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The 10 best things to do in Santorini
Santorini might be renowned for sultry sunsets but there's a lot more to this madly picturesque island which has been a magnet for tourists since the 1970s. Often mooted as a possible inspiration for the mythic sunken city of Atlantis, the volcanic windswept southern tip is home to some of the island's most striking black- and red-sand beaches, while the centre has quirky museums, tiny hamlets and family-run wineries. Santorini's better-known northern half is home to striking white villages perched on the crater's black flanks that descend in a sheer swoop to the deep blue Aegean Sea: a visual feast.
All our recommendations below have been hand selected and tested by our resident destination expert to help you discover the best things to do in Santorini. Find out more below, or for more Santorini inspiration, see our guides to the island's best hotels restaurants, bars, and beaches.
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Best free things to do
Watch the sunset at Oia
Seek out the best view
The most popular spot amongst the crumbled remains of Oia's Venetian castle high above the caldera gets busy, especially in summer, so get there at least two hours ahead of time if you want a spot to see the sun set in a blaze of glory over the caldera, rather than a forest of selfie sticks.
Insider tip: For sunsets that are just as spectacular but without the jostling crowds, make a beeline for the neighbouring village of Imerovigli, sometimes called the 'balcony of the Aegean' because it sits at the caldera rim's highest point.
Kalderimi hiking trail
Loop along the caldera's rim
Eschew buses, cars and donkeys fighting for a place along Oia's narrow roads and follow the kalderimi hiking trail. Not for the faint of heart, this cobbled path loops along the caldera's rim for some 10km (6 miles) from Theotokopoulos square behind the Orthodox Metropolitan Cathedral in Fira, to Oia's Profitis Elias church, via the high flung hamlets of Firostefani and Imerovigli.
Insider tip: The path is uneven and steep in places so allow four or five hours if you want to hike the entire route, take plenty of water, and beat the crowds by heading out at dawn or in the late afternoon.
Skaros Rock
Hike to the top of Imerovigli
Incredibly, this wind-worn rock near Imerovigli was once a settlement of 200 homes along with a mediaeval castle, but the dwellings were abandoned over the centuries and now there's nothing left. It's a stiff hike to reach this rocky spur jutting out over the caldera's edge beneath Imerovigli but it's worth it for dizzy views over the crater to sister island Thirassia beyond.
Insider's tip: The blue-domed chapel of Panagia Theoskepasti seemingly hovering in thin air above the deep blue Aegean Sea is the one that stars in all those flying dress Instagram photoshoots.
Best for families
Caldera boat cruise
Explore the volcanic crater
Views of the caldera from above may be spectacular, but taking a boat into the centre of the world's only sunken volcanic crater is equally awe inspiring. The half-day cruise – which includes stop-offs to swim in hot springs and a visit to Palea Kameni, the volcano's blackened heart – ends with a glass of bubbly and sunset views from Ammoudi's taverna-lined bay.
Insider tip: For a more authentic trip join local fishermen as they set out at sunset to haul up their nets and set their lobster pots. This fascinating three-hour tour ends with a brine-fresh fish supper prepared from the day's catch (
Santorini's beaches
Discover coves and crystal-clear water
After a long day's sightseeing, Santorini's beaches are the perfect place to cool off. Backed by Mesa Vouno, the island's highest mountain, Perissa and neighbouring Perivolos share a 7km stretch of black-sand beach. For something more secluded seek out White Beach whose coves lined with chalk-coloured pebbles and peacock-blue waters are best reached by boat.
Insider tip: Although it's tempting to dive into Red Beach's ochre pebble-strewn strand, landslides are frequent here. Err on the side of caution and swim elsewhere.
Best for culture
The Museum of Prehistoric Thera
Discover the island's history
Plunge deep into the history of this volcanic island that was formed by one of the world's most powerful volcanic explosions known to date. Best visited before a trip to the archaeological site of Akrotiri, the Museum of Prehistoric Thera houses those vivid Minoan frescoes, while the smaller archaeological museum showcases a hotchpotch of ancient artefacts ranging from Cycladic statues to ceramics.
Insider tip: In the cool gloom of a 19th-century cave house, the Ligonis Folklore museum's quirky collection of antique furnishings and family heirlooms offer a deep dive into more modern times; as do sea-themed exhibits at Greek artist Giorgos Kypris' Mati Gallery close by.
The Bronze Age settlement of Akrotiri
Turn back the clock
Although no bodies were found buried under the lava and ash, the Cycladic Bronze Age settlement of Akrotiri, which was destroyed by a mega-earthquake in c.1600 BC, is widely known as 'the Greek Pompeii'.
Strolling through this beautifully conserved site and its alleys lined with near-intact two-storey houses, workshops and walls covered in colourful frescoes is like stepping back in time.
Insider tip: Sweet-toothed travellers should stop off at the Family Bakery in Megalochori on the way to Akrotiri to buy melitinia (sweet cheese pie) and kopania (raisin rolls) to enjoy – along with breathtaking views – at Akrotiri's clifftop 19th-century lighthouse.
Best for local lifestyle
Santorini Wine Tour
Visit the local vineyards
Grown close to the ground in a nest-like kouloura (named for Thessaloniki's famed koulouri bread rings), Santorini's grapes have been used to produce the island's unique wines since Minoan times. From Venetsanos' cliff-perched winery to the cool cave cellars of Gavalas, the island's oldest producer, sip the syrupy-sweet dessert wine vinsanto and more along the island's way-marked wine route.
Insider tip: To avoid drinking and driving, local experts at the Santorini Wine Tour lead half-day guided excursions along the winding vine-fringed, hamlet-studded wine route, with tips from an expert sommelier, a wine pairing session and visits to three different producers.
Visit Thirassia
Travel back in time on Santorini's sister island
Locals will tell you that Thirassia is like Santorini 50 years ago. Make the 10-minute boat taxi hop from Ammoudi bay to Riva's tiny port where you can judge for yourself as you lounge on near-deserted beaches, climb to Manolas – the island's high flung capital (which is like a miniature version of Fira) – or visit villages strewn with abandoned cave houses.
Insider tip: Learn more about the history of Santorini's sister island on a guided hiking tour with local company Santorini Experts.
Visit local villages
Venture beyond the tourist trail
If you're keen to soak up a slice of authentic local life, turn your back on the island's crowded caldera and seek out the smaller villages inland. Steep-streeted Pyrgos village is favoured by foodies, who flock here to enjoy mezedes in dozens of tavernas lining the hamlet's car-free cobbled paths, while Messaria's ancient cave houses and mansions are a magnet for history lovers.
Insider tip: Visit ancient Greek music lovers Argie and Giannis at Symposium, a workshop in an old kanaves cave winery where Giannis makes ancient Greek instruments and plays them in live shows.
How we choose
Every attraction and activity in this curated list has been tried and tested by our destination expert, to provide you with their insider perspective. We cover a range of budgets and styles, from world-class museums to family-friendly theme parks – to best suit every type of traveller. We update this list regularly to keep up with the latest openings and provide up to date recommendations.
About our expert
Based in Greece for more than a decade, Heidi Fuller-Love is Telegraph Travel's Santorini expert. Endlessly wowed by those captivating caldera views, she loves visiting in winter when she has the famed volcanic island all to herself.
