Things to Do in Santorini: What to See in 1, 2 or 3 Days
There is no shortage of lists of things to do in Santorini. The problem is that most of them are written as if you had a week and your own helicopter. This guide is different: it is written by a local transfer and tour company that drives visitors around the island every day, so it groups the sights by area, tells you honestly how long each one takes and how to move between them, and ends with realistic plans for 1, 2 and 3 days. If you would rather skip the logistics entirely, our private Highlights Tour with Wine Tasting covers most of what follows in 4 hours with your own driver.
The caldera villages: Oia, Fira, Firostefani and Imerovigli
Almost every photo you have seen of Santorini was taken on the western edge of the island, where the cliffs drop 300 metres into the flooded volcanic crater. Four villages sit along that edge, connected by a walking path and by the main road behind them.
Oia is the famous one: blue domes, windmills, the castle ruins and the marble lanes packed with galleries and boutiques. It is at its best early in the morning, before the tour buses and cruise groups arrive, when you can walk from the bus square to the castle in 20 minutes with the village almost to yourself. Below Oia, a flight of roughly 300 steps leads down to Ammoudi Bay, a tiny fishing harbour with fish tavernas at the water's edge and a swimming spot behind the rocks.
Fira is the capital and the practical heart of the island: the bus station, the cable car to the old port, most of the nightlife and the best selection of restaurants and shops. The caldera walk through Fira, past the cathedral and along the cliff edge, is lovely at any time of day. The Museum of Prehistoric Thera, with the frescoes from Akrotiri, is here and takes about an hour.
Firostefani is a 10 minute walk north of Fira and has the blue domed church of Agios Theodoros that appears on half the postcards. Imerovigli, a little further, sits at the highest point of the caldera rim and looks straight at Skaros Rock, the headland where the medieval capital once stood. The short climb onto Skaros is one of the best free things to do on the island.
The caldera path from Fira to Oia is about 10 kilometres and takes 3 to 4 hours with stops. Most people walk it one way in the morning and arrange a ride back. We explain all the options in our guide to getting around Santorini.
The south: Red Beach, ancient Akrotiri and the lighthouse
The south west corner of Santorini is where the island's history and its strangest landscapes meet. Ancient Akrotiri is a Bronze Age town buried by the volcanic eruption around 1600 BC and preserved under ash, much like Pompeii but a thousand years older. The site is covered by a modern roof, so it works even at midday, and 60 to 90 minutes is enough to walk the raised paths past the multi storey houses and the streets with their drainage systems.
Five minutes away is Red Beach, a small cove backed by dark red volcanic cliffs. The path down from the car park is rough and the beach is often closed to swimmers because of rockfall, so most visitors admire it from the viewpoint above, which is honestly the better picture. Continue to the end of the road for the Akrotiri lighthouse, a quiet spot with views across the whole caldera and a good alternative to Oia for sunset.
Both the lighthouse and Red Beach are stops on our Santorini Exclusive private tour, which starts at Akrotiri and is built around your own pace.
Beaches: black sand on the east coast
Santorini's beaches are not the reason to come, but they are a good way to cool down between sights. The east and south coasts have long strips of black volcanic sand with organised sunbeds, beach bars and tavernas: Perissa and Perivolos run together for about 3 kilometres in the south, and Kamari below the Mesa Vouno rock is the most family friendly, with a pedestrian promenade. Vlychada, further west, has pale sculpted cliffs that look like a moonscape and far fewer people. The sand gets very hot by noon, so bring sandals for the walk to the water.
Wineries, Pyrgos and Megalochori
The centre of the island is where Santorini stops looking like a postcard and starts feeling like a real place. Vines grow in low coiled baskets in the volcanic ash, and most of the wineries sit within 15 minutes of each other around Pyrgos and Megalochori. A tasting of Assyrtiko and Vinsanto with a caldera view takes about an hour and is worth it even if you are not a wine person. We cover which wineries to choose in our Santorini wine tour guide.
Pyrgos itself is a fortified hilltop village of arched lanes and hidden chapels with a view over the whole island from the castle at the top, and it stays cool and quiet when Oia is packed. Above it, the road climbs to the monastery of Prophet Elias at 600 metres, the highest point of Santorini, where you can see the caldera, the east coast and, on a clear day, the neighbouring islands in a single sweep. Megalochori, 5 minutes from Pyrgos, is smaller, with a bell tower gate and cave houses around a shaded square.
The volcano, hot springs and a caldera cruise
The dark island in the middle of the caldera is Nea Kameni, the active crater of the volcano. Boats leave from the old port below Fira, or from Ammoudi and Vlychada, and a typical trip includes a 30 to 40 minute walk up to the crater rim, a swim at the warm, rust coloured hot springs off the neighbouring islet of Palea Kameni, and a stop at Thirassia, the quiet island across the water. Sunset catamaran cruises follow a similar route with dinner on board and are the most relaxed way to see the cliffs from below. Allow half a day either way, and remember that the volcano walk is exposed and stony, so wear proper shoes.
