Last updated on November 28th, 2023 at 12:45 pm
There are many stunning islands in Greece, and the most famous, thanks to social media, happened to be Santorini. Since it’s such a popular place, I compiled a 4 day Santorini itinerary for everyone wondering what the best things to do on this beautiful Greek Island are!
While Santorini may feel overrated due to the extra coverage and the countless lookalike pictures you can see on Instagram, it is still an island full of charm with a lot to offer. It is well worth spending a few days there!
Check out more of the best things to do in Santorini with my Santorini 4-day itinerary travel guide and travel diary, so I hope you enjoy reading about people’s adventures!
A Chill 4 Day Santorini Itinerary, Greece
Have you set your mind on visiting Santorini for your next trip? Here is my travel itinerary with the best things to do in Santorini! From the famous Oia to a lesser-known place, you won’t be bored for a minute in Santorini!
Santorini is a popular European destination in Summer and Spring, but you should also consider visiting Santorini in Winter for a different yet still thrilling experience of the Greek island.
Day One – Landing in Santorini and exploring Perissa
Yesterday I left a grey Paris to land on the sunny island of Santorini. It’s currently the off-peak season in Greece; however, the weather is way better than in Paris.
7:30 -Transavia operated our flight, and it went well, minus the cold air conditioner and the rain that delayed it slightly. All of this also resulted in me feeling a little under the weather
12:00/13:00 – 3 hours later or so, we landed in the tiny airport of Santorini, and when I say tiny, I mean it’s basically like a train station from a small village you could find in France. After this, we took a bus to Fira (1€80) to take another one to Perissa (2,40€). Our final destination for the day was where we would stay for the next few days.
Checking-in Time
14:30 – After another 20-minute walk, we got to our hotel -> Blue Diamond Bay. I read the reviews on TripAdvisor after booking; I admit I was a bit scared of what to expect.
But besides being a bit off the main street, it’s decent, clearly not the best, though. The cleaning looked like it had to be done vaguely, and we found some items (sun cream & a book). The wifi was quite crappy. Outside of the hotel, the pool is top, though! And the beach was also pretty nice.
Lunch in Perissa
15:00 – The long-awaited moment of lunch!
I didn’t eat breakfast and hadn’t any snacks, so we needed food. I could feel the energy leaving my body. We made our way along the beach to find a place to eat. The scenery in Perissa is pretty nice; there is a black sand beach right there. Usually, most people who come to Santorini, at least on social media, stay in Oia, so you’ve probably had a different image in mind of Santorini.
We ended up at the “Apollon” restaurant (all of them have the same menu), and after some intense thinking, I picked probably the most simple and boring thing on the menu: a club sandwich.
But at least it was a good club sandwich. It was lovely as the weather in Paris was gloomier.
Also, we had a very lovely little bird as a guest and a view of the beach.
??:?? – Then, it was pretty much when I lost track of time and just went with the flow of the island.
Perissa’s beach is fabulous; the water is clear and looks fantastic with the black sand. The contrast between the dark volcanic sand and the blue water of the ocean is refreshing.
It was my first time seeing a beach of black sand, and I must say I dug it!
Besides, there’s always something enjoyable about lazing around and taking in all the nature and fresh air. Despite the windy weather, the landscape and the atmosphere are the best!
We had a quick view of the sunset at the beach in front of our hotel.
It was hiding behind the trees; however, I think nothing beats a sunset on a beach.
And that’s how the day ended; as we are off-season, it gets dark real quick, granted later than in Paris, but still, there’s not much left to do aside from bar and restaurant for dinner. It’s still pretty cool to grab a bite on the beach while watching the sunset onto the ocean.
Another thing, there are so many stray dogs and cats outside; I mean, probably not all are strays, but there’s every likelihood a vast majority are, as a lot didn’t have any collars or name tags.
