Such a great fun place. It isn't too mad, just nice and quiet, but if you look hard enough you'll find a wild and wonderful place.

For example, O'Dorians pub. They make great cocktails and they are also very cheap. For food, I recommend Santo Food (beside Full Moon) it's such a cheap friendly place.

However, unless you like snobs and stuck-up people who can't pour a pint, I'd stay away from the Full Moon bar.

Main Street Perissa

I agreeI disagree

1.  
2. Send to friends

Stunning site like a little village right on the beach with tents under trees, a mini mart, a tourist office, internet cafe and a bar and taverna.

I agreeI disagree

1.  
2. Send to friends

The wine and the wineries of Santorini is well known to the Greeks ,some of the best wines of Santorini is the Assyrtiko (dry white) the sweet white Vinsanto and the dry red Brusco. Ask for them when you are in Santorini.

www.allaboutgreekwine.com/regions/aegean.htm
www.in2greece.com/english/places/summer/islands/santorini.htm
www.santorini.net/

I agreeI disagree

1.  
2. Send to friends

Avoid Perssia and Fira. Fira is overcrowded, overhyped and feels more like Ibiza than an exclusive Greek island.

Perssia is just plain tacky with an awful beach, and caters only to the British package tour of a certain demographic - as witnessed by ubiquitous signs for 'full English breakfasts' and the Sun and Fredrick Forsyth novels in the newsagents. Whilst Oia is also overcrowded (especially when cruiseships dock), it is indescribably pretty, with better beaches, and with the best views on the island.

Oia doens't have the nightlife of Fira, but the atmosphere is much much nicer, and you can always pop over to Fira to go clubbing.

I agreeI disagree

1.  
2. Send to friends

Melenio cafe is a great place in the centre of Oia. It is on a little terrace and has the best views over Santorini. Very different to the rest of the restaurants/cafes in the village, very relaxed with amazing cakes and fresh juices.

Oia hostel is a great, clean and cheap place to stay (and Santorini certainly isn't cheap). It's very un-hostel like in a positive way and in an excellent location.

Ammoudi port is the best place for a swim in Oia; however the climb back up to the village is pure torture. It is a rocky cove with the clearest water I have ever seen, but space is limited so get there early.

Visiting vineyards is a must, especially as most have small restaurants attached.

Also, Atlantis Books is a rare find of a bookshop anywhere in the world. It is in Oia centre and must be visited, international literature, and the shop is a delight.

I agreeI disagree

1.  
2. Send to friends

Katharos Beach - one of the best beaches in Santorini. Follow signs out of Oia village and it is a 15 minute walk.

It is hidden away between rocksides and cliffs of the island, with some amazing layers of stones acting as your backdrop. Never crowded and no annoying umbrellas/deckchairs to rent. Black sand and amazing waves.

On the way down to the beach there is the Katharos bar, a great relaxed and unpretentious place. Not tacky, not commercial or overstyled (unlike the rest of the island) - open bar, canvas roof, lots of cushions and chilled music. Again, I've never seen it crowded. Great place to have a drink after the beach.

The whole area makes a great change from the rest of Santorini - busy, busy, busy. Those famed sunsets of Santorini refer in fact to those at Katharos beach.

I agreeI disagree

1.  
2. Send to friends

Santorini has some excellent wines, especially its Vin Santo, a sweet wine. I would recommend visiting one of the many vineyards and trying the various wines, quite an experience - but take a taxi! You can also buy the wines from the vineyards for a very good price as well.

www.santorini.gr-santorini.com/wineries/

www.greeka.com/cyclades/santorini/santorini-products/santorini-wines.htm

www.cyclades-orbit.com/santorini/wine-of-santorini.asp

I agreeI disagree

1.  
2. Send to friends

This is a lovely hotel where you don't pay over the odds for the spectacular view of the Caldera.

It is one of the most spellbinding places I have ever stayed and a very romantic spot for couples.

Rooms have their own whitewashed patios outside, layered like massive steps cut into the cliff where you can sit and enjoy a glass of wine or two before heading into town for the evening. It is also just minutes from the action, yet off the beaten track enough to be quiet and private.

Fira 84700, Santorini
www.hotelketi.gr

I agreeI disagree

1.  
2. Send to friends

Once on Santorini, trying to keep in mind that this is not a place to just lie about on the beach, I bought, as a souvenir, a set of more than twenty glass tubes filled with Santorini sand, all in different colors (due to its volcanic past, the island’s beaches are any other colour but white).

