A honeymoon, wedding, family vacation or a solo trip to the Greek island may bring you unforgettable memories or waste your money and disappoint you!
Contents:
- WEATHER CONDITIONS
- SLIPPERY ROADS
- TAP WATER
- RESTAURANTS
- PHOTOSHOOTS
- WHAT TO BUY
- Additionals
Santorini is a place you must visit at least once in your life, because everything that people say or magazines write about astonishing white cities, breathtaking sunsets and blue sea is true. The two main towns of Thira and Oia will fascinate you and it will be love at first sight.
The best time to come to the island is late April and May or the middle of September and October. Watching sunsets or finding a table in restaurants is easier at that time. Besides this you can get a hotel room with a sea view at reasonable prices.
But to make your trip unforgettable and pleasant you need to know these important things first:
1. WEATHER CONDITIONS: Jackets & Sunscreens
The climate here is Mediterranean which means it’s windy and cold in the evening and early morning and hot during the day. You can easily get sunstroke or sunburnt during the day and cold in the evening. During the day people wear t-shirts and shorts but in the evening warm jackets and scarfs.
For this reason, get a fleece wind-proof jacket with a high collar or a scarf for evenings so you can stay outside more and enjoy the sunset without searching for a warm place to hide.
Sunstroke and sunburn are really common in Santorini. Located high above the sea with white marble walls and roads which reflect the sunlight on all sides means that your skin burns quickly. Make sure you put on 50 spf sunscreen and a hat to prevent sunburn and sunstroke. Some people get a white or silver umbrella which also works well.
2. SLIPPERY ROADS: Sneakers & Comfy shoes
Marble roads look fantastic but work like a wet, slippery floor especially when they are hot or wet, moreover cobbles are used in some parts of the roads and are also very slippery and dangerous too. Leather sole shoes, high-heels, flip-flops or yacht shoes are not a good idea if you want to walk up and down in Oia or Thira all day long. Take sneakers or shoes which have an anti-slip sole.
3. TAP WATER: Don’t drink it
Drinking the tap water in Santorini is not recommended. The reason why is that the island doesn’t have its own water storage and water is mainly brought by tankers or locals collect the rainwater which is not so good for drinking but ok for daily needs. Nothing will happen to you, but it’s better not to drink it. Bottled water is available and costs 50-70 cents everywhere.
4. RESTAURANTS: Book tables for dinners before your trip
Good restaurants are always fully booked in Santorini. Breathtaking sea view dinners in Oia and Thira are the most popular destinations for tourists. It is better to book it on Google reservation in advance so you can be sure you’ll get a table on the day you want.
If you are ready to pay for a sea view I recommend two restaurants with delicious food: The Vine Cocktail & Wine Restaurant and Volkan on the Rocks, both located in Thira.
5. PHOTOSHOOTS: Love story videos or wedding pictures
Pictures in Santorini are the reason to go to. The white buildings, deep blue sea, sky and a lot of light make pictures incredibly beautiful. Take your best dress or whatever you like to have incredible pictures and videos there. My videos and pictures were taken by the girls at @nymfion and @papaki_santorini_photo who made the photoshoot process so fun and easy.
6. WHAT TO BUY: expensive souvenirs, wines, oils
It’s impossible to avoid buying souvenirs so what you need to know is souvenirs in Oia, Thira and the sea view cities are more expensive than inside of the city, where public transports, local cafeterias and shops are located.
What’s really worth buying in Santorini is their local wine and olive oil. The wineries in Santorini have everything they need to produce an incredible wine which will please any wine lover.
Olive oil, olives and herbal teas are also great on Santorini. Greeks know how to produce olive oil organically and well so getting some oil or olives can work as the best gift from Santorini.
Additionals: Wi-Fi, Coffee, Taxi
Wi-Fi in Santorini or a Mobile internet connection is not so fast and good, so if you need to have a Zoom call or upload a video or presentation it is better to wait until you return to Athens or find a hotel with a good wifi.
Greeks drink coffee all day long and they have three popular and amazing coffee brands which you should try. The first one is Coffee Island, the second is Coffee Brands and the third is Mikel coffee. Black tea is not popular in Greece so it’s better not to try it, if you don’t want to be disappointed.
Bus schedule with a price and timetable
Taxi:
from the airport to Thira costs €20-25.
Airport to Oia €30-35.
Thira to Oia €20-25.
