Below are my tips to help you plan your Santorini Itinerary depending on what you enjoy.
The best tours or places to see if you have 1, 2 or 3 days in Santorini: the beaches, the villages, the volcano…
This article should help you feel less overwhelmed by the choices. I wish you a wonderful stay in Santorini!
Before my tips + photos, here are my favorites for Santorini:
My favorite platform to rent a car in Santorini: DiscoverCars
The unmissable boat tour: Full day catamaran along the cliffs
My favorite excursion: the Highlights Tour
My favorite places to stay:
- In Oia, the most famous area on the cliffs: Marizan Caves
- In Fira, the most central to explore by bus: Keti Hotel
- In Kamari for a stay by the beach: Hotel Sunshine
Practical tips to plan your Santorini itinerary – FAQs
I am starting this article with practical tips that can help you organize your Santorini Itinerary. However if you want to skip directly to my suggested programs, click here: 1 day in Santorini – 2 days in Santorini – 3 days in Santorini – 4 days and more in Santorini
Map of Santorini island
Above is a map to get you familiar with the main villages and points of interest in Santorini.
The island is not that big; you can drive from Oia to Vlichada in under an hour.
How many days do you need to visit Santorini?
In my opinion you need:
- at least 3 days to have time to explore a little without running everywhere
- at least 5 days to cover all areas (if you are not hiking or spending a lot of time on the beach)
- one week to really take your time and enjoy it all
But even if you only have one day, you can get a glimpse of what makes Santorini so special.
Where to stay in Santorini?
There are different options depending on what you are looking for during your stay:
- for amazing views and architecture – stay in Oia (see best rated accommodations)
- for exploring the island by bus – stay in Fira (see best rated accommodations)
- for a beach holiday – stay in Perissa (see best rated accommodations) or Kamari (see best rated accommodations)
- for something different – stay in a village inland such as Emporio (see best rated accommodations)
- if you are staying more than 3 nights, I recommend cutting your stay in 2 and choosing 2 different areas for your accommodation
Find out more on my article about the best places to stay in Santorini.
What is the best way to get around Santorini? Do you need a car?
- There is a network of public buses to get around Santorini – all of them depart and end in the village of Fira – the drawback is that you are dependent on their schedule, they are full in Summer (especially between Oia and Fira) and they don’t go off the beaten path (see the routes)
- If you only have one or 2 days in Santorini, choosing organized tours might be the best option so that you don’t waste time finding places – Check out the many options
- Otherwise I think renting a car (a small one) is the best option so that you can easily discover off the beaten path gems and enjoy the crowded places outside the main hours. You can compare car rental prices on Discovercars.com – one of the best customer-rated comparison sites! – Consider their full coverage option – I always take it for peace of mind!
Learn more on my article about driving in Santorini and my 36 tips about renting a car in Santorini.
2 days in Santorini – what to do
2 days in Santorini – with organized excursions
With only 2 days, you really have to narrow down to what you are really interested in.
If you want to see a little bit of everything over 2 days, I recommend:
- one day on land, doing a introduction bus tour of the island with beaches and villages – all the famous spots on the island – check out program and book
- one day sailing, to admire the caldera – this is really the best way to admire it, in my opinion – you can either choose the catamaran with the South Coast – Check out the program and book – or the volcanic tour, with the possibility to walk on the rim of the volcano – Check out program and book
If you are more interested in the history of the island, geological and human history – I recommend to spend your 2 days as follows:
- Staying in Fira to visit the archaeological museum
- A tour to Red beach and to the Akrotiri Excavation archaeological site – check out program and book
- The volcano boat tour – Check out program and book
If you prefer active holidays, consider these 2 options for your 2 days in Santorini:
- Hiking along the rim between the white village, the most famous path on Santorini – check out program and book
- Kayaking along the South coast with Red Beach and White Beach – learn more
If you are more into food, have a look at:
- A winery tour such as this one
- A walking food tour – for example in Fira – Check out the program
- Or a cooking class with wine tasting – learn more
I don’t drink coffee 
But I also like other drinks and sweets!
