Santorini holidays

Popular holidays

Santorini holidays feature striking sunsets, jet-black beaches, and a sea of whitewashed buildings and blue-domed churches.

A Greek favourite

Santorini sits in the southern part of the Aegean Sea. It’s part of a group of islands known as the Cyclades, made up of a series of pint-sized isles including Mykonos and Paros. Despite its small size, the island’s a popular pick when it comes to Greek getaways – mainly thanks to its picture-perfect scenery. It’s set around a huge crescent-shaped crater – called a caldera –with a host of towns and villages relaxing on its rim. It’s famous for its sunsets, too – you can all but guarantee Santorini’s name will be on the list when it comes to the best places in the world to watch the sun sink out of the sky. Then, there’s its beaches – the lion’s share of Santorini’s swathes have jet-black sand thanks to a volcano which erupted on the island thousands of years ago.

Pint-sized paradise

Santorini’s super easy to explore – you can drive from top to toe in around 40 minutes. The village of Oia takes the limelight in the north and it’s rated as one of the best places to see the sunset. Down on the west coast, Thira – the island’s capital – perches right on the edge of the caldera with whitewashed buildings and blue-topped churches stacked up against the cliffside. Over in the east, you’ve got Perissa and Kamari – both are fitted with stretching black beaches, laidback bars and traditional tavernas. The south side tends to see less tourism, although Akrotiri’s archaeological site is well worth a visit for history buffs.

Secret Santorini

Wherever you cast your eye in Santorini you won’t be short of wow-worthy scenery, but things can get a little busy in the island’s most popular spots. If staying off grid is more your style, the village of Imerovigli might be the perfect pick for you – it’s sandwiched between the villages of Thira and Oia, but the beaches tend to stay much quieter than its counterparts. It feels like time’s stood still further up the coast in Finikia, where cobblestone streets are lined by cave-style houses which have been around for decades.

How long does it take to fly to Santorini?

The flight time from Ireland to Santorini is around four hours.

When is the best time to visit Santorini?

The best time to visit Santorini is during the Spring or Autumn, when the weather is still beautiful and the crowds are smaller. Check out the weather in Santorini month by month throughout the year.

Popular hotels in Santorini

Top things to see and do in Santorini

Beaches

Black-sand beaches

Santorini’s sands are mainly black in colour thanks to a huge volcanic eruption that took place thousands of years ago. The island’s striking beaches often sit at the tail end of towering cliffs which were carved by the eruption, providing the perfect backdrop to your beach snaps.

The big beach

The village of Perissa hosts the island’s biggest beach which stretches along the shoreline for almost seven kilometres. It’s got the Blue Flag seal of approval thanks to super-clear waters which are a dream for avid snorkellers. The sea can get deep quickly here – if you’ve got mini-paddlers in tow, it’s best to head to the north part of the beach where things get a little shallower.

The secret beach

Despite being only a couple of minutes’ walk from the centre of Oia, Katharos Beach feels miles away from the most-trodden tourist areas. It’s sheltered between rocks and cliffs, with only a small restaurant to keep it company.

Shopping

Bargain buys

Souvenir shoppers should head to Kamari or Perissa, where you can pick up local artisan crafts and ceramics at low prices.

Mid-range buys

Gold Street in Thira is the place to head if you’re looking to ramp up your jewellery collection. It’s fitted with more than 40 jewellers, with price tags ranging from pocket-change friendly to the eye-wateringly expensive.

Designer buys

The capital, Thira, is the place to head if you’re up for splashing some cash. Here, boutiques host clothing and shoes from high-end designers as well as picks from local fashionistas.

Nightlife

Laid-back evenings

The likes of Oia and Thira tend to become a little crowded when it comes to sunset time in Santorini. The village of Pyrgos usually escapes lots of footfall despite its panoramic sunset show. It’s unlikely the village’s handful of bars and restaurants will be offering walk-ins around sunset, so it’s still well worth booking a table in advance.

Lively evenings

It’s probably no surprise that Thira, the island’s capital, comes with the biggest selection of nightlife. Many of its bars and clubs perch right on the edge of the caldera and come with sweeping views and low-fi tunes before and after the sun goes down.

Food & drink

Tomatokeftedes

These tomato fitters – or Tomatokeftedes – are made using a special variety of tomatoes that can only be found in Santorini. They’re mixed with onion, a touch of mint and flour before being fried.

Baklava

This dessert’s popular right across Greece, but it’s given an extra special touch in Santorini. The pasty filling is made with homegrown pistachios that come with a super sweet flavour.

Vinsanto

Santorini’s favourite white wine is made using grapes which are sundried for around two weeks. Once the grapes have been crushed and fermented, they’re left to age for around two years. Thanks to vinsanto’s lengthy production process, it tends to come with a higher price tag than your average bottle, so it makes a great choice for special occasions.

Red donkey beer

This tropical-tasting beer is brewed on the island using hops from North America, Europe and New Zealand. If you prefer sour over sweet, order a yellow donkey, which is bitter with a citrus taste.

Fava

This creamy dip is made with fava beans which grow in the island’s volcanic soil. It’s usually served alongside meat dishes, or you can try it as a starter with a helping of fresh bread.