Santorini – Beyond the Instagram Hype
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| Sunrise on Kamari beach |
Then my husband found a great flight deal to Santorini, and that settled it. Like many people, we knew the island mainly through social media, especially Instagram, and were curious to find out whether Santorini was really worth all the hype.
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| Lovely bougainvillea everywhere |
After a week on the island, we can say that parts of Santorini absolutely lived up to the hype. Villages such as Oia and Fira are incredibly picturesque. The island's dramatic volcanic cliffs, known as the caldera, rise high above the deep blue Aegean Sea, creating breathtaking natural scenery. At the same time, the iconic whitewashed houses, blue-domed churches, winding alleys, and carefully curated viewpoints provide the postcard-perfect aesthetic that attracts millions of visitors every year. It's easy to understand why Santorini has become one of the most photographed destinations in Europe.
A Little About Santorini
Around 3,600 years ago, a massive eruption caused the center of the island to collapse into the sea, creating the spectacular crescent-shaped caldera that visitors admire today. The colourful volcanic cliffs surrounding the caldera are a constant reminder of this dramatic geological event.
Today, Santorini has a permanent population of around 15,000–16,000 residents, yet it welcomes approximately 3 to 3.5 million visitors every year, making it one of Greece's most popular islands.
Because Santorini is a volcanic island, don't expect soft white or golden sandy beaches. Instead, you'll find beaches with black volcanic sand, black pebbles and even volcanic rock formations.We found some beaches to be quite rocky and uneven, so comfortable footwear is definitely a must.
Since we had an entire week on the island, we were able to explore far more than just the famous Instagram hotspots. We visited several traditional villages tucked away in the island's interior. Many of these villages are built around a historic kasteli—a fortified medieval settlement that once protected residents from pirate attacks. They may not resemble the grand castles we're used to seeing elsewhere in Europe, but they are an important part of Santorini's history.
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| Typical winding road in Santorini |
Almost every village also had at least one beautiful blue-domed church and a traditional windmill, giving each place its own charm. While these features also exist in Oia, the quieter villages allowed us to enjoy them without the overwhelming crowds.
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| Random house on the island |
Before our trip, I even asked ChatGPT about the cruise ship schedules and the expected crowds in Oia and Fira. That helped us plan our itinerary wisely. We deliberately avoided the busiest cruise days and spent those days exploring quieter villages.
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Spotted different cruise ships everyday |
Another tip that made our trip much easier was parking. Before leaving Germany, I marked several free parking lots on Google Maps. Since we usually started our sightseeing early in the morning, we managed to find free parking almost every time. Only once, when we visited Fira in the middle of the day, did we have to use a paid parking lot, which cost €10 for the entire day.
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| Hours of advance planning makes the trip easier |
Akrotiri
We chose to stay in Akrotiri, a peaceful village on the southwestern tip of Santorini. Our Airbnb was one of the highlights of the trip, located near the famous Red Beach and with a balcony overlooking the sea. Having several restaurants within walking distance made it an ideal base for exploring the island while staying away from the crowds of Oia and Fira.
Akrotiri Lighthouse
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| Tourists sit on these rocks to view the sunset |
One evening, we drove to the Akrotiri Lighthouse about an hour before sunset. Around 50 people had already gathered on the rocks near the lighthouse, and more kept arriving as sunset approached. It was easy to see why. The lighthouse offers one of the clearest, unobstructed views of the sun setting into the Aegean Sea. There were no clouds, no haze—just a brilliant orange sun slowly disappearing below the horizon.
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| Saying good-bye for the day and already looking forward to sunrise |
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| Classic Santorini |
Archaeological Site of Akrotiri
Red Beach, White Beach and Black Beach
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| Red beach |
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| White beach from afar |
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| Black beach |
The names of these beaches come from the colour of the surrounding volcanic cliffs rather than the sand itself. A small ferry connects Red Beach, White Beach and Black Beach, allowing visitors to hop on and off throughout the day. The journey takes around an hour and costs €15 per person. Boats arrive roughly every half hour, making it an easy way to explore all three beaches without moving your car.