Sunset: where to actually watch it
Oia at sunset is the single most famous thing to do in Santorini, and also the most crowded. In summer the castle viewpoint fills up more than an hour before the sun goes down and the lanes back to the bus square are shoulder to shoulder afterwards. Do it once, arrive early, and consider the alternatives for your other evenings: the caldera path at Imerovigli, the terrace of a Firostefani restaurant, the Akrotiri lighthouse, or a winery terrace in Pyrgos where the sun sets behind the caldera with a glass of Assyrtiko in your hand.
How to see all of this: plans for 1, 2 and 3 days
The island is about 18 kilometres long and nothing is more than 40 minutes from anything else by car. The catch is the road: one main artery through Fira, narrow village streets, and parking that fills by mid morning from June to September. The plans below assume you either have a driver or are prepared to wait for buses.
| Days | Morning | Afternoon | Evening |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 day (cruise or quick stop) | Oia early, Ammoudi if you can manage the steps | Firostefani, Prophet Elias, one winery | Fira caldera walk and dinner |
| 2 days | Day 1: Oia and Imerovigli. Day 2: Akrotiri and Red Beach | Day 1: wineries and Pyrgos. Day 2: a black sand beach | Day 1: Oia sunset. Day 2: Imerovigli or the lighthouse |
| 3 days | As above, plus a volcano boat trip on day 3 | Megalochori, Emporio, the Museum of Prehistoric Thera | Sunset cruise or a caldera restaurant |
If you only have one day, especially from a cruise ship, a private driver is the difference between seeing four places and seeing one. Our Santorini Iconic Tour takes up to 6 guests to Oia, Firostefani, Prophet Elias, Red Beach and a winery in 4 hours, from 200 euros per vehicle, with pick up from the port, the airport or your hotel. For larger groups the Highlights Tour does the same in a minibus for up to 20 guests, and for anything custom we build the itinerary with you.
Practical tips from people who drive here every day
- Book airport transfers and port transfers in advance in summer. The taxi rank at the airport has a handful of cars for a whole plane and the queue at the port after a ferry can take an hour.
- Oia and Fira lanes are marble and steep. Flat shoes, not flip flops, and a hat, because there is almost no shade on the caldera path.
- Akrotiri and the Museum of Prehistoric Thera close on some weekdays outside high season. Check the day before rather than driving there to find a locked gate.
- Cash is still useful at Ammoudi tavernas, small beach bars and village kiosks.
- If you are staying in Oia or Imerovigli, most cars cannot reach your hotel door. Our drivers know the drop off points and will walk you down with the luggage.
Frequently asked questions about things to do in Santorini
How many days in Santorini is enough?
Two full days cover the caldera villages, the south with Akrotiri and Red Beach, a beach and a winery without rushing. Three days let you add the volcano boat trip and a slower evening or two. One day works only with a driver, because the bus network cannot link Oia, the south and the wineries in a single afternoon.
What are the top 5 things to do in Santorini?
Walk Oia early in the morning and go down to Ammoudi Bay, watch the sunset from the caldera at Imerovigli or Oia, visit the buried Bronze Age town of Akrotiri with Red Beach next door, taste Assyrtiko at a winery near Pyrgos, and see the whole island from Prophet Elias monastery at 600 metres. Everything else is a bonus.
What is the prettiest place in Santorini?
Oia wins for the blue domes and the castle viewpoint, and it is why most visitors come. Locals often prefer Imerovigli for the view of Skaros Rock, and Pyrgos for its arched lanes with a panorama from the castle. Come to Oia at 8 in the morning and you will understand both answers.
Is there anything fun to do in Santorini?
Plenty beyond photos: the boat trip to the volcano with a swim at the hot springs, the 10 kilometre caldera walk from Fira to Oia, a sunset catamaran cruise, wine tasting in the ash vineyards, the cable car and the donkey path at Fira, and a lazy day on the black sand at Perissa or Kamari.
Is Santorini cheap or expensive?
By Greek standards it is expensive, especially for caldera view hotels and restaurants in Oia. Museums, the caldera path, the villages and the beaches cost little or nothing. Transport is where budgets slip: a 4 hour private tour from 200 euros per vehicle often costs less than two taxi rides for a family, and buses are cheap but slow.
Should you wear white in Santorini?
You can, and many people do for photos against the white walls, but it is a style choice rather than a rule. What matters more is flat shoes with grip for the marble lanes, a hat and sunscreen for the shadeless caldera path, and a light layer for the wind that picks up on the rim in the evening.
What's nicer, Mykonos or Santorini?
They are different islands. Santorini has the caldera, the volcano, ancient Akrotiri and the wineries, so it suits couples and anyone who wants scenery and sightseeing. Mykonos has better sandy beaches and a livelier party scene. Many visitors do both by ferry, and the crossing takes 2 to 3 hours depending on the boat.
