Welcome, luxury travelers! Get ready to embark on an extraordinary adventure as we unveil the ultimate Santorini travel guide, tailor-made for those seeking an unforgettable experience on this captivating Greek island. Santorini, often referred to as the gem of the Aegean Sea, has it all – stunning sunsets, charming whitewashed villages, and breathtaking views of the azure Mediterranean. So, if you’re dreaming of a luxurious getaway filled with opulence and natural beauty, you’ve come to the right place. My husband and I absolutely loved this leg of our trip (check out our other Greece travel guides).
Join us as we curate an exclusive itinerary that will immerse you in the lap of luxury, revealing the island’s hidden gems, exquisite accommodations, world-class dining and exclusive excursions. Let’s get into it!
What To Know Before Traveling to Santorini
Getting There
If you’re itching to make your way from the US to the breathtaking island of Santorini, fear not, because there are a few fantastic options available to you. The most common route is to hop on a flight from major US cities like New York or Los Angeles to Athens, Greece, and then catch a quick domestic flight to Santorini. Another exciting option is to embark on a cruise that includes Santorini as one of its stops, allowing you to enjoy a leisurely journey across the Mediterranean while exploring multiple destinations. And if you’re up for a more scenic adventure, consider combining air travel with a ferry ride. Simply fly into Athens, then hop on a ferry from Piraeus or Rafina port to Santorini, taking in the picturesque views along the way. The choice is yours!
We ended up taking a Ferry from Mykonos, the trip was super easy and convenient!
WHEN TO TRAVEL
We traveled to Greece during the last weekend of September. We were right in between high season and low season. Depending on your budget and goals for the trip, that will really decide when you should travel. During Peak Season (typically late April – September) expect significantly higher rater on the islands, so many tourist traveling and the best summer weather. When traveling during the low season, expect much lower rater, significantly fewer people traveling and fairly cool weather.
Where We Stayed
For our stent in Santorini, we went for an airbnb instead of a resort like in Mykonos. We stayed in the city of Imerovigli, at the Olia Cocoon Airbnb. Our airbnb was located just south of Oia in Imerovigli, Greece. With perfect views of the caldera, we had the best sunsets from our airbnb. Even better than in Oia! Our airbnb came with a concierge that helped us with literally everything we needed. We were able to text him to set up excursions, set up transportation and get dinner recommendations.
Important Things to Pack
Compared to Mykonos, Santorini is a little bit more affordable. But still don’t forget to bring a nice healthy wallet. Since we didn’t stay in Oia, the smaller towns weren’t as pricey as the high tourist areas. Evening can also get a little chilly with breezes from the water, so don’t forget a light jacket. And also, if you are traveling from the states, pack your outlet convertors. These are my absolute favorite to travel with. Lastly, don’t forget some good walking shoes, Santorini is the city of steps, so prepare yourself.
Santorini Itinerary
Day 1
3:45pm – Arrive to Santorini Port
We last left of sharing that Damon and I decided to take a ferry from Mykonos to Santorini. If you are coming from the mainland, definitely take a flight.
4:00pm – Private Transportation to Airbnb
After we arrived at the port in Santorini our Airbnb had a ground transfer set up for us. It came at an extra fee, but we were able to arrange everything we needed ahead of time with the airbnb concierge.
8:30pm – Dinner at Aegean Restaurant
Once we checked into our airbnb, our concierge recommended a few restaurants that were in walking distance of our airbnb with fantastic views of the caldera. We took a 6 minute walk to this cute restaurant where we were able to able to enjoy dinner and a bottle of wine on the last few hours of our anniversary.
10:00pm – Cocktails & Hookah at Buddha Bar
After dinner, we went further into Imerovigli and found a little hookah bar for a night cap. Drinks and hookah were good, but you could tell that it was definitely headed into the slow tourist season as we were only one of a few in the bar. We enjoyed the hospitality though!
Day 2
8:30am – Flying Dress Photoshoot with Kapentanakis Studios
Our airbnb host was amazing! We set up all of our excursions and activities with our concierge. We shared that we wanted to do the iconic Santorini flying dress photoshoot and he arranged everything with Kapetankais Studio. They came straight to our airbnb that morning with the selected dress and we explored parts of Imegrovili while taking these breathtaking photos.
11:30pm – Explored Oia
After our photoshoot, we changed closed and headed for the main city. Be prepared to walk a lot, but we strolled the town and did some shopping!
12:30pm – Had Lunch at Ammoudi Fish Tavern
This restaurant came as a recommendation from our driver as a great place to eat near the port that we needed to go to for our sunset cruise. After we walked through Oia, we travelled down the 280+ stairs to get down to the bay to find this gem of a restaurant. Turns out, it was a pretty well known spot, but super easy to grab lunch right on the water.
2:30pm – Sunset Boat Cruise
This was another excursion managed by our airbnb concierge. It was such a fun catamaran with a fantastic crew. I could not recommend enough! We travelled to multiple beaches and snorkeling spots around Santorini. Our crew was so knowledgeable about the Santorini history and we made some great friend too while on the boat (turns out everyone on the boat was from Atlanta too). We capped the cruise experience with dinner and drinks while watching the sunset.
Day 3
9:00am – Breakfast at the Airbnb
Now, this was a very short trip to Santorini. So, we kicked off the morning enjoying the view over breakfast and coffee before heading to the airport for the next leg of our trip, Athens.
11:00am – Private Transportation to Santorini Airport
We chose not to lose valuable time in traveling between locations, so we opted to fly back to Athens. Santorini is a little bit further than other islands from the mainland, so by flying we saved some time so that we could enjoy both Santorini and Athens to the fullest.