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| Different shades of rock |
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| Stunning white rock formations spotted during the boat ride |
Megalochori
Our first stop in Megalochori was the famous Heart of Santorini viewpoint. After parking a short walk away, we made our way towards the viewpoint, passing yet another charming blue-domed church.
The heart-shaped opening in the cliff has been naturally carved over centuries by wind and erosion, framing the sea beautifully. It has become one of Santorini's most photographed viewpoints.
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| View from the scenic spot |
We actually visited this spot twice.
The first visit was around midday, when there was already a queue of five or six people waiting to take photographs. As our turn came more people queued up behind us. We took some photos hurridly.
A few days later, after watching the sunrise elsewhere on the island, we returned around 7:30 in the morning. This time there was only one small group having a professional photoshoot. Ironically, having them there worked in our favour as they kindly took much better photos of us than we had managed during our first visit.
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| Heart of Santorini |
The soft morning light completely transformed the scenery. The colours were gentler, the temperature was pleasant, and the viewpoint looked even more magical. Returning early in the morning was definitely worth it.
Just a few steps below the viewpoint is a tiny cave-like place of worship overlooking the sea. It is easy to miss, but worth stopping for.
There is also a traditional windmill nearby, proving once again that in Santorini, beautiful photo opportunities appear in the most unexpected places.
Emporio
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| Exploring Emporio village |
Just outside the village, a narrow road winds uphill to three historic windmills, overlooking the surrounding countryside.
Although it has its own charm, I'd recommend skipping Emporio if you're short on time, as other villages on the island offer a similar atmosphere with more to see.
Pyrgos
Estate Argyros
One of the highlights of our visit to Pyrgos was the wine tasting and vineyard tour at Estate Argyros. We always add an educational tour to our trips and the vineyard out was the educational experience of this trip.
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| Wine making process |
Santorini's wines have a distinctive character thanks to the island's volcanic soil and a fascinating piece of history. Unlike most vineyards in Europe, Santorini's vines were never devastated by the phylloxera pest that destroyed vineyards across the continent during the 19th century. As a result, many of the island's grapevines still grow on their original rootstock.
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| Vineyard |
Another fascinating discovery was the way the vines are trained. Instead of growing vertically on trellises, the vines are woven into low circular baskets close to the ground. This unique method protects the grapes from Santorini's strong winds, intense sunshine and dry climate.
Once we knew what to look for, we started noticing these distinctive basket-shaped vineyards all across the island. It was something we had never seen before and one of the details that made Santorini feel truly unique.
Kamari Beach
We went to Kamari Beach early in the morning because it is known as a good spot for watching the sunrise. And what a sunrise it was!
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| Here we go! |
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| Stunning sunrise |
There is something incredibly joyful about seeing the first glimpse of the sun appear on the horizon. Within just a few minutes, the sun was completely above the horizon, bathing the beach in beautiful morning light.
The sky was clear, and there was hardly anyone around—just one other family on the beach with us to welcome the new day. It surprised us that so many people gather in large numbers to watch the sunset, while so few make the effort to wake up early for sunrise.
Perissa Beach
Perissa is known for its black volcanic sand and, unlike some of the rockier beaches we visited, it is much easier to walk on. If you're looking for a proper beach day in Santorini, this would be one of the better options. We enjoyed a beach day here.
We also made a quick stop at a nearby beach called Paralia, mainly to see its interesting volcanic rock formations.
Monastery of Prophet Elias
Our boat tour guide (coming up later) had told us about the Monastery of Prophet Elias of Thira, which sits at the highest point of Santorini. It can apparently be visited for both sunrise and sunset, so we decided to make another early-morning trip.
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| Good morning! |
We arrived at the top while it was still quiet and witnessed another stunning sunrise from one of the highest points on the island. Once again, there were hardly any people around. It was just us and another couple who had made the effort to get there early.
Imerovigli
Imerovigli is another beautiful village perched high above the caldera. It is quieter than Oia and offers spectacular views of the Aegean Sea. We came across one of those quintessential Santorini scenes that seem to exist purely for Instagram: a couple of professional flying-dress photoshoots were taking place against the blue-domed buildings.
