10 Unmissable Things to Do in Santorini
Santorini is far more than whitewashed buildings and sunsets. From prehistoric ruins to volcanic hot springs, here are the ten experiences that define a genuinely complete visit to the island.
1. Walk the Caldera Path from Fira to Oia
The Caldera footpath is Santorini's finest free experience. The full route from Fira to Oia covers around 10 kilometres and takes three to five hours, passing through Firostefani and Imerovigli with the volcano and Aegean spread below you throughout. Wear good shoes, carry water, and start early in summer to avoid the midday heat. The path can be walked in either direction, or in sections — even a 30-minute stretch north from Fira toward Firostefani rewards with extraordinary views.
2. Visit Ancient Akrotiri
Buried under volcanic ash in roughly 1600 BCE, Akrotiri is often called the "Pompeii of the Aegean" — and the comparison is apt. The Bronze Age Minoan city is extraordinarily preserved, with multi-storey buildings, sophisticated drainage systems, and vibrant frescoes still in place. The entire site is covered by a modern shelter, making it comfortable to visit year-round. Allow two hours and combine it with a beach visit to nearby Red Beach or Perissa immediately after.
3. Go Wine Tasting
Santorini produces some of Greece's most distinctive wines, grown in a unique volcanic soil that gives the indigenous Assyrtiko grape its characteristic mineral salinity. The vines are trained into low basket shapes (kouloura) that protect them from the wind and trap morning dew. Several wineries near Pyrgos, Megalochori, and Oia offer tastings and tours. Santo Wines, perched on the caldera rim, combines cellar-door wines with panoramic views. Canava Roussos and Domaine Sigalas are favoured by wine enthusiasts for their focus on serious viticulture.
4. Swim at Perissa or Kamari Black Sand Beach
The eastern coast of Santorini is lined with beaches of black volcanic sand — unique and striking, though the sand absorbs heat intensely in summer so water shoes are advisable. Perissa and Kamari are the largest and most organised, with sunbeds, tavernas, and water sports. For something wilder, the Red Beach near Akrotiri, framed by sheer red volcanic cliffs, is one of the most visually dramatic beaches in Greece, though it requires a short walk over rocky ground to access.
5. Take a Sunset Caldera Cruise
A boat trip around the caldera offers perspectives on the island that no clifftop view can match. Standard tours typically include a stop to swim in the hot springs near Nea Kameni, a walk on the volcanic island itself, time at the White Beach, and a return during the golden hour. Catamaran tours (semi-private, for groups of 6-8) offer a more relaxed experience than larger boat tours. Book in advance during peak season.
6. Explore Pyrgos Village
Pyrgos is the highest village on the island and, many residents argue, its most authentic. Built in a concentric medieval pattern around a Venetian castle, it sees a fraction of the visitors that crowd Fira and Oia. The village rewards slow exploration: small churches, winding paths, and views across the entire island to both coasts. The Tomato Industrial Museum nearby provides an unexpected window into Santorini's pre-tourism agricultural history.
7. Visit the Museum of Prehistoric Thera
Located in Fira, this small but extraordinary museum houses the finest collection of Akrotiri artefacts outside Athens, including the famous "Spring Fresco" — a vivid wall painting of swallows and lilies considered one of the most beautiful surviving artworks of the ancient Aegean world. Budget an hour. The museum is air-conditioned, which during summer makes it a particularly pleasant midday stop.
8. Try a Santorini Cooking Class
Several operators offer cooking experiences focused on the island's distinctive cuisine: fava (yellow split pea purée), white aubergine, tomatokeftedes (tomato fritters made from the island's tiny, intensely flavoured tomatoes), and fresh seafood. A cooking class combines cultural insight with a meal. Many are held in private homes or traditional settings and include a market visit and wine pairing.
9. Take a Day Trip to Thirasia
The small island of Thirasia, separated from Santorini's northwest coast by a narrow channel, is what Santorini was perhaps thirty years ago: quiet, largely untouched by tourism, with a handful of tavernas, steep paths, and dramatic views back toward the caldera. Day trips run from Ammoudi Bay (below Oia) or by private boat arrangement. An afternoon on Thirasia, ending with fresh fish at the harbour taverna, is genuinely memorable.
10. Watch the Stars from the Caldera Edge
On clear nights, which are common from late spring through early autumn, the caldera edge becomes one of the best stargazing spots in the Aegean. With minimal light pollution over open water and high elevation, the Milky Way is clearly visible on moonless nights. A late evening walk north from Fira toward Imerovigli, away from the lit restaurant terraces, rewards with a sky that most visitors, focused entirely on the sunset, never think to look up at after dark.
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