Santorini caldera view from Fira
Views of sunsets from Fira in Santorini
Caldera views of Santorini whilst on the Fira Oia hike
The ruins of Akrotiri, one of the best-preserved prehistoric Bronze Age settlements in the world

Santorini

Nature
The wow factor for nature - does it show nature at its best? Doesn't need to be the wildebeest migration or diving with hundreds of hammerheads. Rather make you pause as you realise just how awesome the natural world can be
9
Culture
How much does this experience showcase some of the better and finer things that us humans can offer? Sure, it can be ancient ruins and renaissance churches, but it can also be festivals or soaking up some of the great modern cities of the world
7
Fun factor/activity
Very simple - was it fun? This is usually linked in with doing some kind of activity - i mean, walking along some cliffs is nice, but paragliding from them, now that is fun. Its a vastly underrated factor in a truly great experience
8
Avoid the crowds
Big tour groups and being surrounded by loud fellow tourists can sap the life out of even the greatest of travel experiences. This score is to reflect just how much you can avoid this. But. . . The score also takes into account if the crowds actually add to the experience, such as with a party town or a bustling local market
5
World famous
How world famous is the experience?
10
unique
How hard is it to have a similar experience in other places round the world?
10
Overall TE Score
The overall travel experiences score:  fun factor + avoid the crowds + (best of nature or culture) + (best of world famous or unique). Then convert into a score out of 100
80 *What the scores mean and where do they come from
RANKING
How this travel experience ranks compared to all the other experiences on this site, based on the travel experience (te) score
53rd/457
Top 20%
continent
Europe
country
Greece
Length of time
3-4 days
Typical daily price
This gives you a rough idea of the daily price based on 2 people travelling where they can split costs like accommodation. It excludes travel there and back, and factors in inflation the numbers in brackets show the price range for the full time of the experience (so not necessarily daily). It is a range to reflect different budget vs higher end
$190 (typically $70 - $300)
Time of year visited
October
Primary Tags
Click on any of the tags to see all travel experiences with the same tag
Hilltop towns Sunsets Volcanoes
All Tags
Ancient ruins Beaches Boat trip Bustling restaurants Cliffs Hiking Islands Mountains Old town Restaurant recommendations Rice terraces / terraces Rooftop Bars Vineyards
Wow Factor
Two scores: first is the wow factor which ranges from ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ to ⭐️, and a separate category for the truly "gash". The second is the more analytical travel experience score, which considers 6 varied criteria to give an overall score out of 100.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Summary of Santorini

Santorini lives up to the hype.  Before I went, I thought it was all about the Instagrammers lining up for that famous white-roofed sunset shot overlooking the sea.  But it’s so much more than that.  Consider the following:

 

  • The giant volcano caldera that is the basis for Santorini and its surrounding islands is one of the most impressive sights I’ve seen anywhere in the world.  Its eruption was so intense, it isn’t an exaggeration to suggest it changed Europe’s historical trajectory forever.
  • The walk from the two famous spots from Fira to Oia rivals any walk in the world for its dramatic views and the combo of snaking through uber-high end restaurant spots and complete wilderness.
  • The island itself is packed with beautiful vineyards, separate isolated beaches, and some of the best-preserved prehistoric Bronze Age settlements anywhere in the world.

 

Its an Instagrammer’s wet dream, and also just about any traveller’s wet dream too.  Blown away by Santorini and a maximum Wow-factor score of ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️.

 

Caldera views of Santorini whilst on the Fira Oia hike

 

In a nutshell:

  • Why go: most wow of the Greek islands and a highlight of Europe
  • Best base: Fira (cheaper, better sunsets, less crowded)
  • Must-do hike: Fira → Oia in the morning
  • Don’t miss: seeing the islands by boat and Akrotiri ruins if a history geek
  • Budget tip: stay east side (we used Michelangelo Beach Villa)

 

Table of Contents

9 Highlights of Santorini

Santorini #1 The views from just about anywhere of the caldera. One of the most wow sights I've seen anywhere in the world

#1 The views from just about anywhere of the caldera. One of the most wow sights I've seen anywhere in the world

Santorini - #2 The walk from Fira to Oia.  It combines the best of the island - you get fantastic views of the caldera, the gorgeous streets of both Oia and Fira (they are very well done), and the middle section has you fully in the natural environment with no buildings in sight

#2 The walk from Fira to Oia.  It combines the best of the island - you get fantastic views of the caldera, the gorgeous streets of both Oia and Fira (they are very well done), and the middle section has you fully in the natural environment with no buildings in sight

Santorini #3 The sunset views from Fira, in this case the VR Cafe

#3 The sunset views from Fira, in this case the VR Cafe

Santorini #4 Akrotiri - one of the best-preserved prehistoric Bronze Age settlements anywhere in the world

#4 Akrotiri - one of the best-preserved prehistoric Bronze Age settlements anywhere in the world

Santorini #5 Wandering through the beautifully done alley ways of Oia and Fira. They were magical

#5 Wandering through the beautifully done alley ways of Oia and Fira. They were magical

Santorini #6 The famous evening views from Oia, as the water starts to glisten

#6 The famous evening views from Oia, as the water starts to glisten

Santorini #7 Staying on the north east coast - only 5mins from Oia and a fraction of the price

#7 Staying on the north east coast - only 5mins from Oia and a fraction of the price

Santorini #8 The central part of the walk from Fira to Oia, where the buildings are only in the distance and its a rugged road with just some cactus as friends

#8 The central part of the walk from Fira to Oia, where the buildings are only in the distance and its a rugged road with just some cactus as friends

Santorini #9 Some of the older buildings. Most of Santorini is super developed, but every now and then you fine an old church to give a touch of ancient to the place

#9 Some of the older buildings. Most of Santorini is super developed, but every now and then you fine an old church to give a touch of ancient to the place

6 Top Tips for Santorini

1. You must do the walk from Fira to Oia.  It combines the best of the island – you get fantastic views of the caldera, the gorgeous streets of both Oia and Fira (they are very well done), and the middle section has you fully in the natural environment with no buildings in sight.  It’s long (11km when you include the walk through Oia, 15k steps, 50 flights climbed) but totally worth it and our highlight.  Santorini Dave does a great summary and I’ve attached the map below.

