Santorini might be one of the most picturesque Greek islands, with plenty of fun activities to choose from. However, if you still haven’t been hooked and are wondering why visit Santorini, I’ll help you make up your mind!
Top of the list when talking about the best Greek islands for couples, the perfect honeymoon destination, Santorini might be the most romantic island in the Cyclades.
Although rather small in size, you can easily spend one full week here without getting bored. Read until the end and learn why Santorini is the best island for your next Greek holiday!
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But before we start, here are a few useful travel information you will need for your ultimate Santorini vacation.
Skyscanner – I always use this tool when I search for plane tickets. It works best if I look way in advance, and it is one of the best aggregators you’ll find out there. Get the best tickets here!
Discover Cars is a great aggregator that will help you find and book the best option for renting a car during your trip, helping you save up to 70% on your car rental. You will most probably need a car to get to most of these places, especially if you want to keep a schedule. Get your offers here!
Travel insurance – If there’s one thing we learned in recent times, is that we don’t want to make travel plans without insurance. My go-to travel insurance is Aardy.com – by using them, you will get the best possible prices on travel insurance because they compare prices from over 30 providers, and give you the best. Get the best deal for your travel insurance here!
But here are a few of the reasons why you should visit Santorini island
Breathtaking views
Not only the most popular destinations such as Oia or Thira offer stunning views. On the island, wherever you turn your head you will see spectacular scenery.
It is true that the western part of Santorini is where you will find countless white villages perched on the top of volcanic cliffs. However, the eastern part is where you’ll find beaches, and you can even capture a picture of the plane landing from Perissa.
The wine
Many people might not know about Santorini wine. That’s mainly because the island is not so big and therefore, the local production is not so big.
However, on the island, you will find plenty of vineyards, and wine production dates from before the volcano’s eruption.
Because of the volcanic soil, packed with minerals and oxides, but also due to the climate (hot and dry for many months), Vinsanto is strong and sweet. It is obtained from grapes dried in the sun after harvest, and the vineyards are grown in a spiral – something you won’t see anywhere else.
In Santorini, you can taste white wines, and red wines, but also blended and rose wine obtained from the mix of red and white grapes.
Stop at Santo Wineries for a wine tasting and an introduction to winemaking on the island, or choose one of the following exceptional tours with wine tasting:
Infinity pools
If you’re looking for infinity pools with caldera view, Santorini is the place for you!
On the western side, and not only, but you also won’t have to search too much to stumble upon luxurious hotels with magnificent views. Rooms with terraces, bedrooms with a view of the caldera, and even suits with private pools where couples will feel in paradise.
Come prepared to take hundreds of stunning pictures from your infinity pool, with a glass of delicious wine in hand.
Cave Hotels
I’m sure you’ve seen those videos of people relaxing in a hot tub in a cave house, overlooking the immense blue of the Aegean Sea.
While Santorini is not the only place where you can stay inside a cave house, the traditional Cycladic houses have been turned into luxury villas or hotels, offering high-quality services.
Trust me when I say that staying for at least a few nights in a cave house in Santorini should make it on your Greece bucket list!
Read also: The complete guide on where to stay in Santorini!
The food
Food is delicious everywhere in Greece, but I don’t think I’ve ever eaten so much and so well as I did in Santorini.
Before every meal, we would decide not to eat too much and still end up nearly breathing in the end.
What’s worth knowing is that on top of what you order, you will always receive something more, unusually some starters (called meze).
There are a couple of things you must have in mind:
- book your table way in advance (even 3-5 days in advance) if you want to be sure you get a table, especially one with the perfect setting.
- Tipping – it is normal to tip in Greece, and you can leave anything between 5-10%
My favorite food to eat in Greece and Santorini:
- Fava beans
- Saganaki – baked cheese in filo pastry topped with honey and sesame seeds, one of my absolute favorite desserts in Greece!
- Greek Salad
- Fresh fish and seafood at the restaurants along the sea in Perissa, or in Ammoudi Bay
- Moussaka – a very Greek dish with minced meat and potatoes, that we also make back home.
Skincare products
Before we left for our Santorini holiday, one of my colleagues asked me to bring her some miracle soaps with volcanic ash from the island. That was the first time I’d heard about these skincare products and their great qualities, especially for people with combination or oily skin.
The black soap is made with olive oil and volcanic ash from Santorini.
Other types of appreciated skincare products you must buy from the island are the vinsanto soaps (a red wine scrub soap, with antioxidants and anti-aging properties), or the donkey milk skincare products (reduce skin inflammation, and soothes dry and damaged skin).
Read also: What to wear in Santorini
Any photographer’s dream
No matter if you are a photographer or not, you will want to take countless pictures of everything on and around this island: villages, the contrast between the blue water and the white houses, colorful flowers, the sunset, and whatnot.
Santorini is also the perfect destination where to hire a professional photographer to take some stunning pictures you will always hold dear.
What I love about Flytographer is that you have so many great local photographers to choose from, they know the region and when and where exactly to go for the perfect shot. On top of that, you see their previous work, and choose from different types of packages depending on your budget and desires.
Unusual Beaches
Because of its volcanic nature, in Santorini, you won’t find sandy beaches with smooth access to the sea. However, you will find plenty of unique beaches with volcanic rocks of different colors.
Stop by the Red Beach where you will feel like you’ve landed on Mars, visit Perissa or Kamari beach with their black pebbles, or drive by the Monolithos beach or the White beach with impressive rock formations.
Architecture
And I’m not talking only about the famous blue domes in Oia. The Cycladic architecture is unique.
Houses carved in the volcanic rock, the iconic Greek white, and blue combination, but also other pastel colors making the perfect setting.
Stroll along the streets of some of the most popular Greek villages like Oia or Thira, but wander outside of the touristic trail and head to small towns like Akrotiri or Megalokhori for some authentic vibes.
History
An ultimate destination for history lovers, the ancient archeological site of Akrotiri should not be missed.
Step back in time, more than 3500 years, and learn about the way people lived in this ancient settlement before the eruption of the volcano. The town was covered by volcanic ash, and it remained that way for more than 3000 years. That’s one of the main reasons why many objects still remain intact and can be admired on a stroll through the site’s walkways.
Scenic walks and landscapes
While the nature on the island is not impressive, mainly because of the volcanic soil, but also because of the high summer temperature, going on several hikes in Santorini is a must.
Come prepared with the appropriate shoes, something to cover your head, and plenty of water.
You can climb to the top of the tallest mountain on the island, at Prophet Elias, from where you will have the whole island under your eyes. Make your way from Thira to Oia, or the other way around, on one of the most popular trails offering scenic views.
Or choose to go on a cruise and climb the volcano itself.
The Sunset
Maybe the most famous sunsets in the world, everyone flocks to the western part of the island to get to see this impressive natural show.
Don’t make the same mistakes as we did (and many others before and after us), and plan your sunset accordingly if you want to have a great time. Read my ultimate guide for where to see the sunset in Santorini, skip the crowds, and have the time of your life!
Other Santorini useful guides
- 1 day in Santorini
- Santorini or Crete – which one is best for you?
- 3 days in Santorini – the ultimate guide
- Things nobody tells you about traveling to Santorini
- 10 mistakes to avoid on your Santorini vacation
- Where to stay in Santorini on a budget
- Should you stay in Fira or Oia?
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