Santorini, Greece

Blue & White Homes & Domes on the Caldera, Gyros, Famous Sunsets & Endless views of the Aegean Sea : Santorini, Greece

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Looking to explore the windy caldera pathways, eat authentic delicious gyros, sip sangria with endless sea views, & live in an authentic cave home? I dive into our stay in both Fira & Oia, where to stay, what to eat, things to do & costs to anticipate, as you plan your dream Mama Mia inspired Greek vacation!

Night 1 - Fira, Santorini

We traveled into Santorini at night so we decided to book a stay in Fira, since it is a bit closer to the airport & has a better night life scene which allows more options for a late dinner and drinks. We booked a stay at Callia Retreat which was a super cute boutique hotel. We booked it via their Air bnb listing for $160 after fees, and our room had a cave style shower and a balcony that looked over the homes on the hill and the pool. The management team was great and super welcoming. They arranged an airport transfer for us and we were greeted at the hotel with a bottle of champagne to celebrate our honeymoon.

We dropped our bags at the room and then headed into town, which was only a short 10 minute walk from our hotel. We decided to grab some gyros which we had been dying to eat at Yogi's, in town. Once we got back to our hotel after dinner, we decided to grab our bottle of champagne & a blanket and headed out to the pool to relax on the daybeds. It was a beautiful night and really nice to just relax. Although we didn't get to enjoy the pool the next day, it was busy with guests laying out to soak up the sun.

Day 1 - Exploring Fira Town

Our boutique hotel provided a buffet style, Greek breakfast that we enjoyed sitting outside by the pool.

Next, we went on our 10 minute walk to Fira town and walked around exploring the caldera shops. Fira has a TON of restaurant options for a meal, snack or drinks, and many if not all of them have a sea view. We found the restaurants in fira to be more trendy, modern and stylish than options in Oia. On that note, I highly recommend a lunch reservation at Kaliya, it is a super cute restaurant with the entrance being a stairway with florals that run throughout the full outdoor terrace (pictured here), overlooking the sea. Echoing their reviews, the food was second to none. Chris enjoyed their burger and I had the luxury of eating the best lobster roll EVER. They also had cute drinks and lots of healthy options.

Option to layout at the Callia Retreat pool if you wish before checking out. We decided to head over the Oia around 3 PM to allow plenty of time to check in and find a good spot for the sunset. A taxi would be around €35-50 and quickest, however to save money we went by bus, €1.50 a person.

Night 2 - Oia, Santorini

In Oia, we stayed at Blessed Blue Air bnb, which is an authentic cave home that has been remodeled into a beautiful teal, modern home, that is right under the famous blue dome (pictured here), in the older side of Oia. Our patio was incredible with views looking directly onto the famous caldera and the Aegean Sea. Our kitchen shutters opened with the same stunning view, and the shower was an authentic cave style, with a luxury Greek feeling all throughout the home ($329/night after fees). The couple who runs this air bnb was one of the best I have ever met. They thought through EVERYTHING and checked in on us multiple times before the trip and even multiple times a day during our stay to pulse in on needs, concerns, etc. They met us in person for check in & check out and seriously just such lovely people. Highly recommend this home!

Another home we have stayed at in Oia prior, when we came on a couples trip that I also highly recommend with amazing views & incredible host, is Divine View Collection, at $328 a night with two bedrooms, this is also an authentic cave style home in the newer side of Oia. This is a great option if you are traveling in a party of 4 rather than 1 or 2.

Next, to find our sunset spot. We ventured over to the western side of the town, where you get the best sunset views. We stumbled upon a cute little terrace bar called Sun Spirit, set right near the lighthouses with incredible Sea views. We enjoyed multiple liters of sangria here ($35 each) as the sun began to set & got blessed with a beautiful famous Santorini sunset.

For dinner, if you don’t make a reservation to eat at Fino, slap yourself. Ok that may be dramatic but I am about to be even more dramatic below, so brace yourself. BEST MEAL EVER OMG. I got the lobster risotto and I texted my family during the meal & told them to burry me in the meal, because it was that good. If that wasn't already enough flavor making my taste buds jump for joy, their bartender was incredible. Our table inside was right next to his bar and we got to watch him shake up these delicious drinks and I opted for the drink with the coconut foam... yallll, legit heavenly like sooooooo good. You must go here. (2 drinks, water, 2 meals, $70 - that's $70 for the best meal of your life.)

