Cyclades (Greece)
Santorini is what is left of a volcano, and that is exactly why it looks like nowhere else on earth.
Around 3,600 years ago a colossal eruption blew out the heart of a round island and left a flooded caldera ringed by cliffs about three hundred metres high; on their rim the whitewashed villages of Fira, Firostefani, Imerovigli and Oia cling to the edge like sugar cubes, and every evening thousands of people turn west to watch the sun drop behind the islands. This guide plans the island properly — the Bronze Age town of Akrotiri, buried in ash and preserved under a modern roof, on an early ticket; a boat across the caldera to walk the still-steaming crater of Nea Kameni and swim in the warm springs; a catamaran day on the water; a tasting of volcanic Assyrtiko and sun-dried Vinsanto in Pyrgos; and the ten-kilometre caldera walk from Fira to Oia, the best free thing on the island. It is honest about the new realities, too: the cruise passenger levy and daily cap, the climate resilience fee, the quiet winter when many hotels close, and an island that has recovered from the 2025 earthquake swarm. Then it matches you to the right base, from a cave suite with a private pool in Oia to a black-sand beach hotel in Perivolos, because on Santorini the view from your terrace is the whole point.
Oia Village & the Castle Sunset
The postcard village at the northern tip of the caldera: blue domes, white cave houses, captains mansions and a ruined castle where crowds gather for the most famous sunset in Greece. Free to wander — the trick is when you go.
Akrotiri Archaeological Site
A Bronze Age town buried by the great eruption about 3,600 years ago and preserved under ash, now walked on raised paths beneath a vast bioclimatic roof. Multi-storey houses, streets and squares — the Pompeii of the Aegean, and open all year.
Volcano & Hot Springs Boat Tour
Sail into the middle of the caldera, walk across black lava to the steaming crater of Nea Kameni, then jump in to swim to the warm, rust-coloured springs of Palea Kameni. The classic Santorini boat trip, in three to six hours.
Fira to Oia Caldera Hike
The best free thing on Santorini: about ten and a half kilometres along the rim of the caldera from Fira through Firostefani and Imerovigli to Oia, past chapels, Skaros Rock and the wild northern headland. Three to five hours, and worth every step.
The postcard village at the northern tip of the caldera: blue domes, white cave houses, captains mansions and a ruined castle where crowds gather for the most famous sunset in Greece. Free to wander — the trick is when you go.
A Bronze Age town buried by the great eruption about 3,600 years ago and preserved under ash, now walked on raised paths beneath a vast bioclimatic roof. Multi-storey houses, streets and squares — the Pompeii of the Aegean, and open all year.
Sail into the middle of the caldera, walk across black lava to the steaming crater of Nea Kameni, then jump in to swim to the warm, rust-coloured springs of Palea Kameni. The classic Santorini boat trip, in three to six hours.
Five hours under sail around the caldera on a small-group catamaran: swim stops beneath the Red and White beaches, the warm springs, a barbecue lunch or dinner cooked on board, drinks and hotel transfers. The sunset sailings are the most sought-after on the island.
The whole island in one guided day: Akrotiri with an archaeologist, the medieval village of Emporio, a swim on the black sand at Perissa, a winery tasting and the panorama from the high ground, ending with sunset in Oia. Pick-up included; site ticket extra.
An interactive museum in Megalochori that links the Atlantis legend to the eruption of Santorini, with augmented reality, a hologram of Plato and a multisensory show that recreates the earthquake, tsunami and eruption. About an hour, and a hit with families.
The cooperative winery of the island growers, on the caldera edge at Pyrgos, where tailor-made flights of volcanic Assyrtiko and sweet Vinsanto come with the most famous winery sunset in Greece. Book ahead for the terrace.
The treasure house of Akrotiri in the middle of Fira: Bronze Age wall paintings rehung in their original room layouts, painted pottery, and the tiny gold ibex. Small, superb and open all year (closed Tuesdays).
The best free thing on Santorini: about ten and a half kilometres along the rim of the caldera from Fira through Firostefani and Imerovigli to Oia, past chapels, Skaros Rock and the wild northern headland. Three to five hours, and worth every step.
The lively capital on the caldera edge: a cliff-top walkway of cafes and cave bars, the cathedral and the museums, the island bus hub, and a cable car or the zigzag Karavolades steps down to the old port where the boats leave. The best year-round base.
The highest village on the caldera rim, the quiet balcony between Fira and Oia, and the dramatic crag of Skaros below it, once the medieval capital of the island. A short, steep path leads out to castle ruins and some of the finest views on Santorini.
The hilltop village that was the capital before Fira: a protected maze of lanes spiralling up to the Venetian Kasteli, tiny chapels, wineries on its doorstep and a 360-degree view of the island. Lived-in all year, and lovely at sunset.
Hotels we would book ourselves, from splurges to good-value bases.
Oia
Forty-six cave suites and villas at the highest point of Oia, every one with its own pool, plus a grotto spa carved into the cliff and a tasting-menu restaurant. The only hotel in Oia with an elevator, and the definition of a Santorini splurge.