In conclusion, it was a chill first day in Perissa before exploring more with Oia, the place you probably already got spammed about on Instagram by all the most famous bloggers/influencers over the years.
Day 2 – Exploring the famous Oia In Santorini
You know that city you’ve been spamming with on Instagram for the past couple of months when visiting Oia, aka the most touristy spots on Santorini Island.
Let’s see if it’s worth the hype – since you know Instagram is really staged and highly edited sometimes! But first, let’s grab a bubble tea in Fira!
The morning was pretty chill, as we were in no rush -who can be in a hurry when the sun is shining, and you’ve got the sea right in front of you anyway- we relaxed along the beach in Perissa and enjoyed the sun as for a Parisian this is something pretty rare you know. W eventually went to catch the bus – yes, none of us drives, which sucks on an island – to go to Fira (2,40€) around 12h30.
Instead of catching a bus to Oia right after, we wandered the souvenir shops above the central bus station. That was when we saw a cute bubble tea shop! And since I was thirsty and I’m also quite a sucker for bubble tea, it was the perfect occasion to try it out.
The shop was adorable and circus-themed, with very reasonable prices and many choices, including beverages other than bubble tea if you’d like. I recommend it for bubble tea and a cute place to chill in Fira! Of course, it’s not typical, but the staff was amicable.
Finally, we caught a bus to Oia (1,80€). If you’d like, you can also hike from Fira to Oia.
We were in no rush; that was the goal of the day, and by this time, even though October is an off-season for visiting Greece, there were still many people in this quaint Greek town as it is, after all, one of the most popular spots of the island.
The city’s architecture and landscapes are breathtaking.
I did not regret adding Oia to our Santorini itinerary; I understand why some people think the place is overrated.
Due to mass tourism and it’s exceptionally curated on Instagram, it still has many appeals.
Though I have to admit I expected more blue roofs, I guess my mind assimilated the whole place being all white and blue because of Instagram.
We visited “Atlantis Bookstore”, a perfect place for book lovers; it is also one of the oldest bookstores in the world.
We made a quick tour before our stomachs decided it was time for some food. But when we heard microwave sounds after we ordered, eek! The restaurant terrasse had a fantastic view; the same goes for its decor; it was nice, which drew our attention to this place.
Although one thing was top-notch, check out this fantastic view, but I’m sure there are some much better restaurants with an idea just as impressive as ours. However, they were not in our budget…
And we were back wandering around the city, enjoying the unique Greek architecture and the crazy amount of luxury resorts piled up along the coast.
Oia has many unique shops full of local crafts. If you’d like to get some fantastic souvenirs, there are plenty of churches to visit.
One of my favourite things is to explore various alleys and staircases; you get an authentic feel of the city.
This is what you can call my attempt at an Instagram-worthy picture -yes, I brought Dr Martens to an island and the beach, don’t judge me-.
While part of me feels awkward about it, I also think this isn’t too bad, you know? But I guess the credits go to the scenery. Greek unique architecture is stunning.
My backpack is from Grafea; I love this backpack to bits. It’s perfect for travelling with.
Eventually, we got to the sunset point and enjoyed it despite the foggy weather. I didn’t expect it to be that crowded. However, watching the sunset in Oia is a must; it’s one of my fondest memories of this trip.
I wouldn’t say it took longer to visit; we stayed there for about five hours, taking our time to enjoy the place at its best and explore, so it’s a good thing that Oia isn’t huge – I mean, it’s not a big island, but some places require time!
But I guess if you take Instagram-worthy pictures, you might spend the whole day doing so. You can also hire a photographer for a couple of hours in Oia if you want to shoot some fantastic pictures in a beautiful dress!
DAY 3 – THE RED BEACH OF AKROTIRI
View on top of the cliff over the beach in Akrotiri!
During our three days, we went to the famous red beach of Akrotiri, located south of the island.
Like in Oia, you can find plenty of beautiful churches in Akrotiri, the most famous being Agios Nikolaos.
