Santorini: 5 Facts about the Fascinating Island Where Time Stops 

Updated On: November 08, 2023 by   Omnia Essawy

The world is filled with paradise-like destinations where people from all over the world dream to visit and forget their hectic lives and experience life at a slower pace with a higher euphoria. 

At the top of the list of the world’s gorgeous havens, stands as tall and proud as its history, the breathtakingly enchanting Greece. 

No matter who you are or what your cup of tea is, Greece will -for sure- tickle your fancy.  Whether it was its breath-taking natural scenery, its time-travelling venues, or jaw-dropping architecture, you will always find something that can steal your heart and blow your mind in this –piece-of-heaven- country. 

Within the very impressive list of incredible destinations that Greece offers to the world, the Santorini island has always been a crowd`s favourite. Whether you are a morning person or not, we dare you to look away from a Santorini sunrise, the orange sky over the clear blue ocean surrounding the island`s black beaches will for sure leave your jaw all the way down there on the floor. 

And if you -like most people- had enough with this bleak world and its grey reality and would love a chance to hop on a time machine and travel back in time, well, sadly, you can’t. However, the tiny island offers you the very next best thing with its rich history and retrospective sites. It has an incredible array of well-preserved remnants of ancient times.  From the city of Akrotiri which was buried underneath volcanic ashes during the explosion of 17th BC to the magnificent site of the Ancient Thera. As previously mentioned, if you are into time travelling, Santorini is the place for you.   

We all go on vacations to make memories and what a better place to make some ever-lasting memories than a place that looks like it has been taken out of a postcard, like virtually everywhere in Santorini. It won`t matter whether you can capture the perfect moment on camera or not, it won`t matter if you had the right angle or not, it won’t even matter if you can pose in front of things or not, just hold up the camera, find a spot to stand and the perfectly aligned nature of the island will take care of the rest and give you a perfect memory to bring home with you. 

If you are hyped enough about your next adventure to the stunning island, let us help you plan the perfect trip where you can savour and enjoy as much of what this beautiful paradise has to offer as possible.  

Where to Stay

Santorini is rich in more than just nature and history. Just as the island offers next-level comfort and relaxation through its natural beauty, it also offers a variety of accommodation options that will let you complete your perfect vacation with the perfect stay. 

Whether your dream vacation includes you waking up in a luxurious hotel suite overlooking  Caldera cliffs, the Cycladic-style Villa Irini and a furnished sun terrace overlooking the Aegean Sea and the Volcano, or waking up to the voices and fast movements of the local streets of downtown Santorini, your dream will come true. 

With rooms that include services that vary from wi-fi, rich minibars, and air conditioning and amenities like car services, organized trips to experience the most out of Santorini and so much more that will guarantee you the perfect vacation, almost as perfect as at this godly perfect destination. 

The Most 10 recommended hotels in Santorini: 

• Iconic Santorini 
• Aroma Suites 
• Lilium Santorini Hotel 
• Port Fira Suites 
• Ikies Santorini
• Astro Palace Hotel Suites 
• Art Maisons Luxury Santorini Hotels Aspaki & Oia Castle
• Dana Villas & Infinity Suites
• Volcano View Hotel Santorini
• Ducato – The Wine Hotel

Now that we have taken care of the accommodation, let’s get something to eat!

Where to Eat

Aside from incredible nature and unbelievable weather and overall atmosphere, Greece has also been gifted with one of the best cuisines in the world. Santorini, in particular, offers some of the best culinary delights you could ever see or taste, especially when it comes to seafood, it is an island after all. 

So out of all the great culinary options Santorini, which stands out the most? Let’s find out! 

The 10 most recommended restaurants in Santorini: 

• Idol Restaurant Bar 
• Le Ciel Restaurant
• Rymidi Restaurant 
• Santo Athiri Restaurant
• Psatha Cocktail Bar and Restaurant
• Alisachni Art & Wine Gallery
• Metaxi Mas 
• Salty Bone 
• Selene 
• Tzanakis 

Things to Do

Now that you have your accommodation covered, it is time to start planning your Santorini itinerary. Because unless you plan where to go and what to do, you can easily get too overwhelmed by Santorini’s beauty and waste your precious time there without exploring and experiencing everything that this stunning island has to offer. Although just walking around its gorgeous streets is magical enough, you still want to try to take in as much of its beauty as possible. 

So here is a list of the best and most popular things to see and do in Santorini. 

