Santorini, Greece is BY FAR one of my favorite places in the world because of its picturesque views and iconic white buildings with blue domes – the country itself (Greece) is also one I would visit again, which is quite a bold statement considering that I do not usually repeat countries (gotta visit them all #YOLO). Santorini is just one of many Greek islands, and each one of them has its own unique character (I’m thinking of Mykonos, Ios, Crete, etc.).
When I went: early June 2017 – a good time to go during the year as it is not overly crowded with tourists and the weather is relatively NOT as hot as later in the summer (though I did surprisingly get sunburned and it was not pretty…)
Where I stayed: Kamari – this is a beachtown in the southeastern side of Santorini. It is not as bougie as the northern-located Oia (pronounced ‘ee-ah’) or as central as Thira/Fira, but it definitely has its own charm and is a little bit more hidden than those 2 aforementioned places. My Airbnb felt more like a hotel than an actual Airbnb given that there was cleaning service. The owner who runs the Airbnb also operates a non-profit that helps with the adoption of stray animals, so you’ll see dogs and cats lounging in the area.
To get to Thira/Fira and Oia from Kamari, your best bet is taking the public bus. If you want to go to Oia (or pretty much any area that is NOT Thira/Fira), you have to transfer to another bus at Thira/Fira – essentially Thira/Fira is like the central hub that branches out with the bus routes. A bus stop in Santorini looks like the following:
What to do: rent an ATV – this was an awesome experience and a great way to explore the island! I rented a 50cc ATV for about half a day and explored the southern part of Santorini. To be quite honest, I’m not sure how ATV-friendly the northern part of the island is (starting from Thira/Fira and going north), but the roads were perfect for traveling from Kamari and ending at the southwestern tip where the lighthouse is. Do note that due to the strength of the ATV’s engine (or more like lack thereof), you won’t be going Fast and the Furious speeds and instead will have to pull over to the side when an actual automobile appears behind you to let them pass.
What to do: outdoor movie in Kamari – a nice break from the whatever you were doing in Santorini to catch a movie at Open Air Cinema Kamari. I can’t for the life of me remember what movie was playing when I was there, though, but it was in English (American movie) with Greek subtitles.
What to do: hike from Thira/Fira to Oia – there is a clear (ish) hiking trail that will take you alongside the west coast of the island from the capital to Oia. I would say this trek will take you approximately 3 hours depending on whether you stop to take a break and/or pictures. I ended up doing this hike once I arrived in Santorini and because this was not planned AT ALL, I walked the whole path in flip flops…crazy, I know, because I am 🙂
What to do: wine tasting at Santo Wines Winery in Pyrgos – this is a must-do when you are in Greece! I recall making a reservation before I went considering it was summertime, but you may not have to if you go during off-season (e.g. winter). The ‘Santo Flight 4’ that I selected costs 55 Euros ($63.56 USD) for a 18-sampler flight – yes, 18!
For how to properly down this flight: you start with the whites, then do the rose, and finally finish off with the reds. You’ll get some snacks to munch on so you aren’t consuming on an empty stomach. Nevertheless, this was admittedly a lot of wine, and I’m not sure how I was able to walk down the stairs of the winery with no issues.