I can say so on the beach along the road just before you arrive at the “entrance”. There’s a nice snacks/restaurant that sells delicious big gyros!
The red beach of Akrotiri is located on a cliff, so you have to climb a little before getting there. It’s nothing too strenuous, but some flat closed shoe is the best option; flip-flops or sandals will make it painful even if you only go to the beach.
The view is, again, really gorgeous. And I’d say the beach on a cliff makes it more charming to me and less windy and more enjoyable.
Another important spot of Akrotiri is the antique city; unfortunately, we couldn’t visit it. So, if you get the chance, go check it out!
And a cute pottery shop on the crossroad bus of Perissa/Akrotiri. I like the fish for some reason; I mean, isn’t it pretty?
Another good activity in Akrotiri is visiting the archaeological site on the way to the Red Beach; however, the place is pretty big. Hence, it takes quite a while to visit, so ensure you have enough time to see it if you plan to do more than this and the red beach.
Price: 12 euros
DAY 4 – VISITING FIRA OLD PORT
My last day spent in Santorini! We went to Fira’s old port.
Officially, we were only leaving Santorini on Friday, but since we had to check out early and our luggage, Friday was quite a dull, cold day. So Thursday was our last actual day in Santorini.
The weather was getting grey and windier, but I had an excellent breakfast at the Tranquilo on Perissa Beach to start the day well-fueled and ready to explore more!
Their smoothies are delicious! Plus, with the restaurant set up, it’s a natural mood booster as it is super colourful and has a chill vibe, so it was lovely despite the weather changing.
The afternoon was Fira, but we made it to the old port this time. The reviews I read on this spot were mixed, and I quickly understood why.
So, yes, the view is pretty astonishing, and it’s fascinating to see the path used by the locals years ago to transport their merchandise and the people on the islands with the donkeys.
But, oh man, it is SO DIRTY and smelly, obviously, with all those donkeys charged with humans going up and down the stairs.
It’s pretty saddening to see them parked up on the side of the stairs as well or getting scared by the locals to force them to move up; if you don’t want to walk all those stairs (587 in total!), the cable cars are the same price as the donkeys (5€), and I would say for sure the view in those might be worth it!
If you want to go down the stairs, you need good shoes 1- because the stairs are shaky and full of poop and 2- the donkeys are careless, so when they’re going down or up, they might step on your feet, ouch.
The port is small, with a few shops and restaurants. It is nice, but I’m pretty mixed about the stairs; it wasn’t my worst experience, but far from the best.
And if you want to visit the volcano, this is where you’re supposed to go. We couldn’t see it as the last boat had already left, this is probably my only regret about this trip!
That’s how my Santorini getaway ended since we only stayed in Fira for lunch and ended at the airport to have a nice 10-hour layover in Athens; I will say one thing: it was hell. But I will probably keep this for another post that will be more of a travel story!
In conclusion, four days in Santorini is an excellent time to spend a chill getaway while still discovering some of the highlights of this beautiful Greek island from the Cyclades.
Also, do not worry if you don’t drive. The island’s public transport is pretty good; we visited every place we wanted without struggling!
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4 days in Santorini itinerary
✈ Best Travel Ressources To Plan Your Next Trip
If you need help planning your next trip, don’t worry. I’ve got you covered! Here are my favourite websites and apps to plan a trip!
✈ How To Find Flights?
My favourite website for booking flights is Skyscanner; it is a good comparator for finding the cheapest flights.
Google Flight is also a good help when it comes to comparing flights.
✈ Where To Book Accommodations?
The best sites to book accommodations are Booking.com or Expedia. They both allow you to collect points for a discount; it’s worth comparing the two as they often have different pricing for the same hotels.
Another perk about Booking.com and Expedia is that you can get bundle deals for flights and accommodations, which can sometimes help you save a lot of money. And don’t worry; you can also select to add accommodation for only a specific part of the trip if you’re not only staying in one place.