Best Santorini Attractions

• Ancient Thira 

You can’t go to Santorini and not visit the iconic Ancient Thira. Ancient Thira was first settled in the 9th century BC by the Dorians. It contains Roman, Byzantine, and Hellenistic ruins. These ruins include houses, temples, a theatre, a market, and even a gymnasium. Whether you are an art and history buff or not, your mind is guaranteed to be blown during your visit to the Ancient Thira. 

• Black (Mesa Pigadia) Beach 

Santorini’s black beach is one of the most popular attractions on the island, one that has been known to attract hundreds of tourists visiting Santorini every year. The Mesa Pigadia or Black Beach is a volcanic black sand beach that is backed by cliffs and with a single taverna. 

• White (Aspri) Beach 

Aspri Beach is one of the most stunningly beautiful beaches in Santorini and probably the world. This secluded southwestern cove boasts miles of pristine and gorgeous white sand and is surrounded by cliffs and is only accessible by boat which only adds to its magic. 

• Red (Kokkini) Beach 

The Santorini Red Beach is one of the most surreal and exotic beaches in Greece. Located in Southwest Santorini, the Kokkini beach is backed by rust-and-fire coloured cliffs. 

• Museum of Prehistoric Thera 

The Museum of Prehistoric Thera is home to some incredible finds that were excavated from Akrotiri which has been settled since neolithic times. Your jaw will absolutely drop to the floor when you take a look at the stunning wall painting, ceramics, and the gold ibex figurine featured in the Museum of Prehistoric Thera. Remember to also take a look at the fossilised olive tree leaves from the caldera which date all the way back to 60,000 BC. 

• Ancient Akrotiri

Back in 1967, excavations in the southwest of Santorini revealed that there was an ancient city buried deep underneath the volcanic ash from the catastrophic eruption of 1613 BC. 

This site has been preserved within a protective structure through which you can see up close all the fascinating features of the Ancient Akrotiri. You can pass through the city through the well-preserved wooden walkways. You can also see inside ancient three-storey buildings that survived the eruption, see city roads, drainage systems, and even several stashes of pottery that survived. 

Top Things to do on the Island

Aside from the multiple gorgeous places and attractions to see, Santorini is also quite a thrilling destination with lots of activities and experiences to enjoy during your time there. 

• Santorini Luxury Caldera Cruise with Full Greek Meal and Drinks

There is no better or fancier way for first-time visitors to get close and intimate with the true essence of the Santorini island. 

Pick a daytime or a sunset cruise and enjoy passing by some of the most beautiful beaches in the world, in addition to visiting the one and only caldera (flooded volcanic crater), and the multiple hot springs in Santorini. 

A Greek meal and a complimentary drink are guaranteed to be served to you on the cruise so you won’t have to go through the hassle of food prep. 

• Horse Back Riding on Black Sandy Beaches 

These horseback rides are usually from the Caldera Beach on the Santorini North Coast, to the Eros Beach on the Santorini South Coast. It is usually done in a group of 6 people, with a guide that oversees it and shows riders all the basics they need to know. 

Posing for a commemorating picture while surrounded by the cliffs of Caldera Beach or riding through the volcanic landscapes to the black sands of Eros Beach will give you one of those ‘million-dollars- shots. It is also an extremely holistic experience being this close to a gorgeously raw nature like that encountered on this ride. 

• Half-Day Exclusive Catamaran Cruise in Santorini with Meal and Open Bar

Whether this is your first time in Santorini or not, booking this exclusive Catamaran Cruise is a Santorini essential. During this half-day cruise, you will be able to see parts of Santorini that are only accessible by boats, bathe in the healing waters of the Santorini Hot Springs, snorkel in the crystal sea off the Thirasia island, and enjoy a delicious Greek meal of fresh seafood delicacies. So no matter what your plans or budget are, make the time and money for this specific cruise, you will not regret it. 

• ATV-Quad Santorini Experience Tour

Experience Santorini in a new and different way with this fun ATV guided tour. This tour allows a maximum of six travellers so you won’t be fighting off crowds or missing out on anything the guide shares with the group. This tour usually starts at the black sand beach of Perissa and follows back roads to some gorgeous sites like the Venetian Castle, the Windmills of Emporio, a wine cellar, and so much more. 

Since Santorini is quite literally too beautiful and eventful for words, we will end this quick travel guide here with the following note. Whether you choose to relax and spend a laid back vacation or take advantage of every moment and every adventure Santorini has to offer, make sure to do one thing which is to enjoy yourself to the absolute max. The island of Santorini is one of few goldy gifts on Earth, so make sure to respect it, enjoy it, and appreciate it.