SANTORINI… oh how I miss you. It feels like forever ago we were in that magical place, so I am really enjoying reliving the memories through the post.
Let me tell you… Santorini really is something else. The second we got of the plane, we were having some serious culture shock, & when we actually got to where we were staying, we literally couldn’t pick our jaws off up the floor.
Planning for Santorini proved to be a little difficult since I couldn’t use my beloved Pinbox app (wouldn’t show up on the maps!), but I asked you guys for tips & did a ton of research! I probably read 50 Santorini travel guides & of course- made a full blown spreadsheet.
That said, all of it kinda went out the window. I didn’t really understand the layout of Santorini before we went, so once I figured it out… a lot of the places on my list became less doable in our short amount of time.
To break it down, Santorini is an island (obviously). It takes 45 minutes to get from end of the island to the other. The top of Santorini is Oia (pronouced ee-uh), it’s at the most northern part of the Caldera. This is the place you saw in Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants or basically any photo ever. To say you’re staying in Santorini is about as general as saying you’re staying in California.
So, since the spreadsheet didn’t work as planned, we kinda just decided to wing it. We talked to locals, explored A LOT, & got to see/do/eat a lot of really amazing things. Of course, I took note of EVERYTHING so I could share it all with you guys. If Santorini isn’t on your travel bucket list, I highly suggest adding it! It’s seriously breathtaking.
» the road to Oia! «
» love all the colors & cute signs all around Oia! «
» Major major major patio goals! «
Where to Stay
We stayed in Oia, as mentioned above, & really enjoyed it. I will say, Oia get’s VERY busy, especially in the Summer months. Cruise ships are coming in left & right and there is a lot of foot traffic. We def. want to go back, but September would probably be a better time.
ALSO- there are a lot of stairs in Oia. Like, A LOT! So, if you’re travelling with someone who doesn’t do well with stairs, Oia is probably not the place for you. That said, it also is VERY romantic & home of the best sunset in the world.
Other places you can look into staying are Imerovigli (quiet & a bit isolated), Fira (city center, more bars, a bit more lively, no beach), or Perissa (most affordable place to say, near the beaches, but no scenic views!).
Lots of choices, & you’re in Santorini, so you really can’t lose!
As for where we slept, this year, we stayed in a HomeAway & I loved it!! We made a major mess of the room (I am VERY carefree on vacay!), so I didn’t snap many photos of our place but if you follow me on Snapchat, you got a peek at our rad little cave house. There are a ton of beautiful hotels as well, but it all depends on what you’re looking for.
Next year, I would maybe try a hotel just because I saw someone getting served the most bomb breakfast on their patio & was slightly jealous. The major bonus of the HomeAway is typically the owner is SUPER helpful & can set up all sorts of things for you (boat rides, shuttles to & from the airport, etc.)
» fresh prawns at the Ammoudi Fish Tavern «
» stuffed our face w/ Santorini lobster pasta & halloumi cheese «
» breakfast at Sunsets Cafe… Greek yogurt in Greece is a whole new ball game! «
Eats
So much amazingggg food in Santorini! Seriously- I love how the Greek eat. Very simple, good, & a lot of seafood!
Sunsets Cafe: this cafe is right in Oia, if you go, you will find it. The food is delicious! We went here for one dinner our first night & got the Greek salad (so good), wasabi salmon (insane), & these amazingggg elderflower cocktails. We went here for breakfast as well- greek yogurt with fruit, scrambled eggs, & lots of bread (the greeks serve lots of bread with every meal).
If you’re a blogger & looking for a good Insta, the tables are marble & the menus are white crocodile. Very photogenic.
Ammoudi Fish Tavern: probably my favorite meal of the trip! You can walk down to Ammoudi Bay at the bottom of Oia & you will find, I believe, about 4 seafood restaurants right on the water. A reader recommended this one, so we tried it out & it was NEXT LEVEL. We got the halloumi cheese & prawns for an app, & then Santorini lobster pasta to share + a bottle of Santorini white wine.
