After a few days in Athens, we took a ferry to Santorini, a small island in the Southern Aegean Sea.
Depending on your budget, you have several options to get to Santorini from Athens: (1) You can take a 45 minute flight on Aegean or Olympic Airlines. At the time we were traveling, this option was very expensive. (2) You can take a “normal” ferry. This option is the least expensive but takes 9 to 10 hours! (3) You can take the “Blue Star” ferry, which is a little faster (7 hours), and only slightly more expensive than the normal ferries. (4) Or, you can take the option I chose, the high speed ferry. This option takes approximately 5 hours. At the time we were traveling, this ferry was expensive, but not nearly as expensive as a flight.
Another word to the wise about the ferries – if you are traveling during peak season (summer) you will want to purchase your ferry tickets in advance. Other times of the year you may be fine purchasing your ferry tickets upon your arrival to Greece, or even the day you want to travel, but this was not the case in August! We met several young travelers who did not book their ferry tickets in advance were stuck on the island!
Unlike our stay in Athens, we decided to spend a bit more on our accommodations in Santorini and chose El Greco Palace Hotel & Spa in Fira. The hotel was lovely (we even had our own small private pool) and the location was perfect for us. We chose to stay in Fira (the island’s capital) to be close to the action (nightlife, shops and restaurants).
The hotel was also just steps from the ledge of the Caldera (the volcanic ledge left after the volcano erupted which created the island).
While out and about in Fira, we decided to descend the 588 steps that zig-zag down the front of the caldera. To do this you can climb the steps on foot, take a cable car or ride a donkey. We chose to take donkeys down the caldera, but in retrospect, I’m not sure whether I would recommend this option to anyone else.
First and foremost, I worry about the treatment and the conditions of the donkeys that are used to transport tourists. However, it was also a very nerve-racking experience! Some parts of the stairs are steep and uneven, and the donkey’s handler hurried them down the steps at what seemed to be a perilous pace. On occasion, our donkeys slipped down a stair or two eliciting screams from my friend and I. (Judging by the screams of other tourists, I know we weren’t the only ones). If you decide that the donkeys are the best option for you, I would recommend that you ride them up the stairs instead of down.
After our donkey fiasco we had worked up an appetite! As I previously stated, our hotel was just outside the hustle and bustle of the city center. We found our favorite restaurants to be the ones on the way into the city center (rather than the more expensive, more touristy places in the city center). The portions were huge, the prices were fair and the barrel wine flowed cheaply. For me, Greece had some of the best food I have ever experienced during my travels. Fresh salads, generous portions of lamb, indulgent baklava and house-made feta kept us well-fed and happy girls.
After spending some time in Fira, we decided to head up to Oia on the northern part of the island.
A “typical honeymooner activity” is to watch the sunset in Oia. Oia is said to have the most beautiful sunsets in the world – a tough standard to live up to, but let me tell you, the sunset we witnessed didn’t disappoint! When visiting Oia, I would recommend that you head to a restaurant with a great view a few hours before sunset (the spots with the best views fill up the fastest), sit back, sip some Greek wine and enjoy mother nature’s show.
It’s important to note, Santorini is not just for honeymooners. Although, it is a magically beautiful and romantic place, there is a lot going on for such a small island. We spent hours each day shopping (the island had many jewelry stores selling hand-made pieces) and spent our evenings experiencing the vivacious nightlife. We became fans of Greek wine, so we spent one afternoon touring Santos Wines Winery. After several glasses of wine, we decided to head to the Red Beach.
As you may have guessed, the beach’s sand was red. If there was a better way to get to the beach, we didn’t find it since we literally hiked down the cliff to the sand in our flip flops. Once there, the color of the sand lived up to our expectations, but the beach itself didn’t. The beach was very small, meaning that you were basically forced to sun bathe almost touching the stranger next to you. Also, there was nothing (that we could find) around this beach. No vendors selling food, drinks or water. This said, it was still worth the trip to have such a unique beach experience. After the Red Beach, we headed to the Black Beach. The color of the sand was slightly less impressive than our first stop, but the Black Beach was far more spacious and was connected to a board walk which was littered with restaurants serving food and cool libations.
After several days in paradise, we took the high speed ferry back to Athens and caught a flight from Athens to the isle of Corfu where we spent our last week in Greece.
Related Posts: The Ultimate Guide to Outdoor Athens, Gorgeous Greece: Athens, Gorgeous Greece: Corfu
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CC header image credit from Flickr. Santorini Greece by Mariusz Kluzniak.
