21 Top Santorini Greece Attractions

The very best things to do in Santorini include experiencing a sunset catamaran cruise, boat trips to swim in the hot springs of the volcano, wine tasting, hiking from Fira to Oia, lazing on different colored sand beaches, hanging out at beach bars, cooking classes, visiting Ancient Akrotiri and the Museum of Prehistoric Thera, cliff-jumping, sea kayaking, jet-skiing, and wandering around the whitewashed buildings and blue-domed churches of the caldera villages and towns. And that’s just for starters!

Santorini island is what was left of ancient Thera after a huge volcanic eruption, and it is shaped like a croissant. The western side of the island is the lip of the caldera with the Aegean Sea far below.

The main towns and villages are perched along the caldera cliffs and if it’s your first visit to Santorini island, staying in Oia, Imerovigli, Firestofani, or Fira will be an unforgettable experience.

Let’s get into all the fun things to do in Santorini!

1. Take a Boat Trip

Sailing around Santorini, swimming in the warm pools at the Volcano, and watching the sunset over the island is not just one of Santorini’s main attractions, it’s one of the biggest drawcards in Greece.

Boat trips are the most popular half-day and full-day trips for everyone and depending on the kind you choose, they can be the highlight of a family trip or become your most romantic memories of Santorini.

The most popular is the sunset catamaran cruise. It’s a chance to take a romantic trip to watch one of Santorini’s stunning sunsets from the water.

Most boats leave from either end of eastern Santorini, from Vlachaya marina in the south, or from Amoudi Bay, below Oia at the northern tip of the island.

Embarking from Vlachaya on the south coast means you will finish your trip and disembark at Oia, in time for the sunset.

If you’re still hungry, you can finish the day with a meal at the fish restaurants on the water at Amoudi Bay.

Tours that begin and end at Oia are most often going straight to the volcano and returning or are otherwise sailing in the caldera without putting anchor anywhere.

There are dozens of different tours. Some leave from Athionios Ferry Port instead of the catamarans that leave from Vlachaya or Oia.

Those leaving from the Athionios Ferry Port can have different itineraries, so make sure your tour includes a stop at the destinations you’d like to see.

The cruises stop just offshore from the red beach at Akrotiri. You’ll be able to spot the Akrotiri lighthouse from the boat. The red cliffs and red sand beach give the beach its name.

You can dive off the boat and swim to the beach.

The next stop is the white beach. The catamarans anchor offshore to cook their Greek BBQ.

You’ll dine on a variety of Greek dishes before heading out to the hot springs surrounding the volcanic island that you see from Santorini.

The hot springs are not “hot,” they should be called ‘warm springs’! If you sail out to the hot springs in the months around peak season (such as April and May), the water surrounding the hot springs will be cold. It’s about a 5-meter swim to the hot springs from where the boat will anchor.

You’ll be given flotation aids (like pool noodles) so that you can float around in the warm water.

After you’ve swum in the hot springs [limited to 30 minutes per tour boat), it’s back to shore below Oia at Amoudi Bay as the sun is setting.

This is why cruises that end at Oia are the most popular. It’s definitely the most romantic!

TIP: Don’t wear white when you swim in the hot springs as it can become discolored because of the copper in the water.

The cost of transfers to and from your hotel is usually included and a minivan will be waiting to take you back to your hotel.

Read about all the inclusions, what to take, and more details about the different tours and itineraries and types of boats at Sailing around Santorini: the best Santorini boat tours.

If you’d rather be the master of your own ship, you can rent a boat for a full day.

Note: The most popular tour in Santorini is the Volcanic Islands Cruise with Hot Springs Visit

2. Volcano Tours: Hike to the top of Santorini’s volcano

Most of the caldera of the volcano is submerged. But the other islands that you can see from Santorini island are all parts of the caldera that are above water.

Directly across from Santorini are the two Kameni islands,  Palaia Kameni and Nea Kameni. These black lava islands are a major tourist attraction.