Do you like the free content you find on my blog? All my tips and practical information, without intrusive advertising…
Santorini in 2 days – with a rental car
To see the most of Santorini in 2 days with the car I would:
- Explore the South Coast on Day 1 – Akrotiri lighthouse, Red Beach, Akrotiri archaeological site, Vlychada Beach and Perissa Beach – This offers a great overview
- Explore villages on Day 2 – My favorites are Emporio, Imerovigli and Oia – take the time to get lost in all of them and find some wonderful views of the caldera as well as surprising churches
3 days in Santorini itinerary
If you have 3 days, I strongly recommend the following:
- Renting a car
- Planning your boat trip on the first day – this way if the sea conditions are not good, you may have a chance to do it again
3 days in Santorini – first-timer / introduction
- Day 1 – one of the boat tours to discover the caldera the best way possible! Consider either the catamaran cruise with the South Coast – Check out the program and book or the volcanic tour, with the possibility to walk on the rim – Check out program and book
- Day 2 – Explore the South Coast – stop at Akrotiri lighthouse and the Red Beach before the buses full of tourists, visit the Akrotiri archaeological site, spend some time at Vlychada Beach to admire the sculpted cliffs and finish the day relaxing at Perissa Beach – This offers a great overview
- Day 3 – Explore the amazing villages that make Santorini famous – my favorites are Emporio (inland with a fantastic maze), Imerovigli (the highest, with a beautiful church and Skaros Rock) and of course the famous village of Oia (at both sunrise and sunset) – take the time to get lost in all of them and find some wonderful views of the caldera as well as surprising churches
Santorini in 3 days – History / Geology buff
- Day 1 – Once again, I recommend a boat tour, as you will love to see the lava and the layers of rock – with the Catamaran tour, you will be able to see many more different cliffs including Red Beach, white beach, and some wonderful black formations – see my video of the tour here – and book your own here
- Day 2 – Head to Red beach before 9am to enjoy the viewpoint before the crowds of tourists, and then visit the Akrotiri archaeological site. Spend the afternoon in Oia and hike down to Ammoudi Bay in order to admire the cliffs from below.
- Day 3 – In the morning, before the heat, climb to Ancient Thera and explore the ruins – then head to Vlychada to appreciate the rock formations, and to visit the Tomato Industrial Museum
3 days in Santorini – Photography Bonanza
- There is so much to see and capture in Santorini. There are some fascinating views to the extreme geography of the islands.
- I can’t really list all of my favorite spots but I have included them in my eBook to help you plan your trip.
- They include – a hidden canyon, amazing blue dome churches, colorful alleys, scenic viewpoints…
Plan your dream trip in Santorini thanks to my guide
- 6 maps to easily plan your itinerary
- 40+ pre-selected locations
- GPS + tips to make the most of your time
- Planning tips
- 90+ original photos to help you choose
Santorini shore excursions – only 1 day in Santorini
If you are stopping only for 1 day in Santorini either because you are doing:
- a shore excursion on your cruise
- a day trip from Mykonos
- or a day trip from Crete
I really don’t recommend renting a car unless you have visited the island before and know where you want to go.
There are plenty of shore excursions picking you up at the ferry port for a worry free day – check with your cruise company!
If you want other options, I have 3 suggestions:
- a Santorini highlights tour with wine tasting – see program
- a customize a private tour with a local – see options
- book a private transfer to Oia – spend the day here and book a return transfer – see options
However if you really want to rent a car, I don’t recommend to plan too much so as to make sure to be back on time for your boat. There can be traffic jams on the island, so take that into account.
I recommend spending the day in Oia, or opt to visit 2 to 3 sites on the South Coast (Red Beach, Emporio and Vlychada for example)
4 days to one week in Santorini
If you are lucky to be staying longer on this iconic island, the possibility for itineraries are endless – My highlights not to be missed, in my opinion, are:
- The village of Oia
- The village of Emporio
- The catamaran cruise
- Red Beach
- Vlychada Beach
- Learn more on my article about the best things to do in Santorini.
OR
- You can choose options from my suggested itineraries for 3 days and add one day at the beach
AND for more options:
To help you plan your stay, I have gathered all my favorite places in the following eBook:
Plan your dream trip in Santorini thanks to my guide
- 6 maps to easily plan your itinerary
- 40+ pre-selected locations
- GPS + tips to make the most of your time
- Planning tips
- 90+ original photos to help you choose
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