- After you see the main sights in Santorini, save time for a lesser-known side of the island, too.
- From castles to a crater and cliffside villages, here are must-visit places in Santorini, Greece.
- Visit Insider's hub for travel guides, tips, and recommendations.
Santorini is a magnet for travelers from all over the world looking for incredible things to do and see.
On this beautiful island, there are all sorts of things you'll only find in Santorini. Climb to the town's high-flung castle to watch famous sunsets, head out on a boat to see the volcano's crater from the water, or explore a tiny village clinging to the side of the cliff with a labyrinth of winding alleys.
I've been spending time here for years and always suggest first-time visitors see the main sights, but make sure to save time for a lesser-known, more authentic side of the island, too.
I recommend poking into tiny shops selling komboloi worry beads, stopping for buckets of brine-fresh feta cheese, and visiting one of the island's world-class archeological museums. Here are my favorite places off the beaten path.
Catamaran trip from Vlychada
After several years of watching catamarans sail across the caldera every night at sunset, I finally booked a tour with the local company, Santorini Sailing. A friend who lives on the island recommended them because they've been offering tours here for several decades. I was expecting the trip to be comprised of crowds of tourists and rowdy kids getting drunk, but this catamaran trip was simply a place to relax, get a tan, and see the sights.
Leaving from Vlychada, we crossed the caldera to visit Nea Kameni and Palea Kameni islands. We leaped into the sea and swam in hot springs before enjoying a picnic of Greek salads, cold cuts, and plenty of wine. We finished the day with that famous sunset shimmering across the bay, and I had a brilliant time that I'd gladly repeat.
Santorini Walking Tours
Most people explore Oia, Imerovigli, or another town lining the caldera rim when they come to Santorini. But it's well-worth discovering another side of the island with Nikos Botsinis, a hiking guide who spent nearly a decade mapping out the island's best, lesser-known trails.
On several sunny spring afternoons, Nikos, the owner of Santorini Walking Tours, took me on hikes along old mule paths leading through the center of the island to discover half-abandoned churches, lost-in-the-past towns, colorful rock formations, and the occasional hidden cove where I swam without another soul in sight. It was a real revelation, and one I heartily recommend.
Tomato factory
Santorini's tomatoes are famed worldwide and the Nomikos family opened its factory producing tomato paste in Vlychada in 1945.
Until the late 1950s, there were nine tomato factories on the island, but as tourism grew, tomato production fell and the Nomikos factory closed down in 1981. Luckily, a few years ago, this industrial space was renovated to create a fascinating tomato museum with a café in the courtyard and a hip gallery showing regular art exhibitions.
Akrotiri
Akrotiri is the Minoan site known as Greece's Pompeii because it was buried under rubble and lava during an earthquake in 1500 BC. Unearthed in 1901, visiting Akrotiri shows how the little-known Minoan people once lived in two- and three-story houses, with underfloor heating and running water, that are still standing. There are also colorful frescoes, huge clay pots and pithoi where they kept food, and excellent videos providing insight into the life of Santorini's ancient inhabitants.
Sunset trip with local fishermen
As shown in ancient frescoes on the walls of Akrotiri, fishing has been a way of life for Santorini islanders for centuries.
Now, only a handful of locals survive from fishing and selling their catch to the local restaurants, and I highly suggest going out with them at sunset when they pull up their nets or reel in lobster pots. I had a fantastic trip with Giorgaros Fishing Tours. The ride in owner Giorgaros' brightly-painted traditional kaiki fishing boat was like a cruise, with great opportunities to fill my Instagram feed with scenic views of the black-lava-strewn center of the volcano at Palea Kameni, below villages perched high up on the rim of the caldera.
I helped Giogaros reel in several large pots full of flapping fish and later ate the fresh catch that was grilled and drizzled with a squeeze of lemon and served with a glass of local wine as the boat bumbled back to port.
Hike to the top of Skaros Rock
You'll need to be fairly fit, but it's well worth doing this picturesque hike out to the odd, chimney-shaped Skaros headland opposite the clifftop village of Imerovigli. Just be warned that you won't be up there on your own. It's a popular activity, especially with honeymooning couples and Instagrammers.
Incredibly, this rock, which was once topped by a majestic medieval castle, was the island's capital until the 18th century. An earthquake destroyed the castle, and while there's little left to remind you of those times, the views over Oia, the Kameni Islands, and distant Thirasia Island make the long hike worthwhile.
Sunset wine tasting at Santo Wines
Like all visitors who come to Santorini, I enjoy those spectacular sunsets over the caldera. But instead of joining the crowds up by Oia's castle, I prefer to sit, sip, and see it in style from Santo Wines' glass-walled café and tasting room.
Book a visit at the end of the afternoon to see the vines that grow coiled like birds' nests, and then sip crisp Assyrtiko whites, Santo's sparkling rosés, or their fruity Mavrotragano reds as you watch the sun slip down.
Hike from Fira to Oia
In summer, the main road between Oia and Fira is often jam-packed with cars, tourist buses, and long lines of mules. But if you're relatively fit, there's a far more peaceful and breathtaking way to get between these two points.
Best done in the early morning or evening, the fairly flat 10-kilometer hike along ancient cobbled trails via Imerovigli and Firostefani takes around four hours, but the views are so magnificent, you'll hardly notice the distance. There's often a pleasant breeze, but come armed with a hat, water, and plenty of high-SPF sunscreen.
Sunset picnic at Akrotiri
Oia's sunsets are breathtaking and you'll want to see them at least once, but when you're tired of battling the crowds, you can have a unique and possibly more romantic experience by doing as I do. Stop at the Petranart bakery in Megalochori to buy wedges of kolokithopita courgette pie and spanakopita (moist egg-and-spinach pie) and enjoy them with a glass of local wine during a sunset picnic at Akrotiri Lighthouse.
Built in 1892, this remote watchtower on the island's southwestern tip is reached via a nerve-rackingly narrow road that runs right along the cliff's edge, but once you make it to this high-flung spot, the views are the best I've seen and you'll have that famous sunset (almost) all to yourself.
Volunteer with animals at SAWA
Giving back while you travel is a responsible thing to do and also introduces you to another side of local life. I usually go to Santorini's Animal Welfare Association (SAWA), which was founded in 1992 by a group of animal-loving volunteers to care for stray dogs and cats who can't fend for themselves at the end of the tourist season when cafés and restaurants close down. They also take in donkeys and mules that are often abandoned when they become too old to work.
There are generally around 100 cats and dogs and more than a dozen mules in the shelter at any time. I often pop in when I'm on the island and bring carrots for the mules and treats for the dogs, or I'll take them out for a walk on one of the nice paths nearby. Whether you want to stay for a few days and help run the shelter or just drop in for an hour, you'll be warmly welcomed.
View Insider's comprehensive guide to visiting Santorini.