They bring you up to a fish counter to pick your fish or lobster, so you know it’s FRESH!
Lotza: I LOVED Lotza!!! We actually ended up here on accident, but had such a great time. It’s the cutest family owned restaurant & is always packed. We met the brother, father, & cousins. They thought Zack was in a band because of his tattoos & snazzy hat, so they were very interested in talking to us & were so so so sweet.
We left with a hug & an open invitation to visit us in San Diego! This night we were so full so we just got salads, but they were delicious. They also have a restaurant dog named Bella who I was in love with. She sat at our table the entire dinner, so everyday after that, we had to stop by & say hi to Bella girl.
» downing gelato like nobodies business!! «
» the look of love… just me & my street corn <3 «
Yogi Gyros in Fira: if you go to Fira, which you should (more on that in a minute), you will see tons of Gyro spots. We stopped in at Yogi Gyro for lunch & it was the best.Gyro.EVER!!! They stuff their gyro’s with french fries & beers are 2 euro. They also invited us to come to the beach for tequila shots that night, but we passed, the Greek people were REALLY into Zack’s vibe.
Street Corn: Never ever met a street corn I didn’t like, but the one I had in Oia really took the cake. If you ask anyone where the bus stop is, they will point you in the right direction. It’s a whole shopping center up there (lots of touristy knick knacks) & that’s where you will find the street corn stand. It’s a MUST, if you’re a fan of street corn.
Vitrin Cafe: this cafe is also in Oia, & they make a mean cup of Greek coffee. Zack would go here every morning before I got up. Also- the Baklavah is KILLER & they are open late, so it’s a great place to go for a late night sweet treat.
Lolitas Gelato: this was probably the only place on my list I was adamant we go to because so many of you guys said it was killer gelato. You were right! We surprisingly hadn’t had any gelato after 2 weeks in Europe (a crime, basically), so our last two days we went here a total of 3 times. It was that good. Get the Greek Viagra flavor, I don’t know what it is, but it’s so so so good!!
Other: We made a reservation at Ambrosia because it was HIGHLY recommended, but we didn’t end up making it there because we were too busy having fun at the beach. I wouldn’t suggest making too many reservations because it’s way more fun to explore & not be on a time schedule- but people do say this is the most amazing & romantic restaurant on the island. Also, I heard great things about Red Bicycle, but again, we didn’t get to try it this time around!
» the stairs to Oia from Ammoudi Bay & our sweet (very tired) donkey friends! You can see Zack in the back, starting the very long walk up those very intense stairs (beer in hand, obviously). «
» I had so much fun whipping around on our little ATV that I was set on trading in my car for a Vespa when I got home… my Mom wasn’t too stoked on the idea so I decided against it, but man that was FUN! «
» left to right: the lunch view at Ammoudi Bay | sunset serenades | our Santorini kitty, Nala (we were in love & I am not even a cat person) | Kamari beach «
See/Do
Four Wheelers: OKAY- so transportation. I highly highly highly suggest renting a four wheeler for your entire stay! It is SO fun. We took ours down to the bottom of the island twice & to Fira a few times- we had the best time. At first, it’s a little scary, but EVERYONE is on a four wheeler so you will get the hang of it quickly. The ride to the southern end of the island where the beaches are is so beautiful. People do drive a little crazy, but there is no pressure to go fast so if you feel like people are riding your ass or getting too close, just pull off & let them pass. By the end of the trip, Zack & I had to flip a coin on who got to drive.
Shopping in Oia: walking around Oia is always fun, just to check out the shops, but again- it’s very busy so do your shopping earlier in the day. Once it gets closer to sunset, things get way too crazy with all the people. Shopping in Oia is a bit more pricey than shopping in Fira, so don’t get too excited & buy everything you see in Oia cause you can probably get it in Fira for much cheaper. The one thing I got in Oia that I loved were handmade leather sandals. I didn’t find them anywhere else, so that was my big Oia purchase.
