SANTORINI ON A BUDGET

It can be romantic, but you can choose -like any other place - to make it a romance, a travel heaven, or a cultural destination with whoever you are and even solo

Do NOT be surprised if you don’t see the island as in pictures, the white hotels with private pools and amazing views are only one village in the island called Oia, the rest of the island is a beautiful normal place to be in. As for Oia, God bless the human kind for building this paradise.

The PEOPLE! Greeks are amazing people with a beautiful spirit, try to meet a local and they will help you a lot, they love to show their country and proud of how amazing their culture is. In Santorini most of the people will be speaking English, its touristic and they know it.

LOCATION

Santorini is one of the most well-known Cyclades* islands, people think of it as expensive, however, it is a truly affordable heaven.

The views and places are attracting but the island is full of history and culture it is nice to know more about it before you go to enrich your trip.

*Fast info! Greek islands are divided into groups: the Cyclades, Dodecanese and Samos, Argo-Saronic and Porto Heli, Ioanian Islands, Euboia, Sporades, Pelion and Mitzella, and Crete

In the picture, the hotel receptionist advised going to these areas: Oia (IA) Village , Volcano Island, Fira (the center), Kamari and Perissa (Black Beaches), Red Beach, Akrotiri , Monastery Profitis Elias, and Pygros

Later I will mention my best places.

GET THERE

1. Plane: of course there is an airport in Thira JTR and it is easy to book a flight from Athens or some other European cities especially during the summer time. (Prices highly depend on the season, in low seasons the one-way ticket from Athens can cost €30-50 and in high seasons it can go up to €130-150)

2. Ferry: Most Islands in Greece are reachable by ferries from Athens, and in Santorini’s case, there are ferries from the other Cyclades islands and from Crete which is very nearby.
From Athens (Piraeus) it can take up to 7 hours to get to Santorini through several ferry companies such as Hellenic Seaways, Blue Star Ferries, Sea Jet, and others, YES you can buy the ticket from the office when you get to Athens not necessary online and please mention your student card if you have one, there might be a discount. (Prices also differ, but shouldn't go higher than €70).

From Crete and the other islands, it can take 3 hours or less.

ACCOMMODATION

If you want to stay in Oia (the white village you see in all pictures) then you can find plenty of hotels, and yes they will be expensive and costs 10 times the hotels in other areas.

In my case, I stayed nearby the center of the islands, where there are shops, restaurants, bars and the normal kind of life (you don’t always see this life in photos of Santorini), the hotel was called Villa Manos Santorini, it was beautiful, nice design and a swimming pool. I went in May - the beginning of the season- the stay can cost less than 20 euros per person per night. And for me, I saw that as a great deal! Check the prices and discounts on Booking.com (use the link to get a discount)

TRANSPORTATION

Rent a Quad-Bike, it is safe, convenient, takes you to all places and gets your adrenaline working.

The hotel helped me rent the bike from a nearby shop Moto Kostas and they were very flexible and easy to deal with, not forgetting the very decent price. You can also check ATV prices on this website and compare.
It is much easier to access the beaches with bikes because the buses were not so effective especially for some hidden volcanic beaches.

However, the buses are not bad of an option in Santorini, you can check the timetable online as well as the price list (Fira is the centre of the city)

A car can also be an option, just consider the parking if it is high season and small streets.

MY BEST OF SANTORINI

Attractions are important, beaches are breathtaking, however, make sure to have a pure Greek night at a taverna with music and Greek food.

My perfect Mezze (appetizer or party platter in the Mediterranean region) would be: Greek Salad (Horiatiki), Fried Zucchini (Kolokithakia tiganita or Kolokythokeftedes) with tzatziki, I read in some articles in Santorini they have the tomato keftedes (fried tomato balls) but haven't tried it personally, Baked Eggplant with Feta Cheese (Melitzanes me Feta), Fried calamari (kalamarakia) and if you drink alcohol don't forget the Ouzo with the food.

It was more unique than many other beaches I have seen, the sand is volcanic black.
It is free to use sunbeds which are privately owned by a cafe or a restaurant all you need is to order something (this is the case in many places in Greece) but it's more wonderful in Santorini, the place I stayed in was Seaside By Notos, give it a shot.

The Black Beach

Hard access but totally worth it
You need to climb and jump but the beach is actually red, many boats are passing by, if lucky enough to get on a party boat or a yacht it would be nice and much easier.
You need to get your towel there because it is not serviced and no cafes around, however, it is nice for an hour or two.

The Red Beach

If you are planning a villa with a private pool, I am not sure how it will be because I haven’t tried that (they say its magical), but I sat in a place and had the most expensive dinner in Greece but come on we were in Oia, something had to be done.
Sunsets are beautiful, take into consideration, with the thousands of people there trying to find a nice spot to see it, you might need to go an hour early to also find your spot or find a unique hill to sit on.
Also, taking photos is not so easy with the crowd but I am sure you will manage.

And yes, the place is more beautiful in real life than photos

The great OIA

Wine Museum: Santorini’s wine is very famous in Greece, you can go to the museum and have a wine tasting, it is a nice experience (€10 per person)
Volcano Islands: I haven’t been there but it was recommended; if you are planning to do all these activities try to stay more than 3 nights on the Island.
Most importantly, get lost and do discover. We have been to several areas (which are listed above in the receptionist's recommendations) just make sure to read more about the areas as you won't feel the spirit without knowing the history of the place, it is great to discover around if you are interested, if you just feel like relaxing on a view that is also possible.

Main other attractions

TIP: the center of Santorini (Fira) is cheaper and more affordable than Oia, for buying souvenirs, food, and even drinks or night outs.

Hope you have a vacation as amazing as Oia