I discovered Santorini the same way I find most of my travel inspiration: Instagram. As soon as I saw the pictures I knew I had to get there. I spent a week in Santorini and I booked all of my flights and accommodations through my favorite travel booking site: Expedia. Here is a summary of how I got there, where I stayed and what I learned during my visit to Santorini.

How to get there: As I said, we spent two weeks in Europe, visiting Paris, Athens and Santorini. We traveled directly from Athens to Santorini, and I would recommend you do the same. Direct flights from Athens are cheap and short. We paid $98 for the flight to Santorini and $87.99 for the return flight, but you can get even cheaper flights—some as low as $40—if you can manage traveling during non-peak hours. The flight time is about 35 minutes and the main carries are Aegean Air and Ryan Air.

You also have the option of taking the ferry from Athens to Santorini. It is cheaper than flying and may be a good experience if you love being on the water. They offer the option of a fast ferry that takes you directly to Santorini and a regular ferry that docks at each of the Greek Islands. There is also an overnight option.  Via ferry it will take you anywhere from 5-8 hours to reach Santorini. From what I have read, the fast ferry doesn’t offer an open air experience so keep that in mind if you are prone to sea sickness.

When traveling home from the island I recommend going through Athens. You can book a flight directly from Santorini to your final destination but you will likely have an excessively long layover, most likely in Athens anyway. To save time, aggravation and a few coins, we flew to Athens and spent the night at Sofitel Athens Airport, which is the hotel connected to the airport. Our flight home departed at 6 AM so it was convenient to just walk the 50 ft. across the street to the terminal.

Where to Stay: This is probably the hardest part of booking the trip because there are so many beautiful options around the island. When choosing your hotel you just want to keep in mind the island is very small and it’s easy to get around, so even if you stay in a more affordable area, it’s easy to get to the tourist attractions.

When you Google Santorini it’s likely the pictures you are seeing were taken in Oia. Oia is exactly as it appears in the pictures, but even more dreamy in person of course. It’s located at the northwest edge of Santorini. It is the quietest of tourist areas with very few bars and clubs but restaurants do stay open past 11 PM. The village is filled with high end boutiques and jewelry shops, and–for all of my fellow book lovers– is home to one of the most famous book stores in the world, Atlantis Books. It is also said to be the best place to catch a world famous sunset. The hotels in Oia literally cascade off the side of a cliff overlooking the deep blue Mediterranean Sea, which makes for some of the most magical views you will ever experience in your life. It unfortunately makes for an immense lack of privacy as well. The pedestrian walkway sits above the hotels, so be prepared to have hundreds of tourists’ eyes and cameras pointing down at you if you book here. Another thing to note is that Oia is built for pedestrians so there won’t be any driveways leading up to your hotel room. In most cases you will have to get to your room via cobblestone walkway and stairs. When booking, be sure to check with your hotel to see if they provide a valet service via hotel staffer or donkey. Otherwise you’ll have the pleasure of dragging your bags down that cobblestone.

Oia

Fira is the capital of Santorini as well as the main tourist area. This is the liveliest spot on the island year ‘round, filled with bars, clubs and restaurants. This is also where cruise ships dock. The hotels here are cliff side as well and the views are quite nice. When in Santorini you have to make watching the sunset a priority. Most people flock to Oia—like they literally run when the sun starts going down—leaving Fira less crowded. I watched the sunset from Fira on the last full day of our trip and found it was just as magical however. Because Fira is more touristy, food prices are inflated. My tip for dining here is to eat at a restaurant facing the interior rather than overlooking the ocean. I found the price for similar meals was up to $15 cheaper. If you want a reasonably priced meal with a view, dine in Oia. I recommend trying Thalami.

Fira

We also visited Kamari Beach. There are no sweeping cliff side views here but the beach is beautiful, clean and lined with exceptional seafood and Italian restaurants, bars and hotels. This area is mostly popping during the summer months. I visited in September and it was pretty deserted—which was great because we were able to get some relief from the crowds of Oia and Fira. I think if I ever visited Santorini again I’d definitely consider staying here.