Sunset in Oia: The infamous Oia sunset! Okay, so here’s the deal- it really is the most amazing sunset in the world- which is why it gets so crazy. I suggest getting a spot in the center of Oia (you will see where, it’s the place where EVERYONE is gathering) & get there atleast one hour before sunset to make sure you have a good view. Bring some beers & just wait for that sun to set. There are probably 1000 people gathered together to watch, amazing street performers playing music, & when the sunsets… everyone cheers. I guess it’s a Greek tradition to clap when the sunsets in hopes you will get an encore.
If the crowd is too much- you can also make a dinner reservation & ask for a sunset view OR if you’re on a four wheeler- you can drive somewhere to watch it on the road coming into Oia (we did this a few times to avoid the crowd!).
Ammoudi Bay: This is the closest swimming spot to Oia & also where all the seafood restaurants are. We walked the stairs to get to Ammoudi Bay, but I suggest driving a four wheeler down (unless you’re looking for some serious exercise because those stairs are brutal). Whatever you do, don’t ride the donkeys. The stairs are so insane & it’s so hot, I felt horrible when I saw those donkeys trekking up & down them with lazy people on their backs. AWFUL. Once you get down to Ammoudi, you have to walk through the restaurants & around this very clear path to get to where the swimming is.
There is no beach, but everyone lays on the rocks & it’s just fine! You can jump in the water & if you’re brave enough, there is a spot for cliff jumping. I got to the top, looked over the edge, & climbed my ass back down. Cliff jumping is not my vibe, but Zack enjoyed it!
» so much amazing jewelry in Fira! «
» watching the crazy cliff jumpers in Ammoudi Bay. «
Street Animals of Oia: So many street animals! I think some are strays & some have very trusting owners who just let their pets roam. Either way, love on them! They are used to tons of people and are so sweet. We had a house cat who basically lived with us (climbed in Zack’s suitcase every night & stuck her tongue out while begging me to pet her belly). We named her Nala & every night we got back to our place, she was there waiting. I miss Nala!! If you go to Oia– try to find the cat with some notches in her ear & give our girl a kiss from her long lost parents!
Shopping in Fira: On the way to the beaches, you gotta stop in Fira. It’s the city center & capital of Santorini. Basically, it’s where you will go to shop (& eat Gyro’s). Park your four wheeler & just walk around. The jewelry is AMAZING. They have tons of evil eyes & dainty gold pieces perfect for layering.
Kamari Beach: At the southern end of the island there are a few good beaches. Kamari was the easiest to find for us, so that’s where we went our first day. You can rent towels & chairs for very cheap & they will bring you beers/mojitos/food/whatever. The only problem with Kamari is that it’s very rocky, so we mainly just laid out & didn’t do a ton of swimming.
Perissa Beach: the next day we went on a mission to find Perissa beach, which was MUCH less rocky. We also rented chairs & ordered lunch to our chairs (grape leaves, fruit, french fries, & Greek beers!). We loved Perissa beach. My favorite thing I think I’ve ever done in my life is float in the Aegean Sea. It’s SO salty, so are literally weightless. It was the closest I’ve been to relaxing/meditating in many many years. It was so ZEN. My eyes were literally bleeding from the salt to the point Zack was worried, but he could not get me out of the water if he tried.
Sunset Cruise: We didn’t do the sunset cruise because it was very windy & I am horrified of throwing up, but if you don’t get sea sick, it seemed like it COULD be a good time. You can do large group trips or smaller ones & they take you to all the beaches along with some hot springs. They also provide you with lunch & unlimited drinks.
Wine Tasting: another thing we didn’t get to, but when you’re driving across the island there are a TON of place to wine taste. We aren’t huge wine people (unless it’s rose), so this wasn’t a priority for us- BUT the wine we did have was amazing. The Greeks are known for their good wine, so I am sure it’d be great!
» Perissa Beach, also known as the black beach due to the amazing black sand! «
» addicted to floating!!! «
» my gorgeous handmade Santorini sandals, so cute- right?! «