FAQs about Best Places to Stay in Santorini

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Welcome to my Frequently Asked Questions about the best places to stay in Santorini, you can see more about where to stay in Santorini in this guide 12 Best Areas to Stay in Santorini.

Frequently Asked Questions About Santorini

Where To Stay In Santorini For Couples/Honeymoon?

Couples and honeymooners are looking for peace and tranquility in a superb scenic location. No problem, Santorini has the answer in Imerovigli. This quiet west coast community has one of the best sunset views on the island.

Imerovigli is also a peaceful place in the evening, with no bars and just a few top-class restaurants.

For an unforgettable romantic getaway, you should spend a little more and book a room for two in a classy cliff-edge hotel.

Where To Stay In Santorini On A Budget?

Fira has some costly and exclusive cliffside accommodation, but don’t let that worry you. If you head to the east side of town, away from the viewpoint rooms, you will find some excellent budget hostels and guest houses. 

Fira also has the largest number of shops, restaurants, bars and nightlife on the island, and local markets. It’s the best place for budget shopping, eating, and drinking on Santorini.

This town also has excellent transport and lots of tour agencies, so you are sure to find activities and things to do that suit your budget.

Where To Stay In Santorini With Family?

Kamari is a friendly East Coast beach resort with great swimming and a low key, relaxed atmosphere. Since you are beside the beach, you don’t have the dangerous clifftops of the west coast.

The hotels and guest houses here are well-equipped for families. Kamari is a quiet beach with not much in the way of nightlife, so you can rest assured that the kids will enjoy a peaceful sleep.

An alternative, if you are looking for somewhere slightly more lively, would be the busier but still family-friendly beach resort of Perissa.

Where To Stay In Santorini Without A Car?

Santorini has a pretty decent bus and public transport service, so it is, in fact, quite convenient to stay anywhere on the island without your own transport.

But, if you want to be close to all the bars, restaurants and nightlife, you should stay in or close to the main town, Fira. Similarly, if you are a beach lover and want to be a stone’s throw away from those amazing black sands, then pick an East Coast resort, like Perissa.

But if you are happy to rely on public transport and trips and tours to explore the hidden corners of the island, then you can pick little really anywhere to stay on Santorini, and you’re never too far away from anywhere else.

Where To Stay In Santorini With Friends?

If you are visiting Santorini with friends and want to eat and drink well and enjoy the island’s night scene, you should stay in the main town of Fira. Here you can see the stunning sunsets over the volcanic caldera, shop in the markets and art-and-craft shops, and party the night away in the cluster of local bars and clubs.

If you and your group are looking for a beach holiday, then the busiest of Santorini’s coastal towns is Perissa, and you should choose there as a base.

Where To Stay In Santorini In November?

In November, the weather in Santorini is best described as temperate. You can expect high-temperature averages of 19° Celsius, which drops to a low of 14° in the evening. So you probably need to pack long trousers and a sweater but don’t worry about needing to wrap up any more than that.

By November, the Aegean has cooled down, and only the bravest choose to swim off Santorini’s beaches at this time of year. For this reason, it is a good idea to choose somewhere to stay on the island’s beautiful West Coast. since it is cooler it is the best time of year to explore the island’s interior, so why not stay down in Akrotiri and immerse yourself in the stunning history of the ancient Minoan ruins there.

Where To Stay In Santorini In October?

October is an excellent time to visit Santorini. Daily average temperatures range from a warm and comfortable 23°C in the daytime to evening lows of 18°C. So it isn’t too hot, and it definitely isn’t too cold, perfect for getting out and exploring the sites. 

There’s good news if you are a beach lover because the Aegean Sea cools down more slowly than the land, and you will probably find that you can still swim in the waters off the island’s beaches in October. So at this time of year, if you’re a beach lover, then maybe stay in the busy Resort of Perissa and use this as a base for exploring the island.

Where To Stay In Santorini In April?

Many people agree that April is one of the best months of the year to visit Santorini. Sure, you don’t get the super hot Mediterranean temperatures favored by sunbathers; they will probably choose to come in the peak months. 

But if your goal is to experience Santorini at his springtime prettiest and do some hiking and exploring of this beautiful island, you can’t pick a better time than April. 

Room prices are also lower at this time of year, so you can find excellent value in some of the typically much more expensive areas. Perhaps stay in beautiful northern Oia and see if you can find a bargain clifftop villa or hotel and enjoy the spectacular sunsets directly from your window.

Where To Stay In Santorini In March?

In March, Santorini is beginning to warm up from the winter lows, and you can expect temperatures that range from 16°C during the daytime down to 11°C at night. So it’s cool but not cold. 

The beach isn’t the main attraction of Santorini at this time of year, so you should aim to stay in one of the West Coast settlements and enjoy clifftop views of the island-filled bay. 

Since things are quieter in March, it is good to stay in Fira, the usually busy main town. This way, you will ensure that there’s plenty of bars, restaurants, and shopping right on your doorstep. Fira is also an excellent base for exploring the rest of the island.

Where To Stay In Santorini Solo Traveller?

If you are traveling to Santorini alone, and want to meet like-minded travelers, consider staying in a backpacker style hostel or guesthouse in the main town of Fira. 

Alternatively, if Fira is a little too hectic for you, a good idea might be to choose the altogether calmer and quieter village of Firostefani. This place also enjoys the fabulous clifftop location of its busier counterpart 10-minutes walk to the south, yet allows you a peaceful and relaxed base that is also very convenient for all the tourist infrastructure.

Where To Stay In Santorini For Nightlife?

Despite all the tourism, at heart, Santorini is still a quiet and relaxed Greek island. So party-lovers, and anyone wanting the best choice of drinking, dining, and evening entertainment, should stay in the main town of Fira.

Whereas in some of the smaller settlements, things quieten down after sunset, Fira has an impressive number of places to let your hair down. 

Here To Stay In Santorini For Sunset?

The West Coast caldera-rim towns of Fira, Oia, Imerovigli, and Firostefani all claim to offer the most beautiful sunset view over Santorini’s crater bay.

Imerovigli and Oia, all the best choices though, Oia, I’ve been to the Northern end of the island, offers a sunset directly into the ocean for much of the year, rather than over the other Islands. At Imerovigli, the cliff is higher than other points on the coast, so you get an incredible crows-nest view over the geographical wonder that is Sanrtirini’s sea-filled crater.

Where To Stay In Santorini For Best Views

Santorini’s West Coast, from Oia in the North down to Akrotiri in the south, offers stunning clifftop vistas. A stay in one of the beautiful hotels or resorts that spill over the cliff edge is, if you can afford it, the best way to experience the island’s exceptional views. 

But just staying somewhere cheaper, away from the cliff edge, and sitting in a viewpoint bar or restaurant is another excellent way to experience the sights. 

You could also consider the less busy but no less stunning Inland village of Pyrgos. This location is the highest point on the island, and if you walk up to the nearby mountain monastery, you are presented with astonishing 360° views.

Where Should I Stay In Santorini For The First Time?

When visiting a place for the first time, I always suggest staying somewhere central. That way you are close to everything that’s happening, and you are well-placed for transport to discover the more remote areas. 

So, you should pick the main town of Fira for your first visit to Santorini. This clifftop town and tourist center has postcard-perfect views from its clifftop setting. Fira also has the largest number of hotels and guesthouses on the island, so you’re sure to find an excellent place to stay. 

Fira also has lots of shopping, nightlife and great places to eat and drink. It’s the perfect spot for a convenient and action-packed first trip to the island.

That’s my  Frequently Asked Questions about the best places to stay in Santorini. See more about Greece travel here:

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