Beloved of Hollywood royalty, Santorini is one of just a handful of destinations in the world – let alone the Greek Islands – where the hype is justified. As romantic as it is rugged, Santorini effortlessly marries the stunning natural beauty of its huge caldera flooded volcanic crater with endlessly picturesque mountainside villages of bold blue and crisp white, volcanic sand beaches where hours can seem like minutes, and sunset panoramas now just as famous as some of the island’s celebrity guests.
Also known as Thira, Santorini manages all this with a suave and sophistication that has many coming back year after year. Of course, it’s still possible to explore the island’s ancient trails for hidden viewpoints, but for most Santorini is all about the finer things in life. There’s no shortage of restaurants serving up dishes that are sure to tantalize the tastebuds, while cocktail hour immediately before sunset has almost become a rule not to be broken.
With few large-scale hotels, accommodation options on Santorini tend to be small but perfectly formed. Fira, the island’s charming capital, is a great place to base yourself, since its caldera-top position and its resulting views across the Aegean Sea to neighboring islands is literally impossible to top.
Elsewhere, a host of Santorini villages have become household names, including Imerovigli and Firostefani, which obtained their acclaim thanks to their out of this world sunsets, and Oia, whose buildings are carved from the lava rock left when Santorini’s volcano erupted perhaps 20,000 years ago. The best archeological sites can be found at Messa Vouno and at Akrotiri.
At the latter, visitors will discover a worthwhile distraction from Santorini’s unique shoreline, which ranges from white to black and even red sand. The ruins here are the impressive remains of an ancient Minoan city, with a more detailed history of the city given at the Museum of Prehistoric Thera in Fira, an attractive walk away from those incredible sunset views in Imerovigli and Firostefani.
Top Greece Travel Destinations
Athens / Crete / Delphi / The Peloponnese / The Cyclades / Mykonos / Paros
