My goal of trying to blog more in 2020 has already failed. But now that we're all social distancing (I hope), and I can't do any more traveling for a while, I felt like it was a good time to sit down and reminisce about my last trip to Greece! We booked our tickets 2 weeks in advance, and I did no planning before we arrived. The month before we left was a very stressful month for me, and I was struggling to balance all the things in my life. I was soo excited for Greece, especially Santorini, because I've always imagined it to be a super relaxing place to visit.
When to visit
It really depends on what you're looking for, in my opinion!
Winter season (November-Februaryish) is off-season for Santorini. The sun sets at around 5:00 pm rather than 9:00 pm during summer months, so time is more limited! After sunset a lot of stores and restaurants close. It gets really dark due to lack of street lights, so it's hard to explore at night. However, because it's off-season, there are WAYY fewer tourists. I spent one day in Oia and it was surprisingly super empty. I was able to get all my photos without any people in the background, so it's great if you want a quiet and relaxing visit.
Warmer summer months are great because the ferry boats run more frequently to take you to different islands. I really wanted to visit Mykonos during my trip, but I went in the winter and I didn't plan well in advance to find a way to Mykonos. Summer is also much more lively and crowded, so it's more fun for going out and partying!
Where to stay
Firostefani! I feel like Firostefani quieter and more relaxing than the busier areas like Fira and Oia. Firostefani is about a 15 minute walk from the capital, Fira. So it's still close by but just far enough for you to have some privacy. There's a bus in Fira that will take you to other areas, such as Oia for only 2 euros, and it runs every hour. Or you can take a super scenic 3-hour hike (that I didn't do) from Fira to Oia. We stayed at Dana Villas Infinity Suites. It's a beautiful villa, and the staff was super friendly and helpful. They upgraded us to a grand villa suite for free when we arrived, and we had an outdoor jaccuzi and indoor hidden cave pool!
What to see
Fira
The capital of Santorini is filled with food and cute shops/boutiques. One of my favorite things to do when traveling is people watching, and it's so fun to see all the locals and tourists interacting throughout the day. On the first day we arrived, my luggage unfortunately did not arrive with me, I got to shop around at the cute boutiques while I waited for the airport to locate my luggage! Always try to support the local shops, especially in the winter when tourism is low, as shop owners don't get a lot of business!
Food
- Kipos Garden Restaurant (my favorite)
- Classico Cafe
- Stamna Garden Taverna
- Da Vinci
- Taverna el Greco
Oia
All the photos that I see of pretty blue-domed churches are from this beautiful area. This is also known as one of the best places to watch the sunset and I'm sooo glad I got to experience it! Everything is so beautiful, and the whole area is just full of great photo ops and trendy cafes.
Food
- Skiza Cafe
- Vitrin Cafe
Sunset Cruise
We decided to go on a four-hour sunset cruise. It was really nice, and I'm sure a lot of people would really enjoy it! I usually like to walk around and explore new areas, though, so it's not something that I would likely do again. The cruise was about 90 euros and came with dinner and wine as well. Towards the end of sunset, it got extremely windy and I was FREEZING, so be sure to bring a light jacket with you!
Overall, I thought Santorini was beautiful! I didn't really find too many activities to do, but all the walks/hikes are very scenic, and everything is just very calm and relaxing! I can see why many people visit Santorini on their honeymoons or romantic getaways. I'll be posting about food and Instagrammable places in another post!
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