Keep in mind that one can get a tan just about anywhere, and for a lot less money. So forget the tan; here on Santorini, excursions are a must! Famous for its caldera and hot springs, the archaeological site of Akrotiri, and the magnificent Santorini wine, there are excellent excursions offered to explore all of these delights ... not to mention the best sunsets in the Mediterranean.

www.greek-vacation.gr

I agreeI disagree

1.  
2. Send to friends

The old port of Santorini originally could only be reached by the long winding set of steps down from Thira. All 888 of them, or 588, but lots! The locals came up with an easy way for seafarers to go up to the town of Fira: use mules to carry people up and down. Today the tourist and charter boats bring tourists in who ride the mules up to Fira for their short stay on Santorini.

One can get to the old port (it is worth a visit) by walking down (which we did). The choice is then to either take a mule ride back up or take its modern equivalent, the cable car. We chose the cable car for the views, speed and smoothness. Both the mules and the cable car cost. One can also think about walking back up... but I recommend against it.

Follow the signs to the steps or the cable car station in Fira. The cable car is 3.50 euro per person each way;
www.theplaka.com/thira/oldport.htm

I agreeI disagree

1.  
2. Send to friends

This island is great because it is on top of a mountain and you can see the great volcano.

From Fraser Mycroft (age 9).

I agreeI disagree

1.  
2. Send to friends

The main Volcanic eruption in Santorini which is disputed to be some time around 1630 BC, is said to have been the downfall of the Minoan civilisation flourishing at that point upon the island. The ruins of this fascinating society can be seen at Akrotiri, which is on the south side of the island.

The capital, Fira, sits above the caldera, which was produced by this eruption, a sheer drop of between 500 and 900 ft. At the very edge of the caldera are a number of cafes and restaurants, some of which serve cake as lovely as the view.

From this location one attempts to visualise the way in which Santorini appeared prior to the main eruption, when it was one large island, as opposed to it’s present form of two main islands, a volcanic island, and a number of smaller ones in between.

The view from the top of the caldera is unquestionably breathtaking, yet serene in its beauty. Not recommended for those who have other things to do that day, as you will probably want to stay for seconds, and possibly thirds.

Boats sail daily from Piraeus to the port at Fira;
www.santorini.com;
www.travel-to-santorini.com;
www.santorini.net;

I agreeI disagree

1.  
2. Send to friends

The sunsets viewed from Santorini are reputed to be the best in the world. I won't argue with that...and I have seen lots of sunsets around the world. The best places to see them are Oia (which is very crowded), Thira (also crowded with tourists), Ammoudi and the edge of the caldera between the port of Santorini and Thira. Just pull off the road (we hired a car to drive around) and watch the spectacle ...awesome.

I agreeI disagree

1.  
2. Send to friends

Take the bus from the main town of Fira to Imerovigli (about a 5 minute ride). Then walk along the rim of the caldera - it's about a 2-3 hour walk with spectacular views of the caldera the whole way. Ia is a great place too, and you can catch the bus from there back to Fira.

The bus station in Fira is located just south of Platia Theotokopoulou. The path from Imerovigli is clearly marked all the way to Ia.

I agreeI disagree

1.  
2. Send to friends

A rocky island rearing out of the Aegean, a short boat ride and a world away from Santorini and Mykonos. Hora is the picture-perfect sugar cube Cycladic capital of Folegandros, all narrow alleys and painted balconies, clinging precariously to the edge of the cliff.

Friendly, laid-back and well off the beaten track, Folegandros also boasts some great secluded beaches, though you may need to do some mountain-goat style scrambling to reach them. Not sure why I'm sharing this tip, actually ... shush, don't tell!

Regular ferry services operate from Santorini, the journey takes around 1 and a half hours.

I agreeI disagree

1.  
2. Send to friends

Lovely taverna on Perissa's beachfront with wonderful, reasonably priced food and lovely service. The best food on the beach - much better than neighbour Charlina's, yet always less busy for some reason.

While at Perissa, avoid the 'club' Full Moon as the music is dire and the dj is very unpleasant if you make polite requests. Cds skip etc.

Also, the Athina Apartments are wonderful, just lovely - in a very quiet part of town.

Perissa Beach is very small, East side of Santorini, you can't miss any of the places mentioned.

I agreeI disagree

1.  
2. Send to friends