It is possible to hike over the lava to the highest points of the islands.

You don’t need to take a volcano tour to do this – you can hire a boat, but it’s a whole lot simpler to hop aboard one of the daily tours to the volcano.

The other volcanic island you can visit on the same tour is Thirassia Island. Thirassia gives you a sense of how Santorini would have been before it became an international tourist mecca.

3. Fira to Oia hike

The Fira to Oia hike is often considered to be the highlight of a Santorini stay (it sure was for me on my first visit to the island!)

That’s because the blue domes and sapphire sea far below the caldera are Instagram-worthy sites, but the truth is that the whole of this small Greek island is beautiful.

This walk along the spine of the caldera is not just an opportunity to see the iconic blue domes of Santorini up close.

It’s also a way to see the colorful wildflowers, the cliffs plunging down to coves only accessible from the sea, and some of the small churches that dot the island.

You can take beautiful pictures of Santorini that you just can’t get if you stay in the towns and hang out on the beaches.

The hike can be made in either direction. It is 6.5 miles long (almost 10.5 kilometers). Take a picnic and lots of water – it takes a few hours and can be made longer by hiking out to Skaros Rock below Firestofani. The highest point of the hike is 350 meters, as you hike through Imerovigli.

You can do this hike by yourself and you can read about what to take, where to hike, and all the options along the way at Fira to Oia hike: Santorini caldera cliff-top walk.

It includes two of the possible options for extending or ending the walk early.

If you are a little unsure of following the route, or if you would prefer to take a guided tour of the Fira to Oia hiking trail, the 2 best-guided hiking tours of the Caldera train between Fira and Oia are:

4. Exploring Skaros Rock

If you’re visiting Santorini for less than four days, it makes sense to trek out to Skaros Rock when hiking between Fira and Oia, or when you are exploring the village of Imerovigli.

This adds 45 minutes for the Caldera Trail between Fira and Oia.

The trail to Skaros Rock (which is called Cape Skaros) begins at Agios Georgios Church. There will usually be a string of tourists along the path so it’s impossible to miss.

Skaros Rock is worth visiting because of the views out to sea. It was once the best lookout for spotting pirates! But it was also the capital of Santorini until it moved to Fira. It was fortified in the 13th century and a grand Byzantine castle was erected on the outcrop in 1207. It became the biggest settlement on Santorini and had 200 homes and a church at its base.

 Once the island stopped being threatened by pirates, and after earthquakes destroyed the castle, people moved to Imerovigli and Fira.

The Chapel of Panagia Theoskepasti on the cliffs below is still being used. That’s a lot of history on one beautiful little rocky outcrop!

There are a couple of highly-rated private tours of the island that are fully customizable. You can choose to fit in a hike out to Skaros Rock on these half and full-day trips. The best customizable private tour of Santorini is:

5. Wine Tasting and Winery Tours

As you travel around Santorini you can’t but help notice the unusual way that grapevines are planted. Unlike many other popular Greek islands, Santorini is very windy, especially in the off-season.

To protect the vines they are coiled together and stay close to the ground rather than being grown in rows on trellises. The result is low basket-shaped mounds of wines sitting on the ground.

Wine-making is a big deal on this little island. It has been going on since prehistoric times!

There are harvest festivals and grape grape-crushing festivals, and several varieties of grapes that produce wine varieties you can’t find anywhere else.

Santorini is immune to the grapevine disease phylloxera and so it has a large proportion of very old vines.

Santorini wines are generally complex but approachable. Assyrtiko is the most famous grape grown on the island.

It’s my definite favorite but you can find other white varieties such as Athiri and Aidani as well. The most well-known red variety is Mavrotragano.

The scenery of, and from, the wineries and vineyards is incredibly beautiful and there are even a few wineries where you can taste wines on outdoor terraces overlooking the caldera!

One of these magnificent wineries is Santo Winery. If you ask around Santorini for the best winery, you are sure to hear about Santo Wines (or Santos Wines) in the medieval village of Pyrgos.

