Santorini Travel Guide

Santorini is an archipelago of 5 volcanic islands in the Cyclades group of the Greek islands in the southern Aegean Sea, about 200 km southeast of mainland Greece. It used to be a single island, but was obliterated around 1600 BCE by an enormous volcanic explosion that destroyed the earliest settlements on the former island and created the current geological caldera. It is famous for dramatic views, stunning sunsets from white clifftop villages, the ancient city ruins of Thera and Akrotiri, unique wines, artists and craftsmen, an active volcano, and strikingly colorful pebble beaches.

The main options are ferries fromPireaus(standard ferryboats and high-speed catamarans) and flights fromAthens.

KTEL Santorini, the public bus service, connects all points of the island with Fira, costing€2.00-2.80one way (2025), depending on the route. This is probably the only cheap thing you'll find on the island considering the buses are comfy and air conditioned! Tickets can be purchased on the bus, with cash only — so bring some coins. The fare collector can (usually) make change.

Be aware of rental scams, especially with agencies working only with motorbikes and ATVs. There are a lot of rental agencies, and some of them are ready to cheat. They will offer faulty motorbikes or ATVs for a lower price, but in case of accident they will demand that the customer pay for the whole cost of damage. They are offering only basic insurance but will present it like full insurance. Also, there is a possibility of serious injuries. These rental agencies aggressively attract tourists a

Santorini can be divided into the innercaldera side, where the villages likeFiraandOiaare built on the cliff, and theouter side, which resembles the rest of theCycladesislands.