Best Greek Island Blog

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   1. What is Santorini ?

Santorini is a small Greek island that has become one of the most popular travel destination all over the world.

Santorini’s official name in Greek is also Thira or (Thera).

2. Where is Santorini ?

Santorini is in Greece which is in the South East part of Europe.

3. Where To Stay in Santorini ?

You have to choose what you want from your trip to Santorini and what is a priority for you.

You literally have 2 options :-

a. Amazing famous Santorini views (super expensive but not close to the beaches) or

b. Being close to the famous Santorini beaches (much cheaper)

4. When Is The Best Time to Visit Santorini ?

These are Santorini's seasons and how crowded, warm and expensive the island will be..

High season in Santorini starts from April and ends in October.

Obviously the island is extremely busy during these months but especially in June, July, August and September you will definitely feel the tourist masses

The best time to visit Santorini is late September or early October 

The weather will still be fine and not too hot (around 25-30 C), the sea waters will still be warm (from the summer heat) and most of the tourists would be gone! Happy Days!

June is also a very good month to visit Santorini because it’s still early summer , the weather is amazing (though it can get pretty hot with more than 35 C sometimes)

5. How To Get To Santorini ?

If you live anywhere outside of Europe (and definitely if you are from the US) you have to fly to Athens first (the capital of Greece) and then take either a 40 minutes to 1 hour flight from Athens to Santorini or a 5 to 8 hours ferry (there is a slow/cheap ferry and a faster/more expensive ferry from Athens to Santorini).

If you live in Europe, there are direct flights from some European cities to Santorini.

For Indians, The best way to go to Santorini is either by flight or by flight and ferry. The most convenient way to go about it is to take a connecting flight to Athens from Delhi, and from the Greek capital, take another flight or ferry to reach Santorini.

6. Sightseeing :-

• Kamari Beach 
• Perissa Beach 
•  Perivolos Beach 
• Red Beach 
• Ammoudi Bay 
• Museum of Prehistoric Thira
• Firá (The capital of Santorini) 
• Pyrgos
• Caldera (Sea-filled volcanic crater)
• Ancient Thira 
• Oia (Known for its famed sunsets)

7. Do Indians need Visa for Greece?

 If you plan to visit Greece and remain in the Schengen area for up to 90 days, you will need a short stay type C Schengen Visa. If your sole purpose of visiting Greece is recreation, sightseeing or meeting friends and relatives, you will be granted a Tourist Visa for the duration of the visit effective from the date of issue.

Tourist Visas are non-extendable and non-convertible. Visa applications should be lodged no later than 15 calendar days prior to departure. Applications may be submitted at the earliest 3 months before departure. Please note that visa is valid from the date of issue and not from the date of travel. Also, acceptance of visa application does not automatically guarantee grant of a visa. The duration of visa granted to you is at the sole discretion of the Greece Embassy/Consulate. 

Greece visa fees for Indian citizens: Euro 80

8. Money in Santorini. Do I Need Cash ? 

There is no shortage of ATM cash machines where your VISA and Mastercard can be accepted to withdraw money.

You should always contact your bank to find out what the charges will be.

VERY IMPORTANT TO KNOW: 90% of the times your credit or debit card will be accepted at the business you are paying but cash is always the best way to pay in Greece and in Santorini. You should always have some cash with you while in Santorini

So , these are the things you should know about your money in Santorini:

• There are hundreds of ATMs cash machines on Santorini and you won’t have any issues withdrawing money (euros in particular); there is a daily limit though on how much you can withdraw from a cash machine
• You should always have some cash with you as some businesses may have “broken card machines”…
• Card machines in Santorini (and in Greece) are chip and pin (not swipe)
• American Express is not widely used and you may have issues paying with it (that applies everywhere in Europe!)

9. Can I move around with the local buses in  

Santorini ?

The local buses in Santorini are really good and it is definitely the cheapest way to move around in Santorini.

Check Here the timetables for the local buses of Santorini to all places around the island.

There are buses that run throughout the island and depending on where you go the ticket costs from 1.80 euros to 2.80 euros (always pay with cash) .

The longest distance that a local bus does is a 30 mins drive

10. How To Rent A Car in Santorini ?

Renting a car in Santorini will give you the flexibility to explore the island at your own pace and it is also a much safer option than a quad bike.

Here are a few things to be aware for driving in Santorini:

• Driving in Santorini is on the right side of the road (like USA)
• You need an international driver’s license for Santorini and for Greece. If you have an EU license you don’t need an international license as an EU license is accepted everywhere in EU.
• Renting a car could cost you about 40-50 euros per day during the high season (a quad might also cost you around 30-40 euros)
• Driving in Santorini can be tricky for some people who are not used to narrow roads but in general you shouldn’t worry about it too much
• Parking is an issue on the island (especially in the very touristic areas like Oia and Fira where you could park far away from where you are actually going.

11. What Are The Best Things To Do in Santorini ?

In a nutshell the Best Things you can do in Santorini are:

• Visit Oia (and watch the famous sunset; you won’t be alone though)
• Take a Wine Tour 
• Take a Sunset or Volcano Cruise 
• Swimming
• Watch a movie under the stars at Kamari Open Air Cinema 
• Visit the Archaeological Prehistoric Ruins of Akrotiri 
• Explore the nightlife of Santorini
• Wander the streets of Fira for endless shopping
• Visit Ammoudi bay

12. Is Santorini family and kids friendly ? Is it Safe ?

Santorini (and Greece) are extremely kids and family friendly.

The best thing a kid can do in Santorini is to play at the beach but you have to be careful as the high temperatures of the greek summer need extra skin protection.

Also, the black sand beaches of Perissa and Kamari can get very hot during mid-day and that requires shoes or flip flops to be worn all the time.

Feel free to mail me to hazraniladri1997@gmail.com for more information and sample itinerary.