It is the largest winery on the island and represents a collective of 1200 growers.

The only other winery with spectacular caldera views is Venetsanos winery which is a very popular place for weddings.

Given the danger and illegality of drunk driving on this windy and hilly island, a wine-tasting tour is definitely a good idea! I

f you’re staying in villages such as Pyrgos or Megalochori, you can walk to local wineries but otherwise, you must book ahead in peak season to secure a booking for a winery tour.

A wine tour can be combined with other attractions such as Ancient Akrotiri (see below), cruises, and on a whole day trip, you can visit several wineries.

They can be divided into two kinds of tours:

• the first is Winery Tours where you visit several wineries and taste at least 8 varieties. These sell out the most quickly of all tours on the island (even cruises).

• The second type of tour is the Wine Tasting Tour. You will visit at most two wineries and they are shorter in length and often combined with other sightseeing activities.

• The most popular tours include half-day winery tours and sunset wine-tasting tours.

• For a wider and more detailed list with all the inclusions of the best wine-tasting tours and combo tours, see Best Santorini wineries and wine-tasting tours.

6. Visit Ancient Akrotiri – Greece’s Pompeii

This ancient site was buried by lava when the island of Thera was blown apart by the volcanic eruption.

It is truly Greece’s Pompeii and one of the most intriguing ancient ruins in Greece, but many visitors to Santorini don’t even know it exists!

Ancient Thera is one of the sites thought to be a possible location of the Lost City of Atlantis and you’ll see tourist attractions about Atlantis on the island.

The archaeological site lies at the southern tip of the island, at Akrotiri, very close to the red beach.

Q. Why should you spend your precious holiday time visiting Ancient Santorini?

A. The archaeological site is covered by a roof and walkways have been made above and between the buildings.

There are sections where you can walk the streets of a wealthy Minoan town and peer into the windows of houses built more than 3,500 years ago!

There are frescoes in 3 story villas that have roof-top terraces, running water, and toilets!

If you’d like to make your own way to Ancient Akrotiri, here is the best and most well-priced guided tour:

The best of the Ancient Akrotiri archaeological site guided and private tours are:

7. Museum of Prehistoric Thera

From the outside, it doesn’t look like much from the outside, but the Museum of Prehistoric Thera is a wonderful little archaeological museum, full of the treasures of ancient Thera.

You’ll notice that there is nothing of value left in the excavated village of ancient Akrotiri.

That’s because the objects and frescoes found here were moved to museums in Athens or to the Museum of Prehistoric Thera only a few kilometers away from Ancient Akrotiri in Fira.

The site didn’t contain bodies or almost any precious objects – the Ancient Akrotirians either sailed away or were in Atlantis!

The wall frescoes have been mounted on the walls of the museum and you can find large pottery urns and everyday items that are decorated with sea creatures, waves, and other motifs that show the importance of the Aegean Sea the people of ancient Thera.

Ancient Thera had societies older than the Akrotiri Minoan society that perished in the eruption.

The archaeological museum includes amazing small Cycladic figures carved from stone that are almost 5,000 years old.

8. Relax at Beaches and Beach Bars

Volcanic islands don’t have long stretches of golden sand.

If you’ve taken a boat tour, you will have experienced the white sand at the White Beach, and the Red sand at the Red Beach.

But heading to Kamari Beach and the other beaches along Santorini’s eastern shoreline will give you a chance to experience a black sand beach.

TIP: If you don’t want to take a boat tour but you want to visit White Beach, you can hire a water taxi from Red Beach, which is the next cove to the south. It’s only accessible by sea.

To experience a black beach, head to Perissa, Perivolos, or Kamari. You’ll find a strip beside the beach with beach bars and a fun Mediterranean party atmosphere.

The beach bars are not open in the off-season and the water is too cold to swim in for more than a few minutes! But in summer you can find them beside most beaches, especially on the eastern side of the island.

