Santorini is an island that can meet the demands of all people, not only because of its breathtaking view but because of its rich history, gastronomy and culture.
The traditional villages that are full of stories, the Venetian castles that cover a great part of Santorini’s history, the family owned wineries famous for its unique wines made from local grapes, are some of the must sees in Santorini.
Our tailor made tours give you the opportunity to adjust the route and the places you are going to visit according to your needs and demands. Below you can find information regarding to what you can do in Santorini. So let us know your interests and tastes and we will be happy to make your journey unforgettable.
Together we can explore the famous village of Oia, or the “pano meria” as the locals used to call it, well known for its unique view and the glorious Venetian castle, the ideal place to see the sunset.
If you want something more traditional and quite we can visit the village of Megalochori, the “Big Village”, famous for its wine industries, its churches with the unique bell towers and of course the central square, which is the heart of the village, where locals gather in traditional cafes to unwind and have fun, creating a warm atmosphere.
If we go south we will find the village of Emporeio, a place not so famous to the tourist but with its own beauty. We can stroll through the labyrinth paths that lead to the most well preserved Venetian Castle of the island and we will explore the windmills at the “Gavrilos” hill.
On the southwest part of the island stands the village of Akrotiri offering exquisite views of the island. It is famous for the lighthouse, one of the best in Greece, from where you can relish majestic sunsets.
In the center of the island you can find the village of Pyrgos, which means “tower” in Greek. It is the highest village of Santorini and its result is that provides great panoramic views of both sides of the island. You can set eyes on green valleys, the vast sea and the whole island unfolding below your feet. The fact that it is slightly undeveloped with narrow, winding paths and stone houses makes it adorable.
And of course we can discover Fira, which is the beautiful capital of the island and the biggest and most cosmopolitan settlement of Santorini. It is located in the western edge of the island, opposite the volcano and the two volcanic islands, Palaia Kammeni and Nea Kammeni that lie in the sea. Fira is a combination of natural beauty, social life, night life, and shopping, where you can feel the liveliness of the island and where all the action takes place. What makes it so ravishing is the Caldera view that leaves visitors speechless anytime of the day.
Santorini is also famous for its themed variety beaches. You can find red, black and white beach. The red beach is arguably one of the most famous and beautiful beaches of Santorini. It is located only some steps away from Akrotiri. You can admire this unique landscape of red and black volcanic rocks from the headland.
The Vlychada beach with the breathtaking “moon shaped” surface will left you speechless. Vlychada has also a small marina, where the yachts and catamarans dock.
The picturesque beach of Perivolos is ideally located in close proximity to Perissa. This beautiful beach of Santorini lies on the southern end of the island. The beach distinguishes for its sparkling azure blue waters and tranquil atmosphere. Perivolos is surely one of the most well- organized beaches of Santorini offering a plethora of exciting water sports facilities, like windsurfing, scuba diving and jet ski. And of course there are numerous beach bars.
The Kamari Beach is quite similar to the landscape of Perissa, the beach is covered by black sand while on the left side of the beach is an enormous rock called Mesa Vouno that rises from the sea. The area is extremely attractive, especially at night when the rock shines in the dark. The beach of Kamari is fully organized offering a wide range of facilities like sunbeds, umbrellas and various types of water sports.
The cove right next to the Red beach, on the southern side of Santorini, is known as the White beach. It is very similar to the Red beach, with black pebbles on the shore, only that the surrounding cliffs are white. This beach is accessible by boat or on foot from the Red beach.
In Santorini there are more than 620 churches and chapels. The reason is that the religion in Greece is a big part of local life. We can explore some of the most important churches of Santorini such us the The Orthodox Metropolitan Church “Panagia Ypapanti”, which is the biggest church if the island. In the Village of Mesa Gonia there is the church of Panagia Episkopi, which is the oldest one.
The Monastery of Prophet Elias is built on the highest peak of Santorini, at 565 meters above the sea. From the yard of the Monastery, you get excellent and breathtaking views of the whole island of Santorini. On the terrace of the Monastery there is the Saint Nektarius church. There are some cave house churches such as Panagia o Palos.
While Santorini’s products lack in quantity, they make up in quality and rich flavor. This is the outcome of the fertile volcanic land, the dry soil and the climate with high temperatures and strong winds. A combination that creates unique products which are only cultivated in Santorini or products with special distinctive flavors.
The famous cherry tomato, or “ntomataki” as the locals call it. Its rich juicy body and unique flavor that have made it the most popular product of Santorini is a result of the dry, volcanic soil which is suitable for its cultivation as it doesn’t need much water.
The white eggplant. A rare type of eggplant that is distinguished by its white color, shape, rich flesh and fruity and mild flavor, much sweeter than the common purple eggplant, with very few seeds.
The capers. They are small flower buds that are used in a variety of recipes to spice them up, as they are known for their particularly piquant flavor. They are added as a finishing touch in the famous Greek salad or on top of pureed split peas.
The Fava of Santorini. The delicious taste, the silky texture and its easy cooking are the three elements that make it extremely popular. It is probably the oldest traditional product of Santorini, around 3,500 years of cultivation, and this specific tastier variety, with fuller flavor than any other fava, can only be found in Santorini.
The cucumber of the island, “katsouni” as we call it. A slightly different kind of cucumber named after the inhabitants of Santorini. It is smaller, thicker, cooler and lighter than the common cucumber and has some seeds.
The chloro cheese is a special homemade, sour cheese with creamy texture, made from goat milk. The unusual flavor and the fact that it is hard to find, make it a sought-after product of Santorini that cannot be found anywhere else.
During the Venetocracy, the island suffered from many pirate raids. The result weren’t only fortune loss. Every time the pirates left the island they used to take some slaves with them. The locals had to find a solution so as to protect themselves. So they started to build “castellis”. The Castellia are fortified settlements that the locals used to live. Usually every Castelli had its “Goulas”, or in other words its watchtower. At the entrance of each castle there was a church dedicated to Saint Theodosia, who was considered the protector of castles. In total Santorini had 5 castles. The Agios Nikolaos Castle in Oia, the “La Ponta” Castle in Akrotiri, the Skaros Rock castle in Imerovigli, the Pyrgos Castle and the Castle of Emporio. Today 4 are still in place while the Skaros Castle, which once was the center of the island was completely destroyed by the earthquake.
The winemaking in Santorini dates back to the ancient times. The locals took advantage of the volcanic soil and used it to produce wines which the used to export in other cities of Greece. Today winemaking is still a tradition on the island and many of the wine varieties are well known worldwide such as the “Assyrtiko”. So something that you have to do while visiting Santorini is to taste its unique wines.