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Best Places To Stay in Santorini
Staying in Santorini is quite expensive, especially in high season. But then again, as touristy as it is on this island, they don’t give anything away! However, every euro invested is worth it because it is a unique, beautiful island. Our first advice is to stay on the west coast of the island as it offers a beautiful view of the caldera and is the most attractive part of the island. Next we tell you the best areas and hotels to stay in Santorini.
Contents
A Guide to staying in Santorini
If you want the best views of the island, find accommodations in the towns of Fira, Imerovigli, Oia and Firostefani. You can find the top hotels in Santorini in these 4 towns.
Few top hotels in Santorini have great views of the sunset. They mostly have a view of the caldera.
Eating at a restaurant without the volcano view can save you money. Same with accommodations, the cheapest hotels in Santorini have great rooms without the view.
Go to booking.com to find the best rooms in Santorini
Both the Grace Santorini and the Katikies hold the spot for the best luxury accommodations in Santorini
The most stylish boutique style hotels on the island are:
Sophia Suites
Tsitouras Collection
Aspaki by Art Maisons
Cosmopolitan Suites
Best places to stay during a honeymoon are:
Katikies
Oia Castle by Art Maisons
Cavo Tagoo
Sophia Suites
Cosmopolitan Suites
Fira, Firostefani, Oia, and Imerovigli have the best views of the volcano and the caldera. They are the best towns in Santorini.
Grace, Katikies and Esperas Traditional boast the best view of the sunset on the island.
Here are a list of cheap Accommodations per town so you can check them out:
Those with Caldera view:
Fira- Kavalari
Oia- Strogili
Imerovigli- Kasimatis Studios
Firostefani-Agali Houses
Those without the Caldera View(Much Cheaper):
Oia- Anemomilos
Imerovigli- Merovigliosso
Firostefani- Hotel Sofia
Fira- San Giorgio Villas
Cavo Tagoo is a new hotel located near Imerovigli. It’s secluded, quiet and perfect for a honeymoon.
Check out these helpful articles:
Where to stay in Santorini: 17 places to choose from
Staying in Santorini on a budget
When should I go to Santorini?
A Guide to activities in Santorini
Ultimate what’s what to a Greek Vacation
Best Area To Stay in Santorini
Stick to towns with a view of the caldera. These are Firostefani, Oia, Imerovigli and Fira. They border the western side of the island with the other side being beach towns.
- The towns with the most romantic atmosphere are Oia and Imerovigli.
- The four towns have great views but Oia and Imerovigli has the best ones.
- Fira has the best shopping centre in all of Santorini.
- Go for Fira if you’re into night parties, Imerovigli for the romantic ambiance and Oia for both.
- Fira has the best night scene in Santorini.
- Imerovigli has the best restaurants on the island.
- Kamari Beach is the best beach in Santorini.
- Imerovigli is the quietest, most relaxing town in santorini. Plus it has the best sunset.
- Firostefani can give you the cheapest accommodations with a view of the caldera and Fira the cheapest without the view.
- If you have kids, it’s best to stay in Oia because it’s easier to drag a stroller through that town. Fira has many activities just for kids and Kamari is a child-friendly beach.
- Katikies and Grace Santorini are the best hotels to stay on when you’re in Santorini.
Before booking hotels, decide whether you’re going for the beaches or the view. Hotels by the beach are located east of Santorini while Fira, Firostefani, Oia and Imerovigli occupy the west. They have the best views of the caldera and the volcano.
Expect the west side with the caldea to be more expensive. The best shops, restaurants, clubs and bars are on that side. Those at the beaches in the east are cheaper and have a more relaxed ambience.
The view of the caldera is the most important thing that sets the island of Santorini apart from the rest of the islands in Greece. It’s best to stay on the four towns that border the west to enjoy it the most. If you do stay at the east side, Fira is only have an hour away. You can easily make the trip and enjoy the town.
The town of Akrotiri also has a great view of the caldera but the hotels in the area are secluded so unless you’ve rented your own car, you’re going to be stuck inside your hotel room.
Where to stay in Fira
You can see the caldera and the town of Fira from a room in Hotel Keti.
