Top 14 Must-Do Activities in Santorini

1. Introduction

If you’ve ever dreamed of the perfect Greek Island vacation, you’ve probably already lost your heart to Santorini. Its gleaming white Cycladic houses and windmills frost the tops of nearly 1,000-foot, multi-colored cliffs like icing on a wedding cake. Both rugged and romantic, it’s a fount of legends and a ravishingly beautiful destination.

2. Favorite Activities in Santorini

After you’ve admired its beauty, favorite things to do include cruising, seeing ancient sites, and kicking back to enjoy the beaches, Greek cuisine, and a world-class sunset.

3. Cruise the Caldera

The island of Santorini stretches out like arms, its cliffs wrapped around a giant, nearly circular bay. This is the caldera—the legacy of the collapse of the historic volcano that tore away a huge chunk of the island in about 1600 BC, 3600 years ago. It is called the Minoan eruption because the impact of it probably wiped out the Minoan civilization on Crete. Moreover, scientists think it was the largest volcanic eruption of its type for the last 10,000 years.

The best way to see the cliffs—which are strikingly gorgeous—is from within this caldera, which has been flooded for thousands of years. Nothing beats arriving by ferry to the ports, backed by the towering natural walls of stone.

However, don’t worry if you haven’t the time for a seven to 12-hour ferry trip from Piraeus and have to fly from Athens to Thira (the official Greek name for Santorini) instead. There are dozens of day and evening cruises in the caldera that you can book from local travel companies on the island; better yet, you can pay for them before you even arrive.

Options range from short sightseeing cruises and trips to islands in the caldera to day cruises with buffet lunches and romantic sunset dinner cruises. In general, trips run between $50 and $200. Check the tour company Viator for your cruise options. Santorini Cruises offer daily sunset cruises on their exact replica of a 19th-century Brigantine. Furthermore, Sunset Oia hosts day and sunset catamaran cruises.

Your hotel will probably be able to recommend cruise companies and local captains as well. But if you are planning to visit during the busy summer and early autumn months when Santorini is packed with visitors, it’s better to book your cruise before you arrive.

4. Search for the Lost City of Atlantis in Akrotiri

Nobody can really prove that the civilization that existed on Thira (ancient Santorini), contemporary with the Minoans on Crete, was the lost city of Atlantis. For one thing, none of the Greek writers ever wrote about Atlantis except Plato, and his writings suggest a date for its destruction of 9,000 years ago—about 6,000 years before the giant eruption that wiped away half the island.

Excavations began in 1967 at a site on the southwestern tip of the island, now considered one of the most important archaeological sites in the Aegean. The 50-acre site has evidence of occupation by a sophisticated civilization between 4,000 BC (Late Neolithic) and 3,000 BC (Early Bronze Age). The town had large multi-story houses, paved streets, water supplies, and sewage systems, showcasing evidence of trade with Minoan Crete, mainland Greece, Syria, and Egypt.

You can visit the site and imagine what life must have been like before earthquakes caused the people of Akrotiri to flee and a volcanic explosion buried their city. It’s undercover and is open to the public between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. daily during the summer and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday to Sunday during the winter. Standard admission is 12€. Open days and the dates of the summer and winter seasons vary each year, so check their website.

5. Swim at a Rainbow of Beaches

Santorini’s beaches line up along its east and south coasts. Most have dramatic, black volcanic sand but a few, like Kokkini Ammos Cove, near the excavations at Akrotiri, have brilliant scarlet sands too. Kokkini Ammos, usually called Red Beach, for obvious reasons, is narrow and crowded but get into the water, and there are pockets of hot springs.

Perivolos, a long and wide black sand beach, has bars, music, and a young crowd, while Perissa and Exo Gialos, with similar black sand beaches, offer a more tranquil ambiance. Consider wearing bathing shoes at Perissa—it has a slippery reef to cross before you reach good swimming waters.

Visitors who enjoy well-kept beaches with amenities like umbrellas, chair lounges, bars, changing facilities, and restrooms should head for Kamari. Moreover, for sheer strangeness, don’t miss the wind-shaped, volcanic tufa formations at Vlychada beach.

Fancy the idea of swimming in volcanic waters? Take a boat excursion from Oia or Fira to one of the two volcanic islands to sample very hot springs. Agios Nikolaos, an inlet on Nea Kameni (Greek for “new hot island”) has hot, yellow, sulfurous waters that are purported to be beneficial for your health. Palea Kameni (“old hot island”) has a hot spring that turns the water from turquoise blue to deep red.

6. See the Crater of an Active Volcano

The volcanic activity on and around Santorini is not something from the ancient past. In fact, the island is a dormant, yet still active, volcano. Nea Kameni and Palea Kameni, the two islands in the Caldera, are actually lava flows from occasional eruptions. In the past 2,000 years, it has erupted at least nine times—three times in the 20th century alone. The last major eruption on Nea Kameni occurred in 1950.

Tour boats visit the uninhabited Nea Kameni from the old port of Fira regularly. Visitors on these day excursions hike inland and uphill for about 20 to 30 minutes, through a desolate landscape dotted with enigmatic formations. The path to the top encircles the crater, which smokes and reeks of sulfur. Most guides even dig a shallow hole so you can feel the island’s heat. Tours to the volcanic island take about two hours.

7. Visit the World’s Oldest Wineries

The Greeks brought wine to the rest of the Mediterranean, and Santorini can boast some of the oldest—if not the oldest—vineyards in the world. Archaeologists have found evidence of winemaking going back at least 3,700 years. After the massive volcanic eruption of 1613 BC, Phoenicians colonized the island and brought their own plants, but only the woody grape vines survived the barren soil and harsh conditions.

