Santorini is an island in Greece, located in the Aegean Sea, 200 km southeast of Athens, 150 km south of Mykonos, and 140 km north of Crete. Flights to Santorini take 4 hours from London, 3.5 hours from Paris, 2 hours from Rome, and 1 hour from Athens. There are no direct flights to Santorini from the USA, Canada, or Australia.

There’s no sense denying it. Santorini can be a challenge to visit with kids. But there’s no denying the stunning beauty of Santorini either. You’ve come all this way to visit Greece, and it would be a shame to miss it. You should visit Santorini.

As long as you know what to expect I think Santorini is a great island for families. But the best way to make it fun for everyone is to stay busy and explore what the island has to offer.

• There are lots of great swimming spots all over the island.
• Kids love the boat tour of the caldera and the swim (from the boat) to the volcanic hot spring.
• The history of the island and caldera is pretty darn interesting.

1. Book Your Hotel Early

For many islands showing up on the ferry without a hotel isn’t a problem – in fact, it’s half the fun. But not on Santorini. Book a hotel as soon as you know your dates and plans. There aren’t a lot of hotel rooms on Santorini that will sleep a family of 4 to 6, which makes booking early even more important. These are some of the best family-friendly hotels on Santorini.

2. Do a boat-catamaran trip around of the volcano and caldera

This is one of the highlights of Santorini. The boat takes you first to the volcano where you hike to the top to see some of the craters that have been created over the years. Then it’s on to the hot springs to swim in the warm sea water below. Then dinner on board, followed by a cruise around the base of the island where you could see the cliffs of the caldera up close. Finally, you watch the sunset and do some Greek dancing (a little gimmicky but still lots of fun) before heading back to port. These are easy to book after you arrive so no need to arrange in advance.

3. Discover the old villages of Pyrgos & Emporio

These 2 wonderful traditional villages are a colorful maze of walkways and alleys. Pyrgos is built on a hill with an old castle on top and fantastic views. Emporio is flatter and smaller, but both offer plenty of opportunities to get happily lost.

4. Visit the beach fro the morning

Santorini’s unique beaches can be enchanting you. The dark black sand is cool to look at and makes for a very unique beach experience. Later in the afternoon the sand gets scorching hot and can make getting around on the sand a tricky undertaking. (Tip: get some aqua Socksfor your kids’ feet.)

The sand doesn’t get really hot until afternoon, so get to the beach early and enjoy the peace, quiet, and cool of some great Greek beaches. The best beach on Santorini for kids is Perissa.

5. Walk from Fira to Oia

This is a 10km/6-mile walk so it’s only for families with older kids, but what a walk!. The trek is fairly simple, but it will take at least 3 hours with kids. Try to walk in the early morning before its too hot, and remember to bring both water and sunscreen. Eat lunch in Oia then bus or taxi back to Fira (unless your hotel is in Oia of course, in which case you’ll do the opposite).

6. Go to a Movie at the Kamari Open Air Cinema

This is one of the most fun things to do in Santorini in compination with great design. Check the schedule in advance, they’re usually popular Hollywood-style movies in English (with Greek subtitles).

7. Wander the Streets and Lanes of Oia and Fira

Great views and cobbled streets aren’t just for adults. You probably know best if this sounds like something your kids would find appealing. But I’d be surprised if most parents couldn’t make an afternoon of wandering and exploring. Ice cream, crepes, and a few stories about exploding volcanoes will add to the experience.

8. Go for a Swim off the Rocks Below Oia

Locals swear this is the best place to swim on Santorini. Ask in Oia for directions to get down to the seawall and have a fantastically refreshing swim near Ammoudi Bay. There are a handful of seafood restaurants in the small settlement at the base of cliffs. It feels like a little fishing village and makes for a great afternoon outing. Take the steps down, but save those little legs the trek back up to the top – have the restaurant call you a taxi after you’ve had a snack.

9. Rent a Car

To renting a car it will make experiencing some of the island’s attractions easier. All buses use Fira as their hub. Thus, getting from, say, Oia to Akrotiri, will require a stop and a new bus in Fira.

So rent a car. See the views of the caldera from a number of different angles around the island. Hit the best beaches for kids on Santorini (Perissa, Kamari and Monolithos). Stop at one of the island’s many wineries. These are all things that are much easier when you have a car.

Santorini is connected by direct ferry to Athens (5 to 7 hours) and the islands of Naxos, Paros, Ios, Milos, Folegandros, Mykonos, and Crete (1 to 3 hours). Flights from Athens to Santorini take less than 1 hour, direct flights from western Europe (London, Paris, Amsterdam, Rome, Venice) take 2 to 4 hours.

