Top 5 tips
Traditions are everything to Greek people, and Santorini is no exception, the island is full of life, laughter, and magical moments. It is an incredibly popular destination.
Beaches and Water. Take a boat tour to visit the volcanic hot spring, or visit one of the lesser-known beaches such as Vlychada Beach, with its black sand and impressive cliff formations.
Explore. The ancient Thera Ruins are located 360 metres above sea level, and the hike is quite arduous but incredibly worth the hard work as the ruins are vast and provide a unique insight into how Santorini might once have looked thousands of years ago.
Break away from the bustling tourist vibe of Oia and visit the quieter side of Santorini. The charming secluded village of Pyrgos is where traditional Greek life still exists along with whitewashed village houses, impressive architecture and churches from the Byzantine era. Visit the art galleries and artisan shops. Pyrgos has some of the most stunning views on the island, and the climb to the castle fortress is definitely worth it to take in the panoramic sea views.
Eat and drink. Eat at cave style tavernas offering delicious Greek dishes including fava, a bowl of Santorini beans blended with herbs to make a perfect appetiser, or tomato keftedes, fried tomato meatballs. Local staples such as vibrant Greek salads with feta and locally grown tomatoes, moussaka, roasted lamb, and kofta are readily available. Wash down with the famous local wines, unique in flavour due to the ancient vines are grown in the volcanic soil. Close to Pyrgos are many of the vineyards such as Hatzidakis Haridimos, where wine tasting is essential to appreciate the unique flavours of the wines grown in this region.
Travel. The village of Thera has the advantage of the island’s largest bus station and a great way to explore the island. If you are feeling adventurous, quad bikes are reasonably cheap to hire by the day and provide an advantageous method to traverse the island and reach those steep hard to reach areas.When to visit. July and August are two extremely overpopulated months with prices at their highest. During these months it is almost impossible to appreciate the island’s beauty, and Greek hospitality will be scarce. It is recommended instead to visit during April and May and maybe early June, late September early October. These are the months when there are marginally fewer visitors to the island; therefore, quieter beaches and more bargains to be had. Winter is a recommended season to visit, though many of the activities are closed, the beauty of the island is easy to appreciate.
If you visit Santorini during early October 2019, you will witness professional and amateur athletes from all over the world competing for the fifth year of the “Santorini Experience” a sporting event of running and swimming. Three routes overlook the Caldera and pass by the whitewashed villages of Oia, Firostefani and Imerovigli. Races include the 5 km, 10 km and 15 km depending upon experience and level of endurance, all designed by Greek marathon expert and record holder Nikos Polias. The swimming element of the event is a 2.4 km race from the Caldera to the historic port of Fira in open water and again is under the watchful eye of race organiser Nikos Gemelos the Olympic and World Champion marathon swimmer.
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