I always dreamed of visiting the picturesque island of Santorini and when I finally got the chance to go there, it was a lot more than I expected it to be. While I thought Santorini would be a small island with the famous white and blue houses overlooking the beach, it turned out to be a vast island with other things to see and do.
Booking Your Accommodations.
If you want to get the most out of your stay then booking the right apartment or hotel is key and there are many things to consider. The blue and white houses overlooking the ocean are mostly located in Oia. This is the place to be if you are a couple looking to enjoy a combination of relaxation, good restaurants and partying. I don’t recommend you stay here if you have the children with you as the trek to get to your hotel will involve a lot of steps and climbing.
Another part of Santorini called Akrotiri which is known for its’ ancient ruins is a great place for you to book a hotel. Located on the other end from Oia, Akrotiri is a quiet place of the island where you will find some luxurious accommodations with a stunning view. While You are on this side you will want to check out the famous Akrotiri lighthouse, their wineries and the ancient city ruins.
We stayed in a place called Mesaria, which is at the center of Santorini and stayed in a beautifully decorated place called Eucalyptus Apartments. I honestly did not know that this was in the middle and I thought we’d have an ocean view. Nevertheless it turned out to be the perfect location for us and I highly recommend it for people traveling with children. There are no long flight of stairs to climb, there are groceries around the area, lot’s of family friendly restaurants and even a neighborhood play ground which our kids liked.
Best tips for Santorini.
If you are traveling with a group of people or your family, you must rent a car. Santorini is a huge island and if you want to make the most of your stay, renting a car will be the most economical for you. There are buses around Santorini as well as ATV (all -terrain- vehicles) you can rent out if you were just a couple.
The best time to go would be when it is not too hot or cold. We were there in July at the height of summer and it was hot! Must bring sunblock, sunglasses and hats. The upside is that the ocean breeze can be cooling.
We visited Fira twice which is their market tourist area. There were lots of restaurants at affordable prices, souvenir shops and their public buses go here.
If you want to make the most of Santorini and see all it’s tourist spots from a good vantage point, I highly recommend you book their catamaran cruises. It is an amazing experience with free flowing drinks, food and fun! On this cruise, you get to stop at famous tourist spots for a view from the boat or even swim in the ocean.
Best Instagram Spots in Santorini
Even with my kids in tow, I managed to get some amazing photos while we were in Santorini. Here are a few of my tips. Wakeup early and go do your pictorial when it isn’t too hot or crowded. The tourist crowd can be thick so if you can, get going as early as 7am. By 10am, the sun gets quite intense and more people are out. The Akrotiri light house has a lot of amazing angles to make a good photo. You will see the ocean from here and can get some great roadside pictures of the stunning blue sea below.
Oia is an obvious must do if you want authentic Santorini photos. If you are brave enough to walk through the tourist crowd and queue for photos, you can go during sunset, otherwise known as the golden hour. Set your Google maps or waze to head towards Lioyerma Lounge Cafe Pool Bar. Once you get here, walk a few meters and you will immediately see some quiet cafes with rooftop dining. You can get some good photos from here that can include the famous windmills. There are lots of small paths open to the public where you can walk to around this area to get some photos too. We did not go to the famous blue domes located on the other side of Oia because the heat was intense and my kids would’ve thrown a major fit had we let them walk any further, but I got the photos I wanted.
We spent a total of 3 full nights in Santorini, and among all the cities we’ve been to during this trip, my hubby and I decided we’d go visit this place again without the kids.
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