Check rates →Oia
Forty-three suites and villas carved into the lower caldera cliffs of Oia, with a cliff-hung pool, the Lure fine-dining restaurant, Elios Spa in a cave and produce from its own organic farm. Seclusion and theatre in equal measure.
Check rates →Oia
Cave suites with heated private pools or hot tubs on the cliffside in the heart of Oia, a heated infinity pool, Lycabettus fine dining and Mare Sanus Spa. Adults and teens only (over thirteen), about seven minutes walk from the blue domes.
Check rates →Imerovigli
A serene white retreat in Imerovigli, three hundred metres above the caldera, with the largest infinity pool in the village, Varoulko Santorini by chef Lefteris Lazarou and a champagne-and-cocktail bar. Over-fourteens only, two kilometres from Fira.
Check rates →Megalochori
A resort woven around a 400-year-old winery in the medieval village of Megalochori: 74 suites and villas, dinner in the old wine cave at Alati, a daily tasting at the Canava Wine Bar and a spa in a century-old cellar. Wine country, not cliff edge.
Check rates →Perivolos Beach
A design-led boutique hotel right on Perivolos Beach, three kilometres of black volcanic sand: minimalist suites with stone, wood and handmade textiles, Mr. E restaurant, Elios Spa and a pool by the sea. The best beach base on the island.
Check rates →Fira
A polished spa hotel in the centre of Fira, steps from the caldera walkway, buses and museums, with a pool and gazebos, the Ifestioni restaurant, a spa and rooms from classic doubles to suites with private hot tubs. The practical, walk-everywhere choice.
Check rates →Perissa
A family-run four-star hotel a few steps from the black sand of Perissa, with a heated pool, fresh breakfasts and doubles, triples and suites. Its big advantage: it says it is open all year, making it one of the most reliable beach bases for a winter or shoulder-season trip.
Check rates →Perissa
A friendly, family-run budget hotel two minutes on foot from Perissa beach, open since 1992, with simple doubles, twins and triples around a well-loved pool. One of the best-value stays on the island for travellers who would rather spend on boat trips than on the room. Open April to October.
Check rates →Perissa
A Cycladic-style village of 56 rooms and studios just steps from Perissa beach, with a palm-fringed pool, pool bar and gym, and room types from simple doubles and studios to suites with whirlpools or a private pool. Mid-range comfort on the island's wind-protected black-sand beach.
Check rates →Kamari
The island's first resort hotel, opened in 1972 right on the black sand of Kamari: a friendly three-star with 106 rooms, a lifeguarded pool, free sunbeds on its own stretch of beach and a Greek restaurant. A practical, family-friendly beach base at sensible prices.
Check rates →Kamari
A well-run mid-range hotel about thirty metres from the black sand of Kamari, with a pool and pool bar, buffet breakfast, a gym and rooms from standard doubles to family suites and deluxe triples. A comfortable, family-friendly base near the beach promenade, Ancient Thera and the airport.
Check rates →Fira
A big, family-friendly resort a few minutes from the centre of Fira, describing itself as the largest hotel on the island: five outdoor pools plus a children's pool, two restaurants, a spa and gym, and rooms up to two-bedroom villas. A practical capital base with resort facilities.
Check rates →Fira
A self-described value-for-money hotel in a surprisingly quiet, almost residential corner of central Fira, with a pool, a breakfast room with an open view, standard rooms and family apartments for up to four. The budget way to stay in the capital and walk everywhere.
Check rates →Fira
A former captain's house turned traditional guesthouse on the caldera cliff in Fira, with flowered terraces, an open-air jacuzzi and complimentary breakfast looking over the old port and the volcano. Caldera views and sunsets at a mid-range price, with steps to match.
Check rates →The first-timer plan that puts every experience in the right order — Akrotiri and the museum on day one, the volcano or a catamaran on day two, the caldera hike to Oia on day three — with sunsets from three different places and a base that keeps the logistics easy.
Everything a first-timer needs to know before arriving: the cruise passenger levy and daily cap, the climate resilience fee, cruise-day crowds, how buses, taxis and ferries work, what happened after the 2025 earthquake swarm, and the customs that make a trip smoother.
A village-by-village guide to choosing your base — the romance and crowds of Oia, the calm of Imerovigli and Firostefani, the convenience of Fira, the wine country of Megalochori and Pyrgos, and the black-sand beaches of Perivolos and Perissa — with the hotels that suit each.
What to eat and drink on a volcano: the island produce grown in ash and pumice, the dishes to order, the wines that made Santorini famous, how to plan winery visits and tips for eating well without paying only for the view.
When to go for warm sea, calm boats, thin crowds or bargain prices — from the shoulder months that suit most visitors to the meltemi winds of midsummer and the quiet winter, when many hotels close but Akrotiri, Fira and Pyrgos carry on.
The sunset is the ritual of Santorini, and the Oia castle is only one place to see it. A guide to the best viewpoints along the rim, inland and at sea, how to time it through the year, and how to enjoy it without the crush.
