- Tomatokeftedes: the island's tomato fritters, made from Santorini's cherry tomatoes.
- Assyrtiko wine: the volcanic white, best at a Santo Wines tasting.
- Fava: the yellow split-pea puree, the island's staple.
Santorini Island Guide
The three domes of Oia, Santorini. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
Santorini is the drowned volcano: a crescent of cliffs around a blue caldera, white villages clinging to the edge. The Minoan eruption, around 1600 BC, buried the city of Akrotiri and shaped the island you see.
Oia at the northern tip is the sunset town of blue domes; Fira is the capital on the cliff; the south has the black-sand beaches. The caldera views are the reason to come; the crowds of August are the price.
What to do in Santorini
The caldera towns
- 1
Oia The blue domes and the sunset crowds; arrive early, stay late. - 2
Fira The capital: the cable car, the museums, the cliff path to Oia. - 3
Imerovigli The quiet balcony town and Skaros Rock.
History and beaches
- 1
Akrotiri The buried Minoan city, the 'Aegean Pompeii', under its bioclimatic shelter. - 2
Red Beach The red cliffs by ancient Akrotiri. - 3
Kamari and Perissa The black-sand beaches of the southeast. - 4
Santo Wines The cliffside winery cooperative: Assyrtiko with the caldera view.
Santorini Hotel Guide
How to choose the best places to stay in Santorini. Verified properties below; for the full list, search live availability on Booking.com.
Luxury
Mystique, a Luxury Collection Hotel
The Oia clifftop resort with the caldera below.
View on Booking.com
Where to eat
Getting there and around
Santorini Airport (JTR) has direct European flights in season. Ferries from Piraeus take 5 to 8 hours; high-speed catamarans from Rafina take about 4. Book summer accommodation months ahead.
Eating in Santorini
Fledge Food has a full guide to how Santorini eats: its defining dishes and how to order them, street food decoded, the markets, and the neighborhoods to eat in.