Things to do Santorini Greece
An island with more churches than houses, more donkeys than people, and more wine than water (or so a sign on the bathroom door told me)… Santorini really is a place like no either. Underwhelming is not a word that enters the vocabulary when you first lay eyes on this island. Hundreds of white-washed buildings gathered together on a striking volcanic cliff, with the rich, blue Mediterranean ocean is perfectly complemented by the signature blue domes of the many churches scattered around the island… It truly is a sight to behold. During our five day stay in Santorini, we rode donkeys, climbed an active volcano, jumped off a boat in to hot springs, went quad biking through the crazy roads, sun-baked on black sand beaches, dived in to crystal clear waters, drunk cocktails by sunset and went dancing till dawn. There are almost too many unique and incredible things to do in Santorini, its a little ridiculous. So, if you are planning or even just fantasizing about a trip to Santorini, I’ve compiled for you a list of my favorite experiences that I hope you will enjoy as much as I did!
1. Go cliff jumping at Amoudi Bay
Does jumping in to crystal clear Mediterranean waters surrounded by the striking cliff faces of Santorini sound like your cup of tea? Well then you HAVE TO check out this incredible swimming spot at Amoudi Bay. It was honestly one of the best things I did during my stay in Santorini. You can swim straight off the rocks, or if you are game, climb up the stairs of the massive boulder in the water and do your best dive in!
TO GET HERE: This spot is actually quite hidden and requires a bit of stair climbing, but I promise it will be worth it! Basically, from Oia, look for the big set of stairs that go down to Amoudi Bay. Once you reach Amoudi Bay (which is filled with incredible seafood restaurants if you want to make a food stop on the way), walk left along the cliff face. Keep walking over the rocks and eventually you’ll spot paradise (and lots of people uncomfortably sun-baking on the rocks).
2. Eat Frozen Yogurt for dinner
Alright, I’ll let you off if least make it your second course after a 2€ gyros. But seriously, the frozen yogurt I had in Santorini still lingers in my food dreams. If you are in Thira, you must check out Chillbox. They’ve even got bueno sauce topping to put on your frozen yogurt which is almost too good to be true. Once your mouth is in heaven, you can sit back and think about how cool it is that you are eating frozen greek yogurt in greece. Yep, that’s next level cool.
TO GET HERE: You’ll find Chillbox in the central square of Fira, open from 9:00am-12:00pm (just in case you get midnight cravings).
3. Hire a quad bike and drive around the island
What funner way to explore this beautiful island then cruising down the roads with the wind in your hair!? Hiring a quad bike (or ATV) for the day was surprisingly cheap (around 15€ for the day plus fuel), and will only require you toi have a standard license. Its a great way to discover areas that aren’t accessible by bus and to feel super cool while you’re at it. If you are nervous about driving on busy foreign roads, drive down to the black sand beaches of Kamari and Perissa.
Its a super easy drive with virtually no traffic. Just you and the open road baby!
4. Sunbake (or fry) on the black sand beaches
For a unique, and to be honest, slightly painful experience, head to the black sand beaches of Kamari and Perissa. Within seconds of stepping on to that hot sand in summer, your feet will fry and you’ll turn three shades darker, but that’s all part of the fun. Luckily you can rent out a sun lounge and an umbrella to avoid these things, and then after a dip in the water you can always retire to one of the many restaurants lining the beach for a well-deserved drink.
5. Hike the Fira Trail
If you want a chance to up your Instagram game with some of the BEST photo opportunities Santorini has to offer, this hike is a must. Regretfully, we ran out of time to do this hike (okay, I might have just spent too much time sunbaking by the pool) but everyone I spoke to said it was absolutely incredible. The hike goes from Fira to Oia and is about three hours long if you take it at a leisurely pace. The recommendation is do it at sunset, as it won’t be as hot at this time of day. Plus, magic hour is ALWAYS the best time to get your happy snaps! Once you reach Oia, go treat yourself to five serves of Baklava because you clearly deserve it.
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