In fact, one of their vineyards, planted in 1200 BC, is still producing wine grapes and has been in continuous cultivation for 3,200 years. Most vineyards still prune their vines close to the ground, utilizing an ancient method unique to the island. The vines are woven into baskets, with the fruit protected from wind and sand within them.

Today, there are 10 wineries you can visit, as well as a wine museum and a wine cooperative where you can taste a variety of local wines. The more unusual wineries to visit include:

• Art Space is an art gallery and museum within the pumice caves of an old winery. The owner has created a small winery in one of the original, underground caves where traditional dry white wines and vinsanto, the local sweet dessert wine, are made.
• Boutari Winery, near the traditional village of Megalochori, was the first Santorini winery to open its doors to the public. Its west-facing location allows you to enjoy wine tasting while watching the famous Santorini sunset.
• Gaia Wines sits on the beach between Kamari Beach and Monolithos, a family-friendly beach.

8. Try a Taste of Santorini

Like most Greek islands, Santorini features several local specialties that are worth tasting during your visit.

Capers are gathered wild from the steep walls of the Caldera and stone walls between vineyards. Before being pickled in brine—like most capers—they are sun-dried to a pale blond color. These sun-dried and rehydrated capers, alongside sun-dried tomatoes, give the typical Greek salad a unique, Santorini spin. They show up in many island soups, stews, and sauces.

Fava is another island specialty. The yellow dried peas grown on the island are pureed to resemble smooth hummus, then served as a dip with lemon juice, olive oil, and chopped onions.

Tomatokeftedes, or ntomatokefthedes, as they are sometimes spelled, are the island’s flavorful, meat-free “meatballs.” Thick-skinned, fleshy tomatoes are grated or finely chopped, mixed with herbs, spices, and flour, rolled into small balls, and deep-fried.

Vinsanto is a distinctively sweet dessert wine made from raisins that dry on the vine.

9. Marvel at the Sunset

In Fira, people gather on the short promenade along the cliffs near the Cathedral at sunset. You might need a reservation, but it’s a treat to relax with a drink or bite to eat at one of the many cliff-clinging bars and restaurants.

It may get crowded, but the town at the northern tip of the crescent of Santorini is Oia, which is renowned as the best sunset viewing location on the island.

Sunset lovers should walk to the lighthouse located at the extreme southwest part of Santorini at sunset for a breathtaking experience.

10. Peruse the Art Galleries

Mnemossyne Gallery in Oia is highly favored by visitors. It’s located in a lovely cave house just a few steps before the Castle and the well-known sunset spot. There are art photographs of local scenery, hand-made jewelry, sculptures, and pottery—all created by talented artists.

Art of the Loom Gallery in Caldera is another popular choice. The Cycladic-style building housing the gallery was built in 1866 and originally used as a winery, serving the local society’s wine production needs. You’ll find works by many well-known Greek artists, including oil paintings, jewelry, ceramics, and art glass created by the co-owner of the gallery. They have galleries in three picturesque locations.

In Kamari, visit the Eduart Gjopalaj Workshop on the seaside boulevard and in Fira town next to the Catholic church. The artist is known for his wood carving and sculptures as well as art glass. Visitors will enjoy interacting with the artist and learning about his self-taught craft.

11. Hike the Rim of the Caldera

The Fira to Oia hiking trail will take you along the rim of the caldera where you will marvel at the breathtaking views. You can hike it either way, but this route is reportedly less steep. It’s a 12-kilometer hike one way (take the bus back), taking about 2.5 hours. Day hikers or boots are recommended for the more rugged parts of the trail. The views of the volcanic landscape are impressive, and while you can do it on your own, there are tours that take this scenic route.

12. Shop the Villages

Shopping for folk art and souvenirs is a delightful part of exploring the villages of Santorini. Oia is a location where you’ll find high-end shopping for jewelry and casual resort fashions at elevated prices, along with tempting ceramics and artwork.

Fira is where locals shop for themselves, providing reasonable prices. You’ll also discover boutiques and souvenir shops selling natural sponges, handicrafts, and various souvenirs on the narrow, intriguing streets in the northern part of the town.

13. Sail at Sunset

Take a sunset Catamaran cruise with Spiridakos Sailing Cruises. Sailings can be private or semi-private experiences. Enjoy the deep blue waters of the Aegean Sea while being served by an attentive onboard crew. A five-hour sunset cruise sails from the southern port of Vlychada, with pick-up from your hotel available. Reservations are necessary for this activity.

14. Go Fishing

Fish with experienced fishermen in the volcanic caldera of Santorini and around the nearby islands. Equipment, licenses, rods, reels, and bait are provided throughout the day.

Keep your catch and, time permitting, they will even cook it onboard for you. If the boat is scheduled to return to port, you can take the fish to a local tavern/restaurant by the port, and they will prepare your catch for a reasonable cost.

You can even visit the hot springs and go snorkeling while cruising around the area. Snacks and beverages are provided, along with a restroom on board.

15. Ride a Donkey Up the Steep Streets

The traditional donkey ride on Santorini is a time-honored experience that has been enjoyed for over a century. Ride a donkey or mule from the port at Fira or Ammoudi Oia. You can also take a donkey ride along the Fira to Oia hiking route.

Ride for as little as 20 euros one-way from the port.

16. Take a Boat to Thirassia Island

Thirassia is located on the western side of the caldera, and before the volcanic eruption, it was connected to Santorini. This small village features some inviting cafes and tavernas. Boats leave several times a day from Ammoudi and the Old Fira port, running until about 5 p.m. The fare is only a euro each way.