Skaros Rock
For anyone looking for a more strenuous hike, Skaros Rock is the main attraction here. The trail involves quite a few steps and some effort, so we decided to avoid it in the afternoon sun.
Speaking of trails, there is also a long walking trail connecting Oia and Fira. It follows the caldera edge through scenic landscapes. The trail takes around 3–5 hours depending on your pace and stops, so we decided to skip this one as well.
Fira
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| Three bells of Fira |
The three bells perched above Santorini’s whitewashed churches have become one of the island’s most recognisable symbols. The most iconic example is the Three Bells of Fira seen above.
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| Cable cars in Fira |
Cruise ships cannot dock directly in the old port, so passengers are transferred to smaller boats to reach the port.
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| Small boats transferring the passengers |
From there, visitors can take the cable car up to Fira, walk up the many steps, or if they prefer a more traditional and controversial option - take a donkey ride.
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| Donkey taxi! |
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| Sandeep leading the way to Fira Port to board our sunset cruise. |
In Fira, we took a half-day sunset cruise, which took us around several volcanic sites and nearby islands.
Nea Kameni – The Volcano
Our first major stop on the sunset cruise was Nea Kameni, the volcanic island at the centre of the Santorini caldera. This is where we got our first close-up experience of an active volcanic landscape.
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| The vapours could not be captured in a photo |
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| The whitewashed houses of Fira and Oia in the distance look almost like snow-capped mountains. |
We hiked across the island with our tour group while our guide explained the volcanic activity. At several points, we could feel how hot the ground was, and we could see vapour escaping from the earth.
It was our first time visiting an active volcanic site, and it was fascinating to realise that the landscape beneath our feet was still geologically active.
Thirasia
The boat then took us towards Thirasia, a quieter island with a small population. We made a short stop there for refreshments before continuing with the cruise.
Hot Springs
At another point in the trip, near Palea Kameni, the boat stopped for around 30 minutes so passengers could jump into the water and swim towards the nearby hot springs, roughly 30 metres away.
I skipped this part because I am not a strong swimmer. Instead, I stayed on the boat and enjoyed watching everyone else take the plunge.
Sunset on the Boat
The highlight of the boat trip for me was undoubtedly the sunset.
As the sun began to disappear over the Aegean Sea, our tour guide sang Greek songs and played the guitar for us. Sitting on the boat, surrounded by the sea, listening to Greek music while watching the sunset was such a beautiful experience.
It felt much more intimate and memorable than simply watching the sunset from a crowded viewpoint.
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| Boats with the backdrop of black volcanic rocks |
The only downside of the cruise was how rough the sea became due to the strong winds. The small boat was constantly going up and down, which made me quite uneasy. The other passengers seemed perfectly calm, but perhaps I’ve watched too many news reports about ferry accidents—or maybe it was simply because I’m not a strong swimmer. Either way, I felt quite uncomfortable for about half of the journey. I had expected a bigger boat when we made the booking. For comparision ours was the one on the right. The smallest amongst all.
Fira After Dark
After docking back in Fira, we took the cable car up from the port to the city. Fira has plenty of shops, restaurants, bars and even a few clubs, giving the town a lively atmosphere, especially in the evening.
Oia
And then there was Oia—the cherry on top of the cake.
If Santorini has a place that perfectly represents its Instagram image, it is Oia. Everything here feels carefully curated: the whitewashed houses, blue domes, narrow pathways, windmills, luxury hotels, restaurants and endless viewpoints.
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| Night view of Oia |
At one particular spot, it was almost unbelievable to see young people queuing for hours, sometimes from early morning, just to take photos with the famous blue-domed churches and iconic bell tower. We went there after dinner instead, when the crowds had disappeared, and had the whole photo spot to ourselves.
Oia Castle
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| View from the castle |
The castle ruins are probably the most famous place to watch the sunset in Oia. Unsurprisingly, it gets extremely crowded. People start arriving as much as two hours before sunset to secure a good spot.
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| Postcard shot |
Of course, you can watch the sunset from many different places around Oia. But there is something special about seeing it from the castle ruins. As the sun gets lower, its warm glow falls across the whitewashed houses, the famous windmills and the cliffs, creating the postcard-perfect scene Santorini is known for.
