Get rid of all your preconceived stereotypes about this beautiful Greek paradise. Santorini is not just a tourist hub or your average romantic getaway destination… For starters the island of Santorini is set on an active volcano! It’s also filled with stunning nature, hiking, and unbelievable views which makes Santorini the perfect place even if you’re on a budget. So prepare for a super dose of wanderlust as you discover why this is the perfect spot for your next Greek vacation!


MAGICAL SANTORINI VIEWS

You can’t mention the most famous island in Greece without highlighting the unbelievable Santorini views. The town of Oia is world renowned for having some of the most beautiful architecture and sunsets in the world!

It’s almost impossible for photos to truly do Santorini justice. You will soon discover that basically everything from hiking on Santorini to eating out will be accompanied by a truly breathtaking view.


DELICIOUS GREEK FOOD

It doesn’t matter if you’re grabbing a spinach pastry from the bakery, sampling some local street food, or enjoying some authentic Moussaka in a luxury restaurant. One thing is for sure, it will all be AMAZING! The food in Santorini highlights the best of what Greece has to offer.


Some of best meals of my life have been in Santorini, where instead of a menu you are commonly presented with the seafood that was caught that morning. This is the laid back delicious eating experience you’ll find here! Don’t get us wrong. Everyone knows the island of Santorini has expensive taste. However, there’s still plenty of hidden gems to find if you’re visiting Santorini on a budget.

SMALL ISLAND TOWNS OF SANTORINI

While everyone knows the popular districts on the island of Santorini, you should not confine yourself to one small area! The main town of Fira is full of small streets packed with shopping and restaurants, while Oia holds a maze of stairs and signature Santorini views.


Make sure to also check out the lesser known parts of the island like the gorgeous villages of Imeravigli, Akrotiri, and Perissa.



THE SANTORINI VOLCANO

At first you might not realize that you’re standing on a volcano as you stare out admiring the Aegean sea, but you are! The Santorini Caldera dates back over 70,000 years and once formed a complete circle. However, after one of the biggest eruptions in history around 1600 BCE it split apart into the shape you see today.


Take a tour from Fira, where you hike around the Santorini volcano and get some insanely beautiful views of the island at the same time. After that, the boat will take you to natural thermal springs where you swim directly from the boat into the warm volcanic waters! Swimming in volcanic thermal springs, in the Aegean sea, while overlooking Santorini in the distance. What’s better than that?


SANTORINI BEACHES

Competing with the stunning views the Santorini volcano, the beautiful beaches are often overlooked and under visited. This is good news for anyone who makes the journey to the pristine and basically empty beaches! The island is so diverse, that even its beaches have a range of different colored sand and backdrops.


They’re filled with red, black, white or grey sand, allowing you to take your pick. While there’s many expensive things to do on the island, the beach is always free for those visiting Santorini on a budget! We would highly recommend both Red Beach, or the incredible Vilihada.



HIKING ON SANTORINI FROM FIRA TO OIA


For some of the best views and beautiful nature on the islands, take the costal hike from Fira to Oia. This stunning 9 km hike will take take a few hours to complete, but it’s well worth every second! Half of the distance is marked by a beautiful walkway, and the other is a rustic small path.


Spend the afternoon finding your way, and catching some truly amazing views. In high season, there are even pop up cafés open along the route to grab water and snacks.



HISTORY OF THE ISLAND OF SANTORINI


You don’t have to travel all the way to Athens to get a taste of Greek History. Take a visit to Ancient Thera, where you can walk back in time as you explore these ancient and well preserved ruins. Located high on Mesa Vouna, this is the highest point in Santorini, and offers the views to support its prime location!



LOCAL WINE TASTING


The small island of Santorini is packed with several great vineyards. Greece is not often thought of for it’s world class wines, but it should be! If you want to experience the best of Santorini without traveling from vineyard to vineyard look no further then Venetsanos Winery.


This restaurant and wine bar gives you sweeping views of Santorini, and does an amazing job showcasing all the best wines on the island. If you’re going to do a wine tasting anywhere in the world, there is nowhere with better views than this!