 

Map of Santorini hiking trails.

Santorini Dave’s very helpful map for the Fira to Oia walk – Santorini Dave hike route

 

2. It’s daft expensive, but you can keep the costs down.  Along with the likes of Ibiza, Monaco and Sorrento I think it must be the most expensive spot in the Mediterranean for accommodation and restaurants.  Key tip to keep the cost down is don’t stay in Oia, which is the famous bit.  The views from Fira are actually better, including the sunset, and less crowded.  Do trips to Oia for walking through the tight streets and sunsets to tick that box.  Alternatively, stay on the east of the island – we found a gorgeous house (Michelangelo Beach Villa) only 5mins drive from Oia and a fraction of the price.

 

East coast of Santorini views from the villa

Our view from our balcony in the villa just outside of Oia

 

3. Make sure you get to check out the islands of Santorini from a boat – many will be lucky to see it from the ferry that arrives right in the middle of the island, with great views.  But if you are flying in, definitely organise a boat trip.

 

4. If in anyway a history fan, don’t miss Akrotiri.  Buried beneath volcanic ash for over 3,600 years, Akrotiri is one of the best-preserved prehistoric Bronze Age settlements in the world — a remarkably sophisticated town with three-storey houses, frescoed walls, and advanced drainage systems dating to around 1600 BC. The site’s vast protective roof and raised walkways make it one of the most impressively presented archaeological experiences anywhere in the Mediterranean.

 

The ruins of Akrotiri, one of the best-preserved prehistoric Bronze Age settlements in the world

The roof covering the entire site of Akrotiri

 

5. Restaurants – they were all actually fab, very high standard.  In Oia we loved Fanari and Emphasis.  For Fira , Idol Restaurant and VR Cafe had great views . . . and definitely get a terrace to avoid chaotic views.

Views of sunsets from Fira in Santorini

View from the VR Cafe in Fira

 

6. To see how Santorini fits into a one or two week Greece itinerary – see the 2 week Greece Itinerary post full of the route, things to prioritise and general tips for the trip.

2 Interesting History Facts about Santorini

1. The people that lived on Santorini (Thera) were super advanced and in a time way before the ancient Greeks.  When you visit Akrotiri you can see the 3 storied houses and advanced drainage . . . yes, yes, blah blah.  But, the key thing here is the timing – the Minoans who lived here did so during the Aegean Bronze Age, so 2000–1600 BC.  That’s centuries before the Battle of Troy, Ancient Greece or the Romans.  The ruins of Akrotiri are more than a thousand years before the Oracle in Delphi, 1200 before the Parthenon in Athens and 1650 before the likes of the Colosseum.  Yet the Minoans had sophisticated, seafaring communities connected all across the eastern Mediterranean — until the eruption.

 

2. The Thera eruption that destroyed Akrotiri in 1600BC was enormous.  It is among the most powerful volcanic events in recorded human history – comparable to Tambora (1815) that caused the “Year without Summer”.  It has a Volcanic Explosivity Index event of 6/7 (out of 8).  The only eruptions bigger than it at level 8 in the past million years are Yellowstone (USA), Toba (Indonesia) and Taupo (New Zealand). Its ash blanketed the Aegean, causing 10-20m tsunamis and years of climatic cooling.  While it didn’t instantly erase the Minoan civilization, it shattered its economy and maritime network, paving the way for the rise of the Mycenaeans on mainland Greece and later the golden age of Greece seen as the foundation stone for Western Civilisation.  Its also a leading contender for the inspiration for Plato’s Atlantis . . .

Experiences nearby

Wow Factor Score Two scores: first is the wow factor which ranges from ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ to ⭐️, and a separate category for the truly "gash". The second is the more analytical travel experience score, which considers 6 varied criteria to give an overall score out of 100. LowHigh
  • Elite, unmissable
  • World-class, downsides
  • Meets the Wow Factor
  • Worth it
  • Meh
  • Gash

Other Wow View Experiences

3 days relaxing by the beautiful Lake Atitlan

Perito Moreno glacier from El Calafate

A week in Cape Town

Sydney Harbour and its Beaches

Hiking Zhangjiajie National Park

Hiking the Dolomites in summer

Hiking around Interlaken

Exploring Petra in winter

4WDing across the Hajar Mountains via Hatt

Score Detail

The scores above are the real point of this site.

Over 20+ years and 100+ countries, I’ve tried to rank the world’s best travel experiences - from genuinely mind-blowing ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ to the properly gash.

Every one of the 500+ places on this site has both a Wow Factor rating and a more analytical Travel Experience (TE) score based on the things that actually make travel memorable.

If you're curious about the thinking behind it, head to the About page.

Otherwise, explore the map above or on the Home page and see which places truly deliver maximum wow.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Get the Wow Before Everyone Else

Join the newsletter for new travel experiences, fresh rankings, personal notes, and stories from the archive — sent only when there’s something worth sharing.