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| Before and after sunset |
We noticed that much of the evening crowd was quite young, and the atmosphere was very different from the peaceful mornings we had experienced elsewhere on the island.
By the end of our trip, we had seen several different sides of Santorini: quiet sunrises with almost nobody around, traditional villages, volcanic landscapes, crowded Instagram hotspots and magical sunsets at sea.
Greek Vegetarian Food We Absolutely Loved
As our Airbnb had a kitchen, we brought some ready-to-eat food with us and also picked up eggs and bread for breakfast. As vegetarians, we prefer to play it safe and keep some food handy, just in case finding good vegetarian options turns out to be a challenge.
Thankfully, Greek cuisine has plenty of vegetarian dishes, and we were never short of options at restaurants. In fact, some of the simplest dishes turned out to be among our favourites.
Here are a few Greek dishes we absolutely loved:
Greek Salad
We loved the authentic Greek salad made with fresh, local ingredients. The tomatoes, cucumbers, capers and feta tasted exceptionally flavourful, and the local produce seemed to have so much more character.
The volcanic soil of Santorini gives some of its produce a distinctive taste, and the island's famous cherry tomatoes are particularly delicious.
Tomatokeftedes
This was the signature Santorini dish we were most excited to try.
Tomatokeftedes are crispy tomato fritters made with Santorini's famous cherry tomatoes, herbs, onions and flour. They are packed with flavour and make a great starter or snack.
If you're vegetarian and visiting Santorini, this is definitely something worth looking out for on the menu.
Fava
Don't let the name confuse you—Santorini fava is not made from fava beans.
It is a smooth, creamy purée made from yellow split peas and is traditionally served with olive oil, capers and onions. It is one of the island's oldest and most traditional dishes.
It reminded us of hummus and we always paired it with garlic bread or pita bread.
Melitzanosalata
A smoky roasted eggplant dip usually served with bread or pita.
And the Bread!
One thing we didn't expect to enjoy quite so much was the bread.
Many restaurants served fresh bread, sometimes baked in-house. We particularly loved the Greek pita bread and the garlic bread, which tasted quite different from the versions we usually have in Germany.
By the end of the trip, we had realised that being vegetarian in Santorini was surprisingly easy. There was plenty to choose from, and we never felt like we were missing out on the local cuisine.
The vegetarian choices in Greek restaurants in Germany are often limited to Greek salad, grilled vegetables, feta, or a few standard side dishes, with the menus primarily focused on fish and meat. In Santorini, however, we discovered a much wider variety of traditional vegetarian dishes. It was a pleasant reminder that Greek cuisine is much more diverse than what we usually encounter in Greek restaurants in Germany.
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| Very rare to see stray dogs in EU. We spotted some in Santorini. |
Points to Note
1. Don't expect to drink tap water
Tap water on the island is not recommended for drinking, so we relied on bottled water during our stay.
2. The toilet-paper situation is different
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| 🚽🧻🚫 |
In many places in Greece, including Santorini, you are asked not to flush toilet paper down the toilet because the plumbing and sewage systems are not designed to handle it. Instead, there is usually a small bin next to the toilet for used toilet paper.
It definitely takes some getting used to!
Coming from India, where we’re used to washing with water rather than relying solely on toilet paper, we couldn’t help wondering why more places don’t simply install water sprays. I guess it’s one of those cultural differences you notice when travelling!
3. Be prepared for the wind
Santorini is a surprisingly windy island. Even in July, when the temperatures are high, the wind can be quite strong, particularly around the exposed caldera areas.
No wonder the flying-dress Instagram trend was born in Santorini!
4. Start early
We often found ourselves enjoying Santorini the most when we started our days early, before the cruise-ship crowds arrived and the intense afternoon heat set in.
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| Soft morning light on the bougainvillea |
Santorini is undeniably touristy, highly photographed and, in some places, almost excessively curated. But beneath all of that is a fascinating volcanic island with a unique landscape, traditional villages, ancient history, distinctive food and wine, and plenty of quieter corners waiting to be discovered.
For us, that combination made Santorini much more than just an Instagram destination.
It was a place we were genuinely happy to have experienced.
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