TIP: If you’d like to stay across from Santorini’s wonderful beaches like Kamari, Perivolos, or Perissa Beach, check out the beachside options at Where to Stay in Santorini.

9. Water Activities: Snorkel, Paddle, Kayak, Scuba Dive, Jet Ski, or Rent a Boat

Explore Santorini from the water (or under the water!) with the best adventure tours. If you want to have the day to yourself, it’s easy to have a full-day boat rental.

Otherwise, there is a wealth of water activities to help you work up an appetite.

10. Go Cliff-Jumping then Dine by the water at Amoudi Bay

300 wide cut steps below Oia is the little jewel of Santorini – tiny Amoudi Bay.

This little bay is lined with seafood tavernas a rocky narrow path leads around to an area where you can swim out to the equally tiny St. Nicholas island.

The island has a small church but the reason people swim out here is to jump off a high rock platform into the green-blue sea below.

You can also take scuba diving classes here. On the other side of Amoudi Bay is a sunken ship you can snorkel and scuba dive around.

Explore the Villages of Santorini

The Fira to Oia hike will take you through the cliffside villages and towns, but if you want to visit Santorini to see locals living their daily lives, head to the villages that aren’t on the “usual” tourist trail.

My favorite villages are Akrotiri, Pyrgos, Megalochori, and Emporio.

There are buses between the caldera towns and the other villages on the island but it’s also convenient to hire a rental car and maximize your sightseeing time.

11. Akrotiri

When you visit the ancient site at Akrotiri, it makes sense to spend time sampling the delights of this very small town. In fact, you could easily spend a whole day in Akrotiri.

After visiting Ancient Akrotiri you can hit the beach – the red beach that is. You can’t miss it. It is immediately north of the tiny village and you can see the red cliffs as you exit the archaeological site.

When hunger strikes, eat at one of the delightful fish tavernas in the tiny village. Resume your day at the red beach but trek up to Akrotiri lighthouse to watch the sunset.

Akrotiri lighthouse is one of the oldest in Greece and like any lookout along the island, it is a great place to watch the sunset and has a panoramic view of the island and the Aegean Sea.

12. Pyrgos

Up in the interior of Santorini is the hillside village of Pyrgos (Pyrgos Kallistis). Pyrgos is located just below Mount Prophitis Ilias, the highest point on the island.

It is the highest settlement on the island with panoramic views over the entire island. It’s also a beautiful village, with some truly unspoiled remnants from traditional Greek life.

The main attraction of Pyrgos lies in the ruins of the castle which was a formidable defensive structure to protect the people of Santorini. To find the Kasteli, simply head up the hill from the main square.

Apart from its history of being a military stronghold, Pyrgos was once a holy city with numerous churches and chapels built throughout the area around Mount Prophitis Ilias and its famed monastery.

Since 1950. Pyrgos has been a ‘protected settlement’ because of its medieval layout and buildings. It’s a delightful village to wander around and stop in at the upscale bakeries and wine bars.

There is lovely accommodation with incredible views, including exclusive Adults-Only luxury boutique hotels.

For more reasons to visit Pyrgos, read Charming Pyrgos Santorini – a guide to this traditional village.

13. Megalochori

The name “Megalochori” means “great Village” and it’s been a village since the 17th century.

Its white churches, pirate hideouts, and boutique lodging are scattered along the cobblestone streets and alleyways of the traditional village.

Rather than hiding from the pirates that were such a menace to the Santorini fleet, Megalochori welcomed them and it became a hideout for many well-known pirates.

Once privacy had become rare, Megalochori was still a bustling trade village, exporting wine across Europe.

The 1956 earthquake caused many of the older buildings to collapse and it’s only been in recent years that traditional houses have been restored and the wine-making industry revived.

It’s a fascinating part of life on the Cyclades islands. You can read a comprehensive guide to Megalochori village here.

14. Emporio

Emporio is Santorini’s largest town. It feels far away from the sophistication of Oia and the Caldera edge villages and towns, but it has its own charm.