Day 2- Exploring Oia, Santorini

Today would be good for an excursion of some sort.

Ideas:

*Sunset Catamaran Cruise ~ We did a sunset cruise during our last trip to Oia & we really enjoyed it. There are tons of options that you can book in person or prior to your trip. It's best to search around & find the one that fits your desires best. Most of them offer similar things such as dinner & drinks, swimming & then beaches or hot spring options as well.

*Ferry to a neighboring Island ~ such as Mykonos, Ios, Paros, Naxos, etc. Out of those options, we have only been to Mykonos & I highly recommend visiting for a day trip or a couple days if possible.

We opted for a chill day without any excursions because there was a storm that had rolled in and we spent the day exploring dodging rain & taking it easy. That started with a coffee at Skiza Cafe. If your an iced chocolate latte lover like me, the only place that will make it iced WITH chocolate that I could find (and trust me I went into about 10 cafes searching, was here). Also, they have good chocolate croissants.

After walking around all of the caldera shops, we were hungry. We stopped for lunch at our fav gyro place, Pita Gyros. the pork gyro is our fav. They are traditional, which means fries in the gyro which Christopher is a big fan of! I also get their hummus to snack on. These gyros are cheap, delicious and easy for sit down or take away (2 gyros and hummus, $14).

After lunch, we strolled further into the new side of Oia, which is opposite of sunset side. There are some churches & crisp white new hotels throughout this area, which if you walk far enough eventually leads you to a pathway that walks all the way to Imerovigli. This is a 5.4 mile trail for moderate walking, trail running, etc. to fit in some exercise with stellar views all throughout the way.

For some cocktails with a view, stop by Strogili on their deck with stellar sea views delicious spicy margarita & chocolate/caramel martini ($12 each, pictured here).

For sunset, we posted up at Vitrine on the rooftop, arrive when they open to ensure you snag a seat, as the sunset crowds gather quickly. This is actually a creperie as well as a bar, so we enjoyed their hazelnut crepe paired with a couple ciders and beers.

For dinner, make reservations at Karma. Karma is a cute local spot with terrace outdoor eating, that was recommended to us by a few locals during our stay. They have very authentic Greek cuisine, with an amazing Greek salad (traditional, not American, tomatoes as base rather than lettuce). Their traditional pasta and beef dish was also delicious and super fresh. If the terrace gets chilly, ask for a blanket and they will bring one to your table!

Day 3 - Eating & Drinking our way through Oia, Again

For breakfast we did a pre-order online from Karma. While we were eating dinner there I saw their breakfast menu and it looked awesome. Chris picked it up in the morning and we ate it on the terrace at home. It was a beautiful sunny day and the view I was able to enjoy in my pajamas was just lovely. I ordered their amazing banana pancakes, Chris got the French toast, and we had fresh fruit & a coconut mocha iced latte. I still crave this breakfast. I would recommend this breakfast for take out to everyone.

For lunch, we ate a gyro from Pita Gyros, again, for lunch because it’s our fav & I also didn't mention us getting it for a late night snack other nights as well for a second time per day... hahaha we eat a lot.

I have a serious sweet tooth & had been told by multiple locals that Melenio had the best desserts on the island for decades now. So of course we stopped by in for cheesecake during the day. I can concur they have the best sweets on the island, homemade cakes and pies etc. with so many options its tough to decide.

For dinner, we were torn between 3 options: Melitini, Sphinx or Candouni. We had eaten at both Melitini & Candouni on our prior trip to Oia and although we recommend them both, we wanted to try something new so we went with Sphinx. Their cocktails were top notch and paired nicely with their rooftop view of the sunset sky. It isn't a full sunset view as it doesn't face west, but you get the sea and the pink and orange skyline. Then, we moved downstairs into the restaurant for dinner where I enjoyed their mushroom risotto and Chris got the steak (Risotto $22, cocktails $16)

To top off our last night, we got gelato at Lolita’s.

The Cycladic islands are so special, & Santorini holds a truly special place in our hearts. It is romantic, stunning & full of charm with the famous caldera. It is the place I dreamed of as a child that began my travel bug itch, and it is the place where Christopher proposed to me :) Time to plan your trip and make your Mama Mia dreams come true!