Santorini has a population of 15,500 and a land area of 76 square kilometers (an area a little bigger than Manhattan). The length of the island is 16 km and its width varies from 1 to 5 km. It takes 45 minutes to drive from one end of Santorini to the other.

I’m travelling alone – is that OK?
This is the beauty of the Travelicious style of travel: many of our travellers join because they are travelling solo and want to meet and share experiences with like-minded people. Find out more

If I am travelling solo, will I be charged a single supplement?
As a solo traveller, you will be paired up with another passenger of the same gender as per your passport information. If you’re not comfortable sharing a room with someone of the same gender, you also have the choice to pay for a single supplement (available on the majority of our trips).

If you don’t identify with the gender assigned on your passport, please let us know at time of booking and we’ll arrange the rooming configuration accordingly.

The best time to visit Santorini for good weather, boat tours, swimming, sunbathing, and nightlife is from May to October. If beach time and hot weather are not a necessity and you’re more interested in sightseeing, history, hiking, and exploring then late March, April and early November are also great.

The towns of Fira, Oia, Firostefani, Imerovigli, and Akrotiri cling to the 300m cliffs and have magical views of the caldera and volcano to the west. The beach towns of Kamari, Perissa, Perivolos, and Agios Georgios are on the east and south sides of the island (not the caldera). Finally you should visit Pyrgos and Emporio village.

A car can be helpful to have in Santorini, but it is not necessary. It’s easy to get around Santorini using public bus service, which is cheap, comfortable, and reliable – especially if you’re staying in Fira, the central hub of the bus system. If you prefer renting a car in Santorini instead of relying on the bus, we recommend picking it up at the airport or port (And remember that foreign drivers are required to have an International Drivers Permit in Greece.) There is a very limited number of taxis, and Uber is not available on Santorini, so private transport from the Santorini airport or ferry port is best arranged in advance.

Stay a minimum of 2 nights and 1 full day. But there’s so much to see and do that it’s easy to fill 5 to 7 days. If possible, do one boat tour, one wine tour, hike the Fira to Oia footpath, explore the villages of Pyrgos and Emporio, and visit the historical sites of Akrotiri and Ancient Thera. You’ll also want plenty of time to wander the cobblestoned lanes and alleys of Fira, Oia, and Imerovigli. Then there’s nightlife and all the great places to eat on Santorini.

Greece is part of the European Union, so the currency used in Santorini is the Euro (€). Most shops and restaurants on Santorini accept credit cards, but it is a good idea to have some cash on hand for small purchases like bottled water and snacks. ATMs are easy to find in all of Santorini’s main towns.

Santorini is known for 5-star luxury hotels, great restaurants, and high-end shopping but it’s easy to visit Santorini on a modest budget. There are no all inclusive resorts or all inclusive holidays or vacation packages so the key to saving money is to choose hotels and restaurants not directly on the caldera. Enjoying the incredible views is free and cheap hotels in Santorini are plentiful, good value, and good quality. Check our budget experience section.

Most everyone on Santorini speaks or understands english.

Because it is a playground for the rich and famous, Santorini has many luxury shops. However, you can also find authentic art and souvenirs.

In Santorini, the standard voltage is 220 V and the frequency is 50 Hz. You will need a voltage converter if you come from a country that has different standards. Most luxury hotels have converters available but do bring your own to be on the safe side.

The Santorini diet is a typical Mediterranean diet, mainly based on meat and fish. Local specialties include domatokeftedes (tomato balls), fava (melted bins), pseftokeftedes (similar with tomato balls), and skordomakaronada (garlic pasta). Fresh seafood is calculated in kilograms, and different fish have different prices in different seasons. Specialties include: pita, local wine, seafood and greek salad, greek roast lamb, Mousaka.

Catamaran Yachts

-Caldera Gold Semi Private

Day Trip. Starts from Vlychada Port and the trip finishes by entering at Ammoudi Bay below Oia Village.

Sunset Tour. Starts from Ammoudi Bay and the trip finishes by entering at Vlychada Port.

-Caldera Classic Semi Private

Day/Sunset Trip. This trip starts and finishes at Vlychada Port.

-Caldera Blue Semi Private

Day/Sunset Trip. This trip starts and finishes at Vlychada Port.