It has very good value accommodation and everything you’d like to see in a small Greek Island village, including churches (of course) but also towers, windmills, Venetian castles, and colorful doors.

It’s near great beaches and it has deserted and eerie buildings and alleyways to explore.

There are parts of the old Kasteli complex that are deserted and very photogenic and its heart is – well, I don’t want to spoil the secret – but you won’t regret a wander into the heart of this interesting village.

It feels like you’re a million miles from Oia but you can be back in time to have a cocktail and watch the sunset!

Like the other villages of Santorini, there is wonderful accommodation, you just have to know where to find it – here’s how: Where to Stay in Santorini

To know all there is to explore in this lovely old town, read Village of Emporio Santorini: Complete Travel Guide.

Best Tours of Santorini’s Villages

If you don’t have a car, are short of time, want to take a shore excursion, or would like to indulge in some wine-tasting along the way, half and full-day tours to the villages of Santorini can be an efficient and unforgettable Santorini experience.

Here are the 6 best ones (you’re spoiled for choice!) :

Best 3 Tours for Visiting Santorini’s Villages

15. Stay in a Traditional Cave Hotel

Each of the Greek islands has unique aspects because of the history of trade and invasions throughout the Mediterranean.

The high caldera walls on this volcanic island have natural and human-made caves that have become known as “cave houses.”

If you visit Santorini and want to stay in one of the unique aspects of this particular Greek island, then there are a great number of luxury cave houses to stay in.

Santorini’s history as a maritime trading nation meant that it attracted pirates. Some of the cave houses were made to protect sailors from pirates.

These days luxury hotels are made from cave houses. Some have a private pool or hot tub on a private terrace. Some cave houses even have a swimming pool carved into the lava that extends inside and outside the cave house!

Here are the best cave pool hotels for a perfect (and traditional) Santorini holiday: Best 13 Santorini Hotels with Cave Pools + River Cave Pools

16. Take a Cable Car ride up and down the Caldera cliff

Another unique way to see Santorini is to ride the cable car from Fira to the old port of Santorini. This interesting trip is for travelers by arriving at the old port, such as on cruise ships.

Skala is the name of the old port. It is also called the Santorini Old Harbor and the Santorini Cruise Port.

With 80,000 visitors from cruise ships alighting here each day in peak season from cruise ships, it’s important to time your visit for a day when there are no, or few, cruise ships.

Tip: Don’t try to take the cable car when cruise ships are arriving or leaving each day or you could be in line for a couple of hours!

Otherwise, tickets can be purchased immediately before your ride (no advanced purchase) at the ticket office at both ends of the ride.

A return trip is double the cost of a single trip and there are no discounts. You can use cash or a card but you can’t buy them online.

The schedule of the cable car is for 20 minutes between cars.

You can ride the cable car each day from 06:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. and you’ll pay €6 each way for an adult and €3 for a child ( 5-10 years). Children < 5 are free.

17. Check out the Highest Point on Santorini

The whole island of Santorini is only 18 kilometers long and 12 kilometers wide.

The Monastery of Mount Profitis Ilias (Moni Profitou Iliou) sits atop the highest point and from here you can see the entire island!

Mount Profitis Ilias is 5 kilometers from the village of Pyrgos. The trail to the Monastery begins in Pyrgos’ main square.

It’s also possible to rent a car to get there, and there are also bus tours of the island, so you can visit the monastery as part of a day trip by bus.

It is 565 meters or 1,852 ft above the Aegean Sea and it’s a great place to look out to sea and trace the Santorini caldera caused by the great volcanic eruption which is what’s left of ancient Thera.

But it’s also interesting because it was a very wealthy monastery with a school and was a center for Greek literature. It became rich because it had its own private ship.

You can’t see inside the monastery (there are some wine-making monks still living there), but you can visit the 4 chapels surrounding the Monastery.

The bell tower of the Monastery is very impressive and makes for great photos.

