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Telegraph
11 hours ago
- Telegraph
The perfect holiday in Santorini, Greece's most romantic island
Favoured by honeymooners from around the world, there's no denying the romance of Santorini 's volcanic crater with its sheer black and red walls rising steeply to a sugar-sprinkling of white villages where blue-domed churches rub shoulders with gourmet restaurants and boutique hotels – many of them carved out of the kanaves that were once used for storing wine. Nourished by volcanic ash from the c.1600 BC eruption that decimated the island's Minoan population, Santorini's fertile soil is used to grow grapes that make inimitable wines, along with sweet cherry tomatoes, unique white aubergines and the yellow split pea fava that star in the island's distinctive dishes. The caldera-side capital Fira, with its shop-lined streets, and Oia's castle sunset spot and are, understandably, the main draw for many travellers. From ancient kalderimi hiking paths to lost-in-the-past hamlets and family-run vineyards, however, Santorini also has another more authentic side that's well worth discovering. For more Santorini inspiration, see our guides to the island's best hotels, restaurants, bars, things to do and beaches. How to spend your weekend How to get there and how to get around When to go Where to stay Know before you go How to spend your weekend Day one: morning Pack swimwear and set out before sunrise to explore the top end of the island, stretching from Oia in the north to Akrotiri in the south. From 10am onwards when the cruise hordes arrive, Oia is jam-packed, but in the early morning, the island's famed white village is far more manageable, making it the perfect time to get photos of sunrise spilling its pink-orange glow over the caldera from Oia's celebrated 15th-century castle.
Telegraph
12 hours ago
- Telegraph
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. Find things to do by type: 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.
The Independent
04-06-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Fewer crowds and quiet hotels – why now is the best time to visit Santorini
Santorini's signature view is as marvellous as ever. From my vantage point at Adami restaurant in the picture-perfect village of Oia, I can see the semicircular sweep of the volcanic crater's cliffs plunging deeply into a midnight-blue sea, with Thirassia islet completing its outline on the other side. Ferries are buzzing in and out of the port beneath Fira, the island's capital, while the massive cruise ships anchored nearby are so far below that they look like bath toys. It's an everyday Santorini scene, but this year's tourist season is anything but average. Oia, though still bustling, is considerably quieter than usual: a situation that's partly attributed to the earthquakes that shook the island back in February, right in the middle of the peak booking period for sunshine holidays. 'It definitely had an impact,' confides John Bubaris, the general manager of Canaves Ena, the luxurious hotel within which Adami sits. 'The island as a whole has had a very slow start to the season, but now that things have calmed down and bookings are returning.' Had the earthquakes hit any other Greek island than the one with a world-famous profile, it's unlikely that they would have made headline news. Tremors, after all, are commonplace in Greece thanks to the nation's position near a subduction zone where two tectonic plates collide. Nevertheless, February's period of seismic activity was unusual. 'It wasn't so much the intensity as the frequency that was surprising,' says John, 'with literally hundreds of tremors every day.' And although there were viral videos online of rocks tumbling down the caldera's cliffs, there was barely any damage to the island's infrastructure or architecture. 'The schools were closed and many locals temporarily left, but the situation was never out of control,' continues John. 'Admittedly, it was sometimes scary, but I honestly found it exciting!' Canaves isn't the only Santorini hotel that's shrugging off the earthquakes' hangover. Daniel Kerzner, who owns Santorini Sky: an all-villa retreat at the centre of the island, close to the hilltop village of Pyrgos, told me: 'The island is fully open again, with zero limitations. Even with the disruption, we've already welcomed guests from nearly 20 countries since January, and we're forecasting 90 per cent occupancy for the year overall.' Despite this positive outlook, even a casual observer can see that Santorini's tourism has taken a hit. I was there in late May, well before the peak-season rush, and in places Santorini felt eerily quiet. Yes, the port had been hectic when I arrived by ferry, but in Oia there were hardly any people at the spots where queues normally form to take selfies beside the village's famous blue-domed churches. I walked to Oia one morning along the rugged clifftop footpath from Fira and only encountered a trickle of hikers where usually there'd be a flood. And when I passed through Imerovigli, the highest village on the cliffs, the plunge pools at the many sunset-facing hotels and suites were almost all unoccupied. Even Imerovigli's ubiquitous 'floaty dress' and 'bride-and-groom' photoshoots were in short supply. If you ever wanted to see Santorini without the crowds, this could be the year to do it. You might want to think about booking soon, though, as the calm won't last for long. Mercury Holidays is one operator for whom Greece bookings are resurging. "We haven't seen any longer-term negative impact on customer demand for Santorini and other Greek islands after the earthquakes,' says the company's marketing manager, Charlie Wakeham. 'Enquiries for Greece are actually higher than last year; and bookings are up, especially for last-minute and summer holidays.' Even though it sounds like the island is set for a business-as-usual summer, visitors this year can expect a few positive changes. A particular battle is against the reported overtourism that's tarnished Santorini's reputation in recent years. Much of this overcrowding has been attributed to visiting cruise ships, though a €20 per person tax on passengers coming ashore is one of a raft of measures introduced this year to begin resetting the balance. Elsewhere, there are moves to tackle the perception that Santorini is exclusive and expensive, especially in Oia, where the romance of cave-suite hotels means that some of them can get away with charging the highest rates in all of Greece. 'Several of Oia's fine-dining restaurants have recently switched to offering more traditional Greek cuisine,' says John Bubaris. 'It's in response to consumer behaviour shifts towards simpler, more authentic experiences, but it's also helping to counter the image of Santorini being too pricey.' It all sounds rather promising for Santorni-bound holidaymakers this summer, I told him. 'Definitely,' John agrees. 'It's great that hoteliers, cruise lines and other stakeholders are coming together collectively to improve the overall guest experience, especially in Oia. That can only be a good thing.'
