Santorini, Greece
Hello everyone! I’m so excited to share details of my trip to Greece. After a year of limited exploring due to the Covid-19 virus, my husband and I were thrilled to book our first trip to Europe in what seemed like forever. We originally planned to visit Napa Valley, CA to celebrate our 2-year anniversary. However, when I discovered Greece would be re-opening to U.S. citizens, we quickly switched gears and began planning to visit a city that has long been on my bucket list.
Travel Details and COVID-19 Restrictions
Due to COVID-19, it is important to research any additional requirements that may be needed for travel before planning your trip. I would suggest checking the CDC website and the official US Embassy and Greek Consulate site for any updates concerning Greece travel restrictions. When we traveled we needed the following:
proof of full vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours
a completed PLF form filled out at least 24 hours prior to travel to Greece (make sure you do this!!)
To return to the U.S. you must have a negative COVID-19 test result within 3 days, regardless of your vaccination status. We arrived in Athens, Greece on a Monday and took a flight to Santorini from the Athens airport on Tuesday afternoon. Thankfully, COVID tests are available at the Athens airport. We planned to return to the U.S. on Friday, which would put us within the 3 hour testing window we would need. This was perfect as it allowed us to be tested just before our flight to Santorini so we wouldn’t have to worry about interrupting our fabulous time for the remainder of our vacation. There was rapid testing available near terminal 2 of Arrivals at Athens airport- the line for this was long and people seemed frustrated who were awaiting test results for a flight to the US that same day! We discovered another testing location upstairs on the departures level. This testing location did a PCR lab test which cost 60 euros and promised test results would be delivered within 24 hours. Our results were actually delivered via email later that evening with a negative result so we were free to enjoy the rest of our vacation without any worries!
To get to Santorini from Athens you can either take a ferry boat or a flight. The ferry takes about 2.5 – 3 hours while the flight is a quick 40 minutes and about $120 round trip. We decided on the flight and took Sky Express airline. We arranged a car ride from the Santorini airport with our hotel prior to arrival for 40 euro which I recommend.
Once we arrived in Santorini we did wear masks in our taxi but after that it was pretty normal to be out and about without masks. We only needed to wear them in a few shops or in any car rides on the island.
Where we Stayed
We stayed at Charisma Suites in Oia and I can’t say enough good things about this place. We booked the Windmill Suite and it was truly remarkable! While the room inside the windmill isn’t large and there are steep steps to the bed area, the views outside of the windmill make it well worth it! I felt like I was in heaven with amazing views of the caldera, a hot tub/Jacuzzi, lounge chairs, and a prime location to view the sunset. Another thing I really enjoyed about the Windmill suite was there weren’t many steps to our room. Some of the other rooms required quite a few steps down the caldera but still offered nice views. Check out some of the views from our hotel suite below.
The hotel served us delicious breakfast every morning and had a free champagne toast for guests each day just before sunset. The view from the hotel pool was also amazing. The location in Oia was perfect with mostly everything I wanted to visit within 11 minutes walking distance.
Things to Do
Winery Visit
While in Santorini make sure to visit a winery! We booked a wine tour at Santo Winery and learned the history of wine on the island. The taste of Greek wine is very different from others in the world as the vines grow in volcanic soil with very little precipitation. We did a 9- flight wine tasting with a mixed fruit, meats, and cheese plate – very tasty! Also, did I mention the views from this winery are absolutely breath taking?
Boat Tour
We booked a boat tour through our hotel with Santorini Yacht Club. Views of the island from the catamaran are stunning. We took the semi-private tour and visited White Beach, Red Beach, and the Volcano hot springs. There are opportunities to go for a swim at each of the locations and they provide a delicious lunch and an open bar with beer and wine on the boat. You can choose either a daytime boat tour or a tour during sunset. We opted for the daytime tour because we really enjoyed seeing the sunset from our hotel.
Take Photos
Santorini has some of the most stunning views I have ever seen. Everywhere you go you discover a spot more picturesque than the last! There were a couple of places I knew I had to take photos: 1.) The iconic Blue Domes and 2.) The Kastro Houses of Oia. One tip for taking great photos is making sure you get out early! I have heard that many times lines will form just to snap a photo at some of these famous spots. Also, be warned that many of the famous places for photos are actually on private property so be quick! We were actually told we needed to leave one location, but thankfully we already snapped many of the photos we wanted. Finding the spot to take a picture of the three Blue Domes can be a bit challenging. Once you are in Oia you will want to turn left at the alleyway next to a shop called Apollon Gallery. Once you see the church bell towers on the left take the path on the right and you should be able to find the stairway leading to the Blue Domes. You can also pay for a professional photo shoot which I think would be super cool. I discovered that a photo shoot can range between 200-900 euros.
Where to Eat
The food in Greece is absolutely amazing. Every meal I ate was delicious. I recommend visiting the following restaurants:
Pito Gyros: This place has the best gyros ever! I ordered the pork gyros, which to my delight, had fries inside! The ingredients were super fresh and tasty. If you are looking to grab something quick stop here!
Lolito’s: You will want to come here for dessert. They serve delicious gelato. A small cup with 2 flavors is 6 euro. Try the baklava, cheesecake, and chocolate flavors!
Sunset Taverna: I’m pretty sure I had one of the best meals of my life here. My God was it good. The restaurant is located in Ammoudi Bay, which is a beautiful place to watch the sunset. Be sure to book a reservation so you are seated next to the water. Be warned that there are about 300 steps to make your way down to the restaurant so watch your step! You will work up quite an appetite but I promise it is worth it! Once you arrive, trust me and order the dish they are most known for: the Lobster Pasta – it is quite expensive, over 100 euro, but is a large portion that is best to be shared. Sooooo good! We also ordered the octopus and sweet and sour shrimp for appetizers.
Apsithia: We stumbled upon this place with spectacular views of the caldera after sunset. I ordered the fish special for that particular evening which was grilled red snapper. They let me go to a tank and pick the fish I wanted that was just caught that day. The fish was very fresh and tasty and so the local wine was also delicious. I recommend the fresh baked bread with tzatziki for an appetizer.
*Also, don’t forget to order greek yogurt with honey and fruit while you are in Santorini! I didn’t until the last day and I was so upset that I didn’t order it everyday while I was there. So yummy!
I really hope that you enjoyed this blog post and find it helpful for planning a trip to Santorini, Greece! Until next time –happy travels!