There are not many places in the world that will take your breath away the moment you arrive at your destination, but Santorini is certainly one of them. Your jaw will drop at the multi-colored cliffs that are cleverly positioned for tourists to enjoy the jaw-dropping views of the Caldera. It’s a huge draw for millions of travelers to arrive each year, whether it’s for their romantic honeymoon or just a week with friends or family in the sun. However, no place in the world is perfect, and before visiting Santorini, it may be best to be warned about its main drawbacks as well, which may scare some people. Here are the 5 best things and the 5 worst things about Santorini.
5 best things about Santorini
1. Beautiful views
It goes without saying that the views you will see are quite impressive at most points on the island. If you are staying in places like Oia, Imerovigli, Fira or Firostefani, all you have to do is turn your head to the side and take in the views of the Caldera. There are not just a few places to witness a spectacular sight, they are at every point of your journey. Simply walking through these towns will be the highlight of your trip, and that’s before you even consider watching the sunset in Oia or doing the hike to Oia or Skaros Rock. Obviously all three of those things are worth doing, as you will find yourself taking photo, one after another, after another. Not just walking, but if you have enough funds, you can stay in a hotel that has these views from your hotel room, balcony or pool, and this is what people think of when they come to Santorini. When it comes to beautiful views, it really does have an infamous reputation around the world, and for good reason.
2. Exquisite hotels and restaurants
This comes into play with the beautiful views mentioned above, but many of the hotels and restaurants are on the edge of the cliff and it makes your vacation a dream. For the restaurants, the service, the quality of the food and the views are impeccable. Lots of variation in the type of food to eat, be it Greek or international food. Plus, whether you’re an avid seafood, meat, or even vegetarian, Santorini has you covered. When it comes to hotels, what strikes me the most as a hotel guest is that you feel that, in whatever hotel room you stay, you are isolated with an unreal view. Unlike the time you spend outside your hotel room, it’s just you and the view. No obstructions. You won’t tend to see a lot of other people, and the island’s overcrowding doesn’t feel that way when you’re at your hotel as fewer people are generally accommodated. Let’s not forget that you also have the luxury of the swimming pool during your stay, which is usually never occupied.
3. Excursions
While many people love to stay at their hotel and soak in the pool all day, for most people, myself included, it can get boring after a few days. If you want to explore and go on excursions, there are many things to do on the small island. As mentioned above, if you are into hiking, the hikes to Skaros Rock (in Imerovigli) or the long hike from Imerovigli to Oia are totally worth it. Note that the hike takes about 2.5 hours, and it is best to avoid doing this during peak sunlight hours or it will just burn out, speaking from experience. Other day trips include a boat trip to the nearby volcano and the chance to swim in hot springs. There are also many wineries on the island, so the wine tasting is a nice break from all the wine … I mean cocktails that you will have while eating on the island. There are many sights to see throughout the island, such as Ammoudi Bay and Castle in Oia, the Prophet Elijah Monastery, and the Greek ruins of Akrotiri in the south of the island. There is a lot to do and everything is very close.
4. Climate
Blue skies and sunshine are almost part of Santorini’s furnishings. It is at night an island that has a warm climate throughout the year, and it can be quite cold during the winter months of December and January. However, the rest of the year, the weather is perfect for tourists. Clouds are almost non-existent during the summer months and you don’t hear about rain either. It’s usually never too hot (33+ for example) when you’re there, as it’s the perfect temperature for swimming in your pool during the day and going for a walk at night.
5. Transportation
While there are plenty of car rental places out there, it’s not the perfect vacation for everyone when they have to worry about driving on the wrong side of the road on short, winding roads with other impatient Greek drivers, so thankfully the buses are fabulous in the island. The main bus station is located in Fira and can literally take you everywhere on the island. The buses between the four hot sports, the airport and the seaport come regularly and are easy to train. Also, a nice touch, which is not just Santorini, is that there are two employees on the bus, one to take you and the other to carry your money. No hassle getting on or off the bus, and it’s relatively straightforward. Also, because the island is so small, you won’t expect to be on a bus for more than 45 minutes wherever you travel. Nice and easy trip around the island without having to worry about renting a car. That being said, transportation is not essential for all locations as it is ideal for walking between cities and town depending on where you are staying.