Hotel along Kamari Beach

There are several other options for accommodations but I only visited these three so I’m only able to give you my personal opinion on them. I recommend you do some research and be sure to read the comments and reviews about the hotels you look into. I have found that I can learn so much about hotels from the opinions of other patrons.

Where I stayed: We stayed in a two bedroom, three bathroom villa at 270 Oia’s View. This beautiful boutique hotel is located right on the edge of Oia, about a 10-15 minute walk to the pedestrian walkway. Unlike the cliff side hotels in the heart of Oia, we had plenty of privacy. The hotel is actually a set of well-appointed villas, each with its own patio and outdoor swimming pool. In Santorini most of the hotels and structures are built into caves. In our villa, the living room/kitchen was upstairs and the bedrooms were underground. It was really cool! Our hotel also had a clear unobstructed view of the sunset over Oia. The staff was great and accommodating. This one is definitely worth a look if you are interested in visiting.

Sunset from the pool at our villa at 270 Oia’s View

How to get around: We took the bus. Public transportation is simple, convenient and affordable. Tickets are between 1 and 3.80 euro depending on where you’re going. Beware however, buses are crowded and the winding cliff side rides can be a little scary. ATVs and scooters seemed to also be popular options. I noticed car rentals were relatively cheap as well. Be sure if you decide to rent a car you check to see if your hotel charges an extra fee for parking.

Bus station in Fira

When to go: In general, travel to Europe peaks in the summer so be ready to pay a premium if you visit during the summer months. Tourism dips in September and as a result hotel and flight prices drop. We visited in September and the weather was still warm enough for us to enjoy the beach and outdoors, and we missed a lot of the crowds.

Things to know before you go

  • Do not drink the water! Santorini is a dry place. Water is imported so you should never drink water from the tap.
  • BYOB! Everything is imported in Santorini so there is a chance they won’t have your favorite adult beverage on deck.
  • Pack your tennis shoes and be prepared to walk. You can get around by car but to see most things you’re going to have to walk and the terrain in some areas is rough. The streets are properly paved but there are a lot of hills, stairs and cobblestone.
  • Leave your heels at home! See above.
  • There are cats and dogs everywhere. Some are strays and some have owners that allow them to roam freely. For the most part however they are pretty friendly and aren’t a bit concerned about your presence.
  • “Spas” may not be hot tubs. Many of the hotels have private “spas” for each room—but they ain’t heated! As a matter of fact, they are more like ice baths. Supposedly they are heated by the sun…
  • Try local dishes! And I don’t mean eat only the foods you’ve heard of before, like Gyros! Greek food is so delicious. It’s very similar to soul food, collard greens and all. So do yourself a favor and attempt to try something new at each meal.
  • Get gelato at Lolita’s in Oia.
  • Beaches are rocky—and rocks get hot in the sun. The Aegean Sea is incredibly calm and clean. It’s perfect for those that aren’t strong swimmers in my opinion. You don’t have to worry about getting washed away by a powerful wave or tangled in a mess of seaweed. The beaches are rocky though—sorry ladies and gents, no sexy walking will take place along the beach—so be sure to buy some beach shoes if you plan to visit in the summer.
    • Also if you visit the beach, be prepared to pay for a lounge chair and umbrella. The space is owned by section by the restaurants that line the beach. When you purchase a seat most do come and serve you. The restaurateurs will try to bid for your business as you walk along the boardwalk. A tip: Do not accept the first offer because it’s usually the highest. Make your way down and you may find cheaper rental prices for the same experience.
    • If you plan to visit The Red Beach, be ready to traverse a cliff. Also, beware of the huge, slippery underwater boulders.
  • Bring a nice camera and take lots of pictures. You’ll thank yourself when you return home.

I absolutely loved Santorini. I hope everyone has the opportunity to experience this beautiful place. If you have any other questions, please feel free to comment below!