Top Things To Do in Santorini, Greece

1. Explore the streets of Oia

Oia is everything you imagine when you first think of Greece - sparkling water and blue and white buildings perched on seaside cliffs. The narrow, flower-lined streets can get so busy that it can cause traffic jams of people, but we went in the shoulder season (end of Sept/Oct), and did not run into this issue. There are numerous shops and restaurants, along with places to sit and watch the Santorini sunsets.

2. Have a sunset dinner on Amoudi Bay

From Oia, take the paved walkway down the hillside to Amoudi Bay. There are multiple restaurants with outdoor seating right on the water. We were able to take our pick of freshly caught fish, which the restaurant cooked right in front of us.

3. Stay in a cave hotel

Traditional cave houses are built into the cliffs of Santorini. It is a unique hotel stay which also comes with incredible caldera or village views. I also swear it is some of the best sleep I've ever had on vacation - the rooms at night are very dark, cool, and extremely quiet.

Room at the Alta Mare by Andronis Hotel

4. Hike from Oia to Fira (or vice versa)

Take the trail/road between the towns, which takes 2-2.5 hours on foot. At times, the trail would switch from road to hiking trail and it could be hard to follow - however, you are basically hiking the ridge of the island so was always easy to find our way again. This was a peaceful walk that is fairly flat the whole way. Definitely wear good shoes and bring water and sunscreen. We ate lunch in Fira and then took the bus back to Oia.

5. Visit a winery

Domaine Sigalas is a great option close to Oia, but there are multiple wineries on the island to choose from. It is possible to walk to Domaine Sigalas from Oia (30-45 minutes), just keep in mind that the walk back is uphill. We ended up calling a taxi to get back to our hotel due to the wine and mid-day sun :)

6. Take a boat around the island

There are private and group options, and stops often include Red Beach, White Beach, and the local hot springs. Ours ended with a sunset dinner on the water.

7. Add a few days in Mykonos to your trip

This is an easy ~2.5 hour ferry from Santorini, and is on the way back the Athens. Mykonos has a completely different vibe and is definitely worth a few days of your trip. Because we went at the end of September/early October, Mykonos had already started to close down some of their restaurants for the season, but we still had a great time and perfect weather.