Where to Stay in Santorini (Detailed Area Guide)
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Looking at where to stay in Santorini? I’ve got you covered! This post explains the best places to stay in Santorini for short holidays and trips.
Knowing where to stay in Santorini is super important to making sure you have the best trip possible.
We found that each main area had something different to offer, and we definitely preferred some to others!
From a quick Google, you will find that Oia is the most popular place to stay in. But, it is by far the most expensive, and personally, I think the most overrated (controversial, but true).
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Where to stay in Santorini
When deciding where to stay in Santorini you need to consider;
Do you want a view of the sunset every night?
Or would you rather prefer a beach town?
I highly recommend a caldera town, just as the sunsets in Santorini are unlike no other.
However, beach towns (because they face away from the sunset) are less expensive.
If you do decide to stay in a beach town and still want to experience a Santorini sunset, don’t worry! You can take a 20 min drive to reach a spot with a good view, so it isn’t the end of the world.
Below I have listed where to stay in Santorini. I’ve also outlined what each place is perfect for, and what kind of visitor.
NOTE: You don’t always have to go where the majority goes.
Sometimes it pays off to be different (and for us, it certainly did).
🐴 I’d also like to highlight how important it is to NOT ride the donkeys in Santorini. No matter how many stairs you may have to climb, or how hot it may be for you to carry your luggage, it is animal cruelty – full stop.
The more we engage and pay for donkey transport, the most the locals will use them. Under no circumstances should you need to use a donkey for transportation.
Where to stay in Santorini: Where’s best for who?
- Megalochori: Couples, solo travellers, culture, sunset views, budget-friendly.
- Thira: groups of friends, solo travellers, nightlife, shopping, variety of food, sunset views, budget-friendly.
- Akrotiri: couples, history, culture, seclusion, sunset views, budget-friendly.
- Kamari: families, couples, beaches, kid-friendly vibe.
- Imerovigli: honeymooners, couples, seniors, tranquility, sunset views, luxury accommodation.
- Oia: honeymooners, couples, sunset views, luxury accommodation.
- Perissa: families, couples, beaches, kid-friendly vibe.
- Firostefani: couples, budget-friendly.
Area Guide of Where to Stay in Santorini
1. Megalochori
Megalochori is where we stayed for the majority of our trip.
It’s a traditional, quiet Greek village in the southwest of the island. It is also 9 kilometres from Thira, the capital of Santorini.
Megalochori is so underrated and I couldn’t recommend it enough if you’re staying in Santorini for the first time.
The village is full of bright white buildings, traditional blue domes, and bougainvillaea trees with blooming pink petals (which make a great photo).
Megalochori is like stepping into the everyday life of a Greek living in Santorini.
On a Sunday morning, you’ll find the streets to be full of church-goers and locals. They’ll be listening to the priest reading the traditional Greek Orthodox sermon.
As the church bells ring and the service comes to an end, the locals will spend their morning socialising, eating and drinking wine together. It’s really a lovely sight!
🦉 TOP TIP: If you exit the main town and walk for five minutes to the cliff edge, you can see unbeatable views of the sunset (without having to pay for an expensive hotel room!)
💸 If you want to leave Megalochori for the day, it’s super easy to rent a car or ATV.
Cars cost around €60-80 a day, whilst ATV’s cost around €50-90 per day.
This may sound like a lot, but taxis around the island are way more. (You can be charged up to €60 to drive to Oia!)
💸 Travelling to Thira by taxi from Megalochori costs around €20. You can check out my detailed guide into getting around Santorini here.
2. Thira
Located directly opposite the caldera, Thira is the capital of Santorini and the largest town on the island.
With a vibrant and lively atmosphere, if you like staying somewhere with a wide variety of food options, shops, bars, and nightlife, Thira is probably going to be your best option.
If you’re not planning on renting a car or ATV, Thira is the main transportation hub, and you can reach any of the other local areas by bus, making it an ideal place to stay.
There are also many taxi ranks dotted around the area (although I really wouldn’t recommend taxis everywhere, they’re very expensive!)
Once you’ve exhausted all of the options in the main town, you can clamber down nearly 600 steps (or a cable car) to the Old Port, which is located at the bottom of the cliff edge.
The port offers a different perspective of the volcano and has some traditional Greek restaurants and even a folklore museum for you to visit.
Again, Thira isn’t too big, and staying anywhere around the town will be within walking distance to the centre. Just remember to book a restaurant or bar early if you want a good view of the sunset!
🦉 TOP TIP: If you’re travelling in a time of Covid testing, Thira is a quick and easy place to take a test and receive your negative Covid evidence. Que outside the pharmacy, fill in a form and they’ll do your test and results there and then.
3. Akrotiri
Further south of the island, is Akrotiri, a historical town that will give you an insight into Santorini’s past.
Akrotiri is a quiet, sleepy town that was first inhabited in the Neolithic age.
The town’s port meant that Akrotiri was originally one of the most populated areas in Santorini, before the destructive 17th century BC volcanic eruption.
To learn more about the eruption and the history of the island, you can visit the archeological site for under 20 Euros. Even if you are not staying in Akrotiri, it’s an interesting day out, and an eye-opening experience.
As well as the town being full of history and culture, Akrotiri is home to Red Beach, Vlichada, and Perivolas.
Although it’s worth bearing in mind that the beaches here can be hard to get to! They require some scrambling over rocks (be sure to ask a local or your hotel for the best way to get there!)
However the beaches are a cheap day out, and if you’re visiting Santorini on a budget, they’re a great way to enjoy your day.
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4. Kamari
Kamari is on the opposite side of the island, and is a small coastal town. We found it to be perfect for families and larger groups.
