Santorini - Greece's Greatest Island Treasure
- Work To Wonders
- May 3
- 2 min read
This is a place that needs no introduction, and very little explanation.
Santorini is, well, Santorini. A completely stunning island in the Cyclades island group, Santorini has as its core an ancient caldera, with all of its main towns perched high above the sea. Its blue and white decor is the stuff of legends. This stunning island is a heady cocktail of ancient Minoan history, glorious sea views and delicious food.
Oia is simply breath-taking, both at sunrise and sunset. It has views that are so utterly unique that they are instantly recognisable.
Akrotiri is where you go to find out about the deep history of this majestic place.
Imerovigli is perched, almost precariously, on the edge of Santorini’s caldera. The contrast of its blue rooftops, whitewashed walls and turquoise sea is quite something.
Its beaches and vineyards simply add to the wonder of this place.
Yes, it can get crowded, and very hot, during peak season, but there are plenty of reasons why this is constantly voted as one of the most beautiful islands in the world.
If you visit, you will see why, and will not regret it.
How to get there
Santorini has a small airport, to where a few European cities have flights, most of all Athens. Ferries reach Santorini from surrounding Greek islands.
The most economical and restful way to visit Santorini is to visit there on a day trip or a Greek island cruise. If you want to see the world-renowned sunset, you will likely need a hotel and these will not be cheap in peak season.
How we did it
We visited Santorini as part of a Greek island cruise: Marella’s ‘Ancient Wonders’. We didn’t go on a cruise tour and visited the highlights of the island ourselves. Cruise ships sent their passengers by tender to the old port. There are donkeys who take passengers up the Karavolades Stairs to Oia. However, there are considerable concerns regarding their welfare. While the walk up is quite steep, we recommend it, particularly if you arrive there early. There are plenty of buses between Oia and Fira.
Our Top Tips
Aim for shoulder season if you can. Santorini is even more popular than when we went there and can get very crowded. Add that to the heat and your perfect experience may be somewhat less than perfect.
You will notice a lot of people - even married couples - looking for that perfect photo while standing on the flat roof of someone’s house. Please do not do it. People do actually live there. It isn’t a museum exhibit. Consider how it would feel to have someone trampling all over your roof.
There are some beautiful churches in both Oia and Fira. However, in our experience, not only do they not particularly encourage tourist visitors, but they really don’t like pictures or filming.
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