Okay, you’re convinced. Do you want to book that trip to Santorini? Then take a look at Santorini hotels here.
But, before you do that, please consider reading on and seeing what I really didn’t like about Santorini and I may or may not agree with some of the points, but I’m sure some of you will relate and be disappointed by full. .
The 5 worst things about Santorini
1. Crowded
There is an ugly side to being too pretty, and the island is a victim of that. As I mentioned in the pros, Santorini’s beauty has a reputation that can only be disputed by a few other places on this planet, but this attracts tourists from all over the world, and given the size of the island, it fills up quickly! Year after year, it seems to be getting worse, and there are too many people there for the size of the island. The airport (I’ll come back to that later), the views, the sunset in Oia, the excursions, the buses, the bars, the castle. Just everything. Too many people, and your overcrowding can be claustrophobic. Everyone would love a secluded romantic getaway, and aside from time in your hotel room, you won’t get that experience here. Oia, which possibly has the best views with Ammoudi bay, castle and sunset, is always crowded and the cute little streets with shops are just a nightmare to walk around, and taking a photo anywhere in this Oia will be disrupted. by several people.
2. Expensive
Well, you can’t expect to go to one of the hot spots in the world and not expect to pay a little buck, but Santorini is way too expensive. You will get a better return for your money on other islands in Greece, such as Paros, Naxos or even Mykonos. That’s why I think it’s an ideal place for celebrities like footballers and models to travel, but for us ordinary people, it’s a lot of money! Staying in hotels with any kind of decent view will cost you an arm and a leg, and even hotels that have no view will leave a huge dent in your bank balance. The whole point of staying on the island is to stay in one of the four city / town hot spots, but good luck finding any kind of hotel for under £ 100 per night for a room for even the most basic hotel or villa without view. Same for restaurants, and don’t get me started on alcoholic beverages. Cocktails for £ 12- £ 20 each. No, not for me. I understand, it is a beautiful view of the island, but there is a line and you crossed it. If you want to find cheap food and cheap bars, they basically don’t exist, except for some fast food places in Fira square.
3. Lack of good beaches
I am not saying that I visited Santorini expecting that there would be beaches represented on many of the other islands in Greece, such as the beaches of Mexico or Thailand. However, the island does not have good beaches and that is a fact. For many people, beaches are a great attraction for people visiting the destination and, in particular, an island. Santorini has the ‘Red Beach’, which is not pleasant but also dangerous for visitors. Visually it looks good once you’re there, which is a challenge in itself, but if you don’t want to slip off the rocks, you can swim in water that is far from clear and uncomfortable everywhere. Having said that, it won’t stop people from attending, and it’s still packed! Other than this beach, there is literally nothing else Santorini has to offer in terms of beaches, so if that’s your thing, you might want to reconsider.
4. Airport
The worst airport in the world. Okay, maybe an exaggeration, but in the research for this article, I’m not surprised by the number of articles that are mentioned in ‘the worst airports in the world’ and individual reviews talking about their time at Santorini airport. Okay, you may only be there for a few hours before you leave, or if you are lucky enough not to see it at all. However, your time there will be the most uncomfortable couple of hours of your life. You’re packed like sardines once you go through security, after waiting an hour to go through your bags. There is no room to sit, move, walk, and even breathe. It was a horrible experience and it was not unique. Fortunately, if you pass all the crowds, there is an upstairs that has a few seats and you may be lucky enough to find one while waiting for your flight.
5. Donkey in the Old Port
Just a personal bummer of mine, but I hate when animals are exploited all their lives by lazy, rich tourists. There are 300 steps to go up and down to visit places like the Old Port and Ammoudi Bay, and although the normal person will have to walk down and sweat, some people feel that it is necessary to sit on the back of a donkey and pay. 5 euros for that privilege. Horses are visually unhappy, and you can imagine yourself going up and down 300 steps all day, no time to relax, no shade to save you. Day after day after day. People may question this inclusion in the worst things of Santorini, but for me it should get a mention. This type of attraction is outdated, and I hope people don’t pay for this!
Do you still want to book Santorini? Well, I don’t blame you. Everyone has their preferences and I can’t deny that no one wants to visit these beautiful islands, but every pretty face has an ugly side.
Book hotels for Santorini here.
Have a great trip whenever you are on the road.
