make your journey stress-free. There is no taxi rank at the airport and only 25 taxis serve the whole of the island so prices reflect this. Payment is usually in cash by euros. Check private transfer rates and availability which don’t cost that much more and are a pleasant, stress-free way to begin or end you trip.
If you’re flying out of Santorini make sure to get to the airport well ahead of time. To say Santorini airport is chaotic is somewhat of an understatement. We were honestly not sure that we were actually going to make our flight, and we got there more than an hour beforehand.
There are always long queues for check-in and space is at a premium. Once you’ve checked in there’s very little seating and you may find yourself queuing outside for long periods of time in hot sun to board your flight. (We did for 50-minutes).
How to get from the ferry terminal to Santorini airport
Santorini ferry terminal at Athinios is also known as the ‘new port’ or ‘Thira port’. It’s about 9km south of Fira. Don’t get this port confused with Skala (the old port) which is only used for cruise ships. Especially important to know if you’re departing Santorini by ferry for another island.
If you’ve been island hopping and have arrived at Sanortini port by ferry for your flight home read the following carefully. The ferry port is crammed with people and their luggage in high season. You have three transport options.
By bus. There is no direct bus to Santorini airport. You’ll need to take two buses, firstly to Fira and then change at the main bus depot for the airport bus. Tickets are cash only and cost €2.30 per person for the Fira bus which you’ll pay to the driver. The trip takes about 20 minutes. Bear in mind that there may not be room on the first, or even the second bus, as the port is extremely busy.
Once at Fira you’ll need to buy an additional ticket (€1.80 pp) for the airport bus which departs every hour or so and takes around 10-minutes. You might find the Santorini Bus Timetable useful.
By taxi. If you’re first off the ferry you may be lucky and find a cab outside the terminal where they occasionally wait. But this is unlikely. Bear in mind that there are only around 25 taxis that serve the whole of Santorini. Taxis in Greece can legally carry up to four passengers. If your party is more than four you’ll need to take two or more taxis. Cabs only accept cash in euros. If you want a taxi transfer we highly recommend you pre-book or you could…
Pre-book a private transfer. With a private transfer prices are determined and paid for in advance, so everything is taken care of beforehand – you won’t need cash for your driver and your transfer will be stress-free. The driver will monitor your flight or ferry in case of late arrival, and be waiting for you with a welcome sign. A private transfer doesn’t cost much more than a pre-booked cab and is a pleasant way to start or finish your trip. Check private transfer rates and availability.