Located on a cliff on the caldera, Fira has a great view of the volcano and the caldera. It’s one of Greece’s largest towns and the most beautiful. It’s the best place to go shopping, clubbing, bar hopping, and exploring. There’s so much to do in Fira that you’re going to run out of time to try them all. Fira is Santorini’s bus hub so you can easily go anywhere on the island from there. It’s not a good spot if you’re into solemn, quiet places. It’s too busy, lively, and crowded to be quiet. Kamari beach is only a couple of minutes away from Fira and is a great place to go swimming in.
Fira has hotels with and without the caldera view. It’s best to book on the ones with a view but if you’re on a budget, rooms without the view can save you a lot of money.
Where to stay in Firostefani
Tsitouras in Firostefani has a great view of the caldera.
If you want to stay somewhere quiet and solemn, choose the town of Firostefani. It’s 10 minutes by foot from Fira and is less touristy. There are very few restaurants and shops in that town but since Fira is nearby, it shouldn’t be a problem.
The most quiet town in Santorini is Imerovigli. It has under 10 restaurants and a non existent night scene. It’s almost half an hour by foot from Fira. This town is located in a higher cliff than the other towns so there’s nothing blocking it’s view. It has the best views of the caldera and the sunset.
Astra Suites and Grace Santorini are the top hotels in Imerovigli. While the most budget-friendly ones(with good quality) are Ampelonas Apartments, Merovigliosso and Kasimatis Suites.
Where to stay in Oia town
Catch a sight of the beautiful Oia from a room in Perivolos hotel.
Oia is hours away from Fira. You can get to it either by bus or taxi. It’s one of the most beautiful towns in Santorini and has a great sunset and caldera views. There isn’t much of a night scene in Oia but it does have its fair share of luxury shops and hotels. It’s a town that’s bustling by day and is really quiet at night.
Perivolos, Katikies and Canaves suites are the top hotels in Oia. The most budget-friendly ones are Villa Agnadi and Rimida Villas.
Where to stay in Kamari Beach
The crystal Clear waters of Kamari Beach
Kamari is a beautiful pebble beach with sparkling blue waters and amazing views. It’s a famous beach that’s good for families. It will take you 15 minutes to get to it if you take a bus from Fira.
If you’re staying in Kamari Beach, check out the following hotels:
Where to stay in Perissa Beach
Perissa beach is great for pedestrians and tourists. It’s a little far from Fira but is definitely more beautiful than Kamari beach. It has a couple of great hotels and restaurants as well as bars right on the beach.
If you’re staying in Perissa Beach, check out the following hotels:
Where to stay in Perivolos Beach
Perivolos is the less busier part of Perissa beach. You can’t really tell where one ends and where another starts so Perivolos is often just called Persia too.
Smaragdi hotel is the single best hotel in Perissa Beach.
Town or Beach?
Beaches are half an hour away from Fira and even farther from the town of Oia. But it’s a small amount of travelling if you consider the beauty of these beaches.
If you’re interested in doing as many activities as you can, stick to the four core towns-Fira, Oia, Firostefani, Imerovigli. If you came to Santorini for the sun and the water, it’s best to find accommodations at the beach.
When visiting the beach, stick to the peak tourist months. Scheduling your trip from May up until October will give you consistently shining sun. The weather will be unpredictable on any other months and the water temperature will not be ideal for swimming.
Staying at the beach towns can save you money considering all the best restaurants and hotels are at the four core towns. Food is cheaper at restaurants on the beach but they’re most likely not as good.
It’s not easy to choose between Fira and Oia. Fira is closer to beaches than Oia. It’s more alive at night and definitely noisier. Oia is for more solemn trips like romantic dates where quiet ambiance and atmosphere are more ideal. Plus Oia is for the upper-class because it’s very expensive. While Fira is for the masses because it has far more cheaper options.
If you want to enjoy the crazy nightlife, the great restaurants and the busy streets of Fira, but you don’t want to stay there at night, then find accommodations in Firostefani and Imerovigli. They’re both walking distance from the town and they’re very quiet. You might find the journey relaxing because of the view. Taxis are also available if you’re too tired to walk.
Fira remains alive during the winter. Oia, on the other hand, starts to shut down in November and just comes alive again come March. This is also the case for all of the beach towns in Santorini.
Read more:
When to visit Santorini
Where to eat in Santorini
How to get from Athens to Santorini
Santorini’s Infinity Pools
Exploring Santorini’s beaches
How to get from Crete to Santorini
How to get from Mykonos to Santorini