September 15, 2014
Really appreciated these tips–I’ve been looking into visiting Santorini for a while now, but never found “that right hotel” to stay in. I’m glad to have your recommendation to look into! As for the donkeys, I can absolutely imagine your fear! I’ve ridden horses for much of my life, and when they stumble or slip it sends your heart into your chest! Not a good feeling.
September 15, 2014
GREAT! I am so glad you found the post helpful, Dana! Santorini is amazing – I certainly recommend adding it on your list. And yes, I was terrified as they were being hurried down those steps causing them to slip!!!
October 30, 2014
I am super jealous! I have always wanted to go to Greece and have yet to get a chance to go. Santorini looks like everything I want in a trip to Greece!
October 30, 2014
I LOVED Greece. I’m looking forward to going back (hopefully, one day soon)!
November 3, 2014
Looks gorgeous. Food sounds great, but I’m so sure about the donkey thing either. It’s like horseback riding in Mexico…I swear I thought I was going to die. My horse walked into ocean inside along the beach like the rest.
November 3, 2014
I was holding on for dear life! 🙂
January 7, 2015
I left my heart in Santorini! Santorini was one of my favourite islands in Greece! All of those things you did in Santorini is pretty much all the things I got to do as well. Although, on the tour group I was with we rode the donkeys up the hill instead! My donkey decided to be stubborn and wanted to be first up the hill and wanted no one to get in his way! Got some beautiful photographs of the Caldera too. I will definitely be making a trip back!
January 7, 2015
You made a wise decision riding up the hill!!!! 🙂 I adored Santorini as well and can’t wait to get back ASAP!
February 9, 2015
I am sure you were not aware, but future visitors to Santorini should be aware that the donkeys at the port (and elsewhere) are horribly mistreated, abused and literally worked to death. This is well-documented and there are many animal rights groups that have been trying to help these animals for a decade. The best help is to NOT ride the donkeys in Santorini. For more information, please see:
http://mygreecetravelblog.com/2013/04/12/dont-ride-the-donkeys-why-tourists-should-avoid-taking-the-mule-taxis-on-santorini/
and
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g482942-d1924738-r179176979-Santorini_Donkey_Tours-Fira_Santorini_Cyclades.html
March 12, 2015
Great article I love Greece and can’t wait to go back. I will definitely check it out .
March 20, 2015
Great recommendations! Thanks Karisa! We are headed to Greece for a month after our wedding in May, visiting Santorini, Ios and Mykonos. I cannot wait!
March 21, 2015
You will LOVE it! One of my most favorite places on earth!
April 4, 2015
Great advice and beautiful pictures! It makes me want to go to Greece!
April 5, 2015
You can’t go wrong with a trip to Greece! 🙂
May 8, 2015
Great post and lovely photos! Santorini is truly one of the most beautiful places on the planet. I’m Greek, so I’m a bit biased, but it’s true 🙂
Cheers and happy travels!
May 10, 2015
I would agree with you! I would love to get back soon!
May 25, 2015
There really aren’t any bad views in Santorini, are there? I agree about the sunsets. And there’s a crispness about the atmosphere there and the lighting–it’s almost like my eyes are taking in an ultra hi-definition television view.
May 26, 2015
Not that I saw! Every twist and turn was simply stunning! And, I agree with you on the lighting! It’s tough to take a bad photo on the island!
June 12, 2015
I want to visit! I’ve never been to Greece (yet…).
I love that Oia sunset – so beautiful!
June 15, 2015
It really was something!
June 25, 2015
As I am going to Crete and Santorini in a few days, this article is a great piece of information for me. I am also always wondering about those donkeys. We´ve never tried to ride them before and I don´t think I want to. I rather take the steps, no matter how many there are.
Thank you for the great article!
June 25, 2015
Have a fantastic trip, Anna!
August 13, 2015
It looks awesome! I’ve always wanted to visit Santorini. I hope you enjoyed a lot 🙂
August 13, 2015
I did – it’s gorgeous, Tania! 🙂
March 17, 2016
Amazing! Thanks for the suggestions! I might go there this September for a friend’s wedding! Yes! Greek wedding! So looking forward to it. 🙂
March 17, 2016
You’ll love it, Nisha. I hope you have a great trip!
July 31, 2016
Gorgeous shots! Definitely one of my favorite places on Earth. The Red Beach was really something. I also enjoyed the sunset in Oia, as well as the long hike from Fira to Oia, passing through beautiful places like Imerovigli, Skaros Rock and panoramic caldera views.
July 31, 2016
I didn’t do the hike, Andrew, but I will have to the next time I visit!