18. Discover Santorini’s Venetian Castles and Fortresses

During the time of the Venetian era of Santorini (1207-1580), the Byzantines and then the Frankish Empire occupied the island.

The new rulers of the island created fortifications and they built Goulades, or Towers, to live in. They had moved inland and established fortresses to protect themselves from pirate raids.

There are five castles and fortresses or towers that you can visit by yourself or as part of a tour. You’ll find them at Oia, Skaros, Pyrgos, Emporio (or Emborio), and Akrotiri.

The most interesting Goulades is in the village of Emporio.

You can reach these castles and Goulades by car, taxi, or by using the bus system.

You can add them as stops on your way to nearby attractions, or you can take the hassle out of getting there yourself, and take an interesting tour that will give you more than the ‘regular’ Santorini beach-and-volcano short holiday experience.

19. Go Horseriding in a Volcanic Landscape or at Sunset

Ride along village paths, through vineyards and farms, along black sand beaches, and past lookouts on the best Santorini horseriding tours.

These tours include sunset rides and rides through volcanic landscapes. It’s much better to ride the horses than the poor old donkeys on the Oia steps down to Amoudi Bay!

What don’t they include? The main stables in Santorini are in Megalochori and they don’t include hotel pick-up and drop off so you’ll need to get a taxi, bus, or your own transportation there and back.

Also, I always ride in gloves and I take them to the Greek Islands because I’m likely to come across somewhere I can canter a horse along a beach!

How long are the rides? The total time is 1.5, 2, or 2.5 hours.

Do I need to know how to ride a horse? No, not for all the tours except for the tour that is for experienced riders only.

20. Catch a Movie a drink and dinner at Santorini’s Open Air Cinemas

Surely this has to be one of the most scenic outdoor cinemas anywhere in the world!

Volkan on the Rocks is on the cliff path at Firestofani, a 7-minute walk from the cable car. Drinks and meals are served before, during, and after each movie.

But all of this fine wine and dining doesn’t matter at all – what matters is the incredible view of the volcano, over the island of Santorini, and out to the Aegean Sea from Volkan on the Rocks.

It’s a treat for all the senses and another great way to fit in a Santorini sunset doing something unique and memorable!

In Kamari, you can find the charming Kamari Open Air Cinema.

Located on the way to Kamari village and enclosed within a thicket of trees, this cinema shows the latest Western movies and has a bar and snack shop.

You have to buy your tickets at the door before the show starts and there are no seat numbers on the tickets.

Tip: Arrive at 8 pm to get seats and make sure all of your party arrives at the same time as you can’t “save” seats for your friends to join you later.

Families love this theater in part because it is close to the beach resorts with family-friendly accommodations. These theaters are only open in summer and make a great evening out.

21. Eat and Drink Santorini Produce – Foodie Tours and Cooking Classes

Why should you take a Greek cooking class when you visit Santorini?

Like many regions of Greece, Santorini grows products not grown in other places in Greece. Fava beans, Santorini Salad, Santorini tomatoes, seafood caught in the waters around the island, and wines that originate in Santorini should all be on your list of what to eat and drink when you visit Santorini.

Fava and Santorini tomatoes are examples of Santorini specialty foods, and of course, some of the incredible wine you can experience here is also unique.

If you’ve been to a fish taverna at Akrotiri or Amoudi Bay, you already know that the most amazing food involves freshly caught fish and octopus.

Swordfish are caught in the Aegean Sea around Santorini as well as some other Greek islands.

The high season for swordfish is August and September and another great reason to visit Santorini at the end of the summer season!

If you would like to walk, tour, visit farms, and wineries, or pair food with wine tastings, then there are several excellent foodie tours.

They include trips to the local Santorini market, visits to tavernas, and sampling of Santorini products like olive oil and honey produced on the island.

The best three highly rated foodie tours are below.

Cooking classes can be taken in several places. Some can be taken on the water, on a farm, and combined with wine tasting, hiking, and snorkeling! Here are the best 3.