Santorini: A First-Timer's Guide Beyond the Sunset

Three picks across the spectrum of how Santorinians actually eat on Greece's most-visited island.

For the modern, Michelin-starred pick: Selene, at Pyrgos Kallistis 847 00, Santorini.

Chef Ettore Botrini's restaurant in the inland village of Pyrgos (away from the Caldera crowds) — modern Greek cuisine emphasizing Santorini's iconic volcanic-soil ingredients (the famous fava beans, white aubergines, cherry tomatoes, capers).

Among Greece's most consistently top-rated restaurants for decades.

For the iconic seafood institution: To Psaraki (Tο Ψαράκι) at Vlychada Harbour, Akrotiri, Santorini 84700.

A small family-run seafood taverna directly above the small Vlychada fishing harbour on the south coast (a 20-minute drive from Fira) — daily fresh Aegean catch (sea bass, red mullet, octopus), the iconic Santorini-style fava bean dip, and properly chilled local Assyrtiko white wine.

Reservations recommended.

For the affordable, locals' standard: Krinaki, at Finikia, Santorini 847 02.

A traditional Greek taverna in the small village of Finikia (just north of Oia) — proper Greek home cooking (moussaka, the iconic Santorini tomato-keftedes fried tomato fritters, slow-cooked goat), terrace tables with mountain-and-sea views. Walk-in friendly.

For an Oia-village affordable alternative, Roka on the main pedestrian path is the contemporary modern-Greek casual favourite.

Santorini's iconic Assyrtiko wines are among the world's most highly-regarded indigenous-grape white wines, and the island also produces serious traditional-method sparkling wines (Argyros, Santo Wines, Gavalas are the references).

For Santorini seafood with serious Champagne and Santorini sparkling, the destination is Argo at Fira village waterfront, Santorini 84700.

The most-cited Caldera-edge seafood restaurant in Fira — daily fresh seafood from the Cyclades (sea bass, red mullet, lobster), the iconic shellfish raw bar, and a serious Santorini-and-Champagne wine list with sunset views over the volcano.

Reservations essential for the Caldera-view terrace tables.

For a more iconic luxury alternative with the most cinematic Santorini setting, 1800 Restaurant at Main Street, Oia, Santorini 84702 (housed inside a restored 1800s sea captain's mansion) offers serious raw bar and Champagne service in one of the island's most beautifully preserved heritage settings.

For the casual Santorini-coastal alternative, the Amoudi Bay tavernas directly below Oia (accessible via the iconic 286-step donkey path or a switchback car road) serve daily-fresh seafood at sunset.

For an old-world boutique stay in Santorini (in the proper traditional Cycladic-architecture sense), the reference is Katikies Hotel, at Main Street, Oia, Santorini 847 02.

The original 1996 boutique that established the iconic Santorini Caldera-edge whitewashed cave-house aesthetic — 27 rooms across a vertical complex carved into the cliffs of Oia, with the iconic three infinity pools cascading down the cliff face directly facing the Santorini volcano and the Aegean sunset.

Among the world's most-photographed hotel exteriors. Set the visual template for the entire Cycladic boutique hotel category that followed.

Pricing from around €1,200/night in peak season (June-September). Bookings via the official site.

For a smaller more contemporary alternative, Canaves Oia at Oia, Santorini 84702 (a sister-property cluster with the iconic ultra-luxury whitewashed cave aesthetic across multiple buildings) is the contemporary luxury alternative.

For a more affordable Cycladic boutique experience, Mystique at Oia 847 02 is the alternative Caldera-view luxury choice.

Greece passed civil partnerships in 2015 and finally legalised same-sex marriage in 2024 — the first Orthodox-majority country to do so.

Santorini is widely LGBTQ+-friendly as a tourist destination, but has very little dedicated LGBTQ+ infrastructure — the island has only 15,000 permanent residents and the LGBTQ+ scene in Greece is concentrated in Athens (3 hours away by ferry) and on the LGBTQ+ destination islands of Mykonos (more famous for its LGBTQ+ scene) and Lesbos.

The neighborhood: There is no defined gay quarter in Santorini. Fira has the busiest nightlife scene with several gay-friendly establishments.

The bars: Santorini has no dedicated LGBTQ+ bars or clubs, but the main Fira nightlife is widely LGBTQ+-friendly. Kira Thira Bar in Fira is the long-running iconic Santorini jazz bar that's LGBTQ+-friendly.

For a proper LGBTQ+ night out, most LGBTQ+ visitors to the Cyclades take the 1-2 hour ferry to Mykonos (the iconic Greek gay-tourism island) where the iconic JackieO' Beach Club and Toy Room Mykonos are the destination LGBTQ+ venues.

Pride: Athens Pride in June is the major mainland Greek Pride. Mykonos XLSIOR Festival in late August is one of Europe's largest LGBTQ+ summer festivals.

The famous-person small museum: Museum of Prehistoric Thera, at Fira, Santorini 84700.

The contained museum housing the artifacts excavated from the iconic Akrotiri archaeological site — the Minoan-era Bronze Age city buried by the Theran volcanic eruption around 1620 BCE (the eruption that may have inspired the Atlantis legend).

The collection includes the iconic 3,600-year-old wall frescoes (the Spring Fresco with swallows over Theran landscape, the Fisherman fresco, the Boxing Boys), plus the original Theran pottery, gold jewellery, and bronze tools. Closed Tuesdays.

The recent landmark: Akrotiri Archaeological Site at Akrotiri, Santorini 84700 — the Pompeii-of-the-Aegean Minoan Bronze Age city, buried in volcanic ash around 1620 BCE and remarkably preserved including three-storey buildings.

The current bioclimatic protective roof structure (opened 2012) covers the entire excavated site and is the most architecturally significant recent development on the island. The on-site walking paths take visitors through the original Bronze Age streets.

For the iconic Santorini sunset experience, the village of Oia remains the most-photographed sunset-watching destination in the world.

1-3 day itinerary: Day 1 — Caldera villages (Fira walking tour, Imerovigli, Firostefani — all linked by the iconic Caldera footpath, evening sunset at Oia from one of the rooftop bars).

Day 2 — Archaeological day (Akrotiri excavation site, Museum of Prehistoric Thera in Fira, lunch at Selene in Pyrgos), beach afternoon at Red Beach or Vlychada (the black volcanic-sand beaches).

Day 3 — Volcano boat tour (small boat from Athinios harbour to Nea Kameni volcanic island for the active crater walk, then to the hot springs at Palia Kameni, lunch on Thirassia island) or wine tour day (Domaine Sigalas, Santo Wines for the iconic Caldera-view tastings of Assyrtiko and Vinsanto).