Santorini is known for its charming, white and blue towns hanging on the caldera slopes, luxury yacht tours, breathtaking sunsets and … notorious crowds. In summer 2020, the touristy mecca hosted only a small fraction of people that used to come here, and it felt unreal.
To me, Santorini was a perfect escape during the pandemic. My own country, Poland, has been flooded with local tourists. Suddenly, visiting the charming but crowded Baltic seaside or Polish mountains didn’t seem like a good idea, as in the middle of summer 2020, the pandemic was clearly far from over.
At the same time, I missed traveling and working remotely, so I needed to escape, even for a while.
And where do you go when your favorite places nearby are overcrowded, and you need a quiet place to have some rest?
To an island.
To a beautiful island in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea.
… where I haven’t been before.
A quick search for plane tickets left me with an obvious choice – Santorini!
During the pandemic, Santorini looked nothing like people had described it to me before. The masses of tourists were gone. The caldera, once full of cruise ships, now hosted just a few catamarans. The streets, once overcrowded, stayed almost empty all day long.
In 2020, I could see the different (better?) Santorini. During my 4-day stay, I could experience the island with all my senses.
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Accommodation
Santorini is shaped like a crescent. The island is, in fact, the rim of an ancient volcano. Therefore, the “inner” part offers spectacular views of the caldera (the crater). If you want to enjoy the breathtaking views during your whole stay, choose accommodation in one of the cliffside towns: Fira, Oia, Imerovigli or Firostefani.
What’s the alternative? There are beach towns on the eastern side of Santorini, which are cheaper, so they might be a better option if you’re on a budget or travel with kids. There are also hilltop towns in the middle of an island; they are less touristy but lack easy access to a beach or caldera.
We chose Firostefani as our accommodation for a few reasons:
– We wanted to stay near the cliff to have spectacular views on the caldera all the time. We got even more than we expected: our Airbnb offered views both on the caldera and the other part of the island!
– We wanted to live in a typical, white and blue Santorini cave house with an outdoor jacuzzi.
– We wanted to be near the start of the Fira-Oia trail.
– We wanted a relatively quiet place, but with walking distance to great restaurants and bars.
– We wanted to have spectacular sunsets just around the corner every day.
If we didn’t stay in Firostefani, we would probably stay in Fira, Imerovigli or Oia. All of these towns are equally stunning.
Fira-Oia hike
The walk from Fira to Oia (or/and back) is one of the most spectacular things to do in Santorini. We did it both ways, and we loved every part of it. Nevertheless, if I were to choose only one direction, I would recommend hiking from Fira to Oia, mainly because you get to see amazing views of Oia in front of you at the end of the hike.
The distance one way is about 10 km (6 miles) and it takes around 3-4 hours, depending on how many stops you make on your way. The views are spectacular, so I assure you that you’ll take a lot of photos!
Be sure to take comfortable shoes (trekking shoes aren’t necessary, a pair of good sneakers will be just fine), sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat (there isn’t much shade along the way!), a big bottle of water for every one of you, and maybe some snacks. There aren’t many shops or cafes along the way (although we did the hike in the middle of the 2020 pandemic, so the lack of touristy places might have been at least partially due to this fact).
You can make an interesting detour on this trail – a short hike from Imerovigli to the Skaros rock. It adds up 30-60 minutes to your trek (you can also do it separately). Going all the way up isn’t recommended to an average tourist without climbing gear. Nevertheless, the hike around the rock is still a great experience as it offers excellent views on Imerovigli and Fira.
If you have just one day in Santorini, I would recommend a walk from Fira to Oia (with a detour to the Skaros rock) and spending the rest of the day in Oia to see one of its famous sunsets. In general, both Fira and Oia are beautiful, and getting lost on their charming streets is a pleasure in itself.
The cruise
When your in Santorini for more than one day, take a sunset cruise in the caldera. Even though I sail a lot, I’m never tired of it – and these cruises are an excellent opportunity to see Santorini from another angle. Besides, having a delicious dinner and watching the sunset on a yacht with a glass of wine in hand is my idea of perfect holidays.
These cruises usually start around 3-4 pm at the port of Vlychada and end right after the sunset (although morning cruises are also available). A few stops during the cruise include hot springs and black/red sand beaches on the island’s southern side.
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Eating and drinking
There are many great restaurants in Santorini for every budget. These are our recommendations:
Argo, Fira – this multi-level restaurant in Fira is famous for a reason. We took Greek Plate for two; it was delicious and enough to make not two, but three people full! If you want to get a taste of the local food, this should be your first choice.
Onar, Firostefani – we went to this restaurant just because it was very close to our house in Santorini. Still, it surprised us with delicious food and great views over the caldera. If you search for a romantic atmosphere and tasty moussaka, this is your place to go!
The Athenian House, Imerovigli – Considered one of Santorini’s best restaurants, The Athenian House boasts delicious, authentic Greek food and the most dramatic sunset views over the caldera. A dinner here is more an experience than a meal. Reservations are obligatory, and tasting menus start at 85 EUR (without drinks), so this is not a place to go on a budget.
Karma, Oia – This charming restaurant in Oia is located in the middle of the town. The food is absolutely delicious, and it totally makes up for the lack of sought-after caldera views. Tomato fritters are a must!
Kokkalo, Fira – Located a bit off the beaten path, Kokkalo is a cozy restaurant with delicious food and spectacular views on the eastern part of Santorini.
Tropical Bar, Fira – this cozy bar with friendly staff is a perfect place for watching the sunset with a delicious drink in hand.
PS. There’s also a widely praised restaurant Metaxi Mas in Exo Gonia. We haven’t eaten there, but I thought it needed an honorable mention.
And one more thought …
In my opinion, there are some places in the world you shouldn’t visit on a budget because you’ll have this nagging feeling of missing out on something.
I couldn’t imagine going to Switzerland and not visiting awfully expensive Zermatt and riding the Gornegrat-Bahn.
I couldn’t imagine visiting Singapore without staying in Marina Bay Sands.
And I couldn’t imagine going to Santorini without a lovely room with a view, delicious dinners and the yacht trip.
I’ve never been lavish, but Santorini is one of these places that scream luxury. And there isn’t any harm in a few days of self-indulgence, is it? 😉
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