The beach stretches miles long, and lies right under Meso Vouno, the island’s highest mountain.
Kamari is full of five-star hotels as well as less expensive rooms for a lower- budget traveller in Santorini.
Although none of the beaches in Santorini have dreamy white sand, the volcanic black sand throws a unique spin to the island (and also looks great in photos).
Kamari beach is a great place for swimming and snorkelling, and the promenade is lined with trendy cafes, seafood restaurants and cocktail bars.
Kamari is easy to reach from Thira and only takes around 15 minutes on the bus. Check out my getting around Santorini guide here.
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5. Imerovigli
Situated to the north of Thira on a high cliff edge, is the bright white town of Imerovigli.
Full of high-end accommodation, Imerovigli is perfect for honeymooners or couples willing to pay a bit extra for panoramic views of the ocean and caldera.
Imerovigli is quieter than most of the other towns, but it still has some restaurants and cafes to explore if you want to head out of your hotel.
We found Imerovigli to be one of the best photo spots, as there are plenty of blue domes and traditional Greek buildings, and hardly any tourists!
This meant no queuing for a photo and having other people watch you whilst you pose!
Imerovigli is also home to Skaros Rock, a rocky headland that protrudes out to the Aegean ocean.
This takes around an hour to reach, but I’ve heard it can be quite challenging due to some rock climbing before the peak. Make sure you do your research before heading off!
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6. Perissa Beach
Perissa is home to another black sandy beach, and is located just south of Kamari.
With a quieter vibe than Kamari, Perissa still has lots of hotels, bars and restaurants to choose from, as well as lots of beach activities for kids.
The beach stretches along the coast line, leading into Perivolos.
Perissa is suited to all types of budget, as the beachfront area in Perivolos is one of the most upcoming luxurious beach fronts in Santorini, as well as being home to friendlier budget hotels and apartments.
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7. Oia
Oia is by far the most popular place to stay in Santorini (but my least favourite).
It’s a coastal town on the northwest tip of the island and is home to the winding narrow steps you’ve seen all over Instagram.
The village is built on the cliff edge, and is full of the typical Greek whitewashed buildings and blue domed churches.
Every aspect of the scenery here has been thought of, right down to the colour of the flowers and the smoothened-out cobbled pavement (and it can get slippy!)
Oia is a great place to get your classic Instagram photos, although you might be waiting a while to get the best spots. We found there were queues in most of the most picturesque spots, and ended up doing most of our photos in Imerovigli instead!
The bars and restaurants in Oia will get full pretty quickly, and it’s near enough impossible to get a booking around sunset. If you have your eye on somewhere, I’d recommend booking way in advance!
The area is also home to Oia Castle, which is known to be a great spot to watch the sunset. (You just may have to climb on top of a stranger’s head to see anything).
My controversial opinion on Oia
I did like Oia, but I found it was quite artificial. It’s also suited more to a luxury traveller (which we all know I’m not).
Everything was expensive. Everything.
Even down to a takeaway beer.
Oh, and the traffic – wow!
Do not try and drive around Oia around sunset. You will quite literally be gridlocked and probably end up missing it all.
If you do want to watch the sunset in Oia and you’re not staying there, arrive a few hours early to get a good spot. (And a car parking space).
We saw people parking up for the view over 3 hours before!
I’d definitely recommend a visit to Oia, but the surrounding towns are just as good (and are cheaper).
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8. Firostefani
Firostefani is around a ten-minute walk from the capital Thira. There is a short footpath that leads you straight to Thira’s centre.
It is actually an extension of the capital, making it a good place to stay if you want the closeness of a busy town, but want a bit of quiet.
There are a few restaurants and bars in Firostefani, and a cute bakery to grab breakfast.
It is a great place to stay in Santorini for its caldera and sunset views.
You can wind your way through the narrow streets and find a cliff edge or balcony to watch the sunset for free.
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Where to Stay in Santorini if you’re visiting for the first time
When you’re visiting Santorini for the first time, and you have a backpacker budget, I would advise avoiding Oia. Instead stay in either Thira, Akrotiri, or Megalochori.
Stick to the caldera viewpoints. Stay out of the bustle and chaos of Oia (unless that’s what you’re looking for).
If you do have a high budget and want high-end accommodation, book a hotel in Imerovigli or Oia.
However, if I stayed in Oia, I would want a hotel that covered pretty much everything. I’m talking breakfast, lunch, dinner, and drinks. Walking around Oia in peak season is hectic!
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When is the best time to visit Santorini?
The best time to visit Santorini is between June – October.
But remember, summer months mean lots of tourists, so reservations can be hard to get.
Be well prepared and book your stay, restaurants and excursions in advance (we learnt this the hard way!)
If you want to save some pennies, spring is a nice time to visit, and the crowds are less chaotic.
However, not all restaurants and hotels will be open, and a lot use the winter and spring months for refurbishment.
All areas listed in this post can get very busy in peak times (June – September/October). But this is definitely still the time I would recommend visiting.
Out of peak times (especially around November – February), the island is very quiet, a lot of restaurants and bars aren’t open and many hotels are closed for refurbishment.
Check out my Santorini on a budget guide here.
Looking for the best time to travel to Europe? I’ve got you. Best Time To Go Interrailing (Europe) 2022 Guide: MUST-READ!
Where to stay in Santorini: In a Nutshell
Knowing where to stay in Santorini is an important part of planning your trip to the island! I hope this post has helped you to plan your dreamy Santorini holiday.
Overall, wherever you stay in Santorini, you will have an amazing visit.
The incredible views, food, beaches and vibe of the island is unbeatable.
Got a question about where to stay in Santorini? Write it in the comments below!
Happy travelling! 🙂
Jennie x
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