-Lagoon 500, Caldera Private Cruise

-Lagoon 45, Caldera Private Cruise

-Lagoon 42, Caldera Private Cruise

-Lagoon 40, Caldera Private Cruise

Sailing Yachts

-Beneteau Oceanis 45, Caldera Private Cruise

-Beneteau Oceanis 45, Private Cruise Santorini – Ios

Motor Yachts

-Ferretti 62, Caldera Private Cruise

-Fjord 52 Open, Caldera Private Cruise

-Chranchi 43, Caldera Private Cruise

-Axopar 37 T-Top, Caldera Private Cruise

-Chranchi 43, Private Santorini Round-Trip

-Axopar 37 T-Top, Round Trip

-Ferretti 62, Private Cruise to Other Island

-Fjord 52 Open, Private Cruise to Other Island 

-Axopar 37 T-Top, Private Cruise to Other Island

Riva Experience

-Riva Rivarama 44, Caldera Private Cruise

-Riva Rivarama 44, Private Cruise Santorini – Ios

-Riva Rivarama 44, Private Cruise to Other Island

Transportation from/to the hotel with a/c mini bus provided complimentary.

Basically the meeting point is outside the door of your accommodation. Nevertheless, Santorini has a special topography due to the caldera. For this reason some hotels are inaccessible by bus. When you book, you will be asked to fill in the name of your stay and in a short time you will be sent an email by our company to inform you about the nearest meeting point

The pick up time varies between each villages. When you book, in a short time you will be sent an email by our company to inform you about the pick up time

• Hat
• Sunscreen
• Sunglasses
• Dark colored swimming suit (Hot Springs waters contain sulfur, which may discolor bright colored bathing suits)
• A digital picture of your passport (due to the greek authorities)

• Meal with drinks (check the menu list on each trip)
• Snorkeling gear
• Towels
• Maps and information about our island

In case the cruise is cancelled by the local port authorities due to bad weather conditions, you may either postpone for another day or in case that this is impossible, no cancellation fees will apply (deposits and prepayments will be refunded in your credit card).

Children are more than welcome in all trips. All these type of trips are the most favorite activity of them on the island.

The volcano is located between Santorini and Thirassia island. Discover the volcano and the hot springs with an organized tour of Santorini, starting from 40,00€. Tours to the volcano depart from the port of Athinios and from Gialos, the old port of Fira.

We recommend booking your tickets ahead of time to secure your spot since Santorini Volcano Tours can get crowded.

The pick up time varies between each villages. When you book, in a short time you will be sent an email by our company to inform you about the pick up time

• Hat
• Sunscreen
• Sunglasses
• Dark colored swimming suit (Hot Springs waters contain sulfur, which may discolor bright colored bathing suits)
• A digital picture of your passport (due to the greek authorities)

• English and Greek speaking tour guide
• All taxes
• Pick-up and drop off service available, at a meeting point near your hotel

In case the cruise is cancelled by the local port authorities due to bad weather conditions, you may either postpone for another day or in case that this is impossible, no cancellation fees will apply (deposits and prepayments will be refunded in your credit card).

Children are more than welcome in all trips. All these type of trips are the most favorite activity of them on the island.

In proportion to the size of the island, Santorini is the only place on the whole planet with so many wineries. It is undoubtedly Greece’s top destination for wine tourism. On an area of only 7,619 ha (76,19 km2), there are more than 18 wineries to visit.

Wine tours are educational experiences. Besides tasting wine, you’ll tour the vineyards and walk the rows of the season’s harvests. Depending on the time of year, you may even be invited to pluck a few grapes and sample them straight from the vine.

The duration of the tours, is approximately 4 ½ hours.

All the wineries visited during the tours are selected by us, based on many factors and the wineries’ availability. Please feel free to share any preferences you may have! All requests are fully noted!

Well behaved kids are always welcome on our wine tours, but need to be closely attended to by parents at all times. Children are allowed in the winery and on our tours. Anyone under the age of 18 cannot drink, unless there is a parent’s consent.

At all the wineries there are wine skins available for sale. Wine skin is a special packaging that protects the bottles in your suitcase and is also accepted by all airlines. The number of bottles that you can carry back home is limited by the rules and regulations of the airlines and of customs of each country.

The start time is depending from the type of the tour that you choose.The operating times are starting from the morning till the sunset. All the tours include collection and return to specific meeting points.

All the main sights in Santorini are open on Sunday.

Our exclusive collection of small group tours are ideal for those who want to turn off the beaten path, try new experiences, and explore the hidden gems of Santorini.

•  Transportation from / to Meeting Points
• Assistant
• Guided Tour a Licenced English-Speaking Guide
• Entraces fees