✈ Best Sites To Book Activities
My go-to website when I need to book an activity is GetYourGuide when I can’t get a ticket directly on the website or if it’s easier to go through them.
I always check if the price is the same, though, as the whole point is for it to be easier but not more expensive.
If I don’t find the activity I want on GetYourGuide, I like to check Viator for more options!
You can also check out Klook if you need to book more than just activities and would like to get everything from the same website—(i.e. transport cards, car rental, hotel…).
✈ Other helpful travel resources
– Radical Storage: If you need a place to keep your luggage for an extended period when you travel, I recommend using them. It was a great help when we needed a place to keep our luggage safely while we left the city for a few days.
– TheTrainline: If you love to travel by train like me, then TheTrainline needs to be your go-to website for train travel in Europe. It is very reliant and easy to use.
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Disclaimer: this resources box contains affiliate links, which means I earn a little commission if you book anything through my links at no additional cost. They help me support the blog and generate more content. Happy travels!
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MEW says
Wow it looks so peaceful there right now. I’m glad you got a break from the grey parisian skies for a while!
Jennifer Yasmin says
Hey, loved all the pictures. You guys surely had a lot fun. And those instagrammable locations. ?
Lyne says
Thank you! It was a lot of fun, Santorini is amazing!
Erika Ravnsborg says
That looks so beautiful. A perfect place for some peace and tranquility
Lyne says
Very true! Santorini is amazing even though it’s very touristy 🙂
KatieGoes says
Thank you so much for your insight! It’s so refreshing to see a more real and authentic collection of photos of the place. I only ever see the white buildings (as pretty as they are).
madhuonthego says
Santorini is in my bucketlist for long..such a prestine place.thanks for sharing a detailed itinerary
Kariss Ainsworth says
I love Greece I’d love to spend time Island hopping
Antonia Hiesgen says
Wow, Santorini! Can’t believe I haven’t been yet, it looks incredible!
vidadeliya says
Thanks for the detailed post! Definitely saving this for when I get to visit Santorini one day myself
Shishira and Navneeth says
Beautiful pictures. Looks like you had a great time! 🙂
josypheen says
Santorini is such a good place to relax for a few days. It looks like you had a blast.
I like those black beaches, until it gets hot, and then it’s basically impossible to stand on the sand!! I LOVE your photos of the beach in Akrotiri – gorgeous.
Kelly says
I would love to visit Santorini one day! Thank you for these tips. Hope to make it there soon and will use this guide as reference 🙂
Nichole says
Great comprehensive guide! Santorini looks so beautiful! I cannot wait to visit!
elinamic says
Great itinerary! I would love to explore Santorini in depth, especially visiting the Fira Old Port!
Shelley Marmor says
Santorini looks so peaceful, laid back & beautiful. It’s the perfect combo! Pinning & saving this blog for my next trip to Europe, which will include Santorini (finally!)
Emma says
Santorini, and Greece, are high on my list. I’d love to visit soon. It looks so beautiful and peaceful, especially if you travel out of season as I understand it can get busy. Perfect place for a relaxing getaway though and some amazing views
Smith Mitchell says
Amazing photos! I got the impression that I visited Santorini when I read your blog! Super virtual trip! Thanks!
Ildiko says
Santorini is so picturesque. I’ve been there a few times. I particularly prefer staying in Oia. The sunsets there are truly spectacular. Akrotiri is also amazing, especially if you like history and archaeology. The worst part of Santorini is definitely the overtourism. For that reason I try to avoid Thira, as that is where most of the massive cruise ships arrive
Ashlee Fechino says
Visiting Santorini is high on our bucket list. Thanks for creating a great 4-day itinerary!
Bozena says
What a beautiful place! Looks like a perfect spot for pictures and relaxing.
amyharneiss1 says
My holiday to Sabtorini got cancelled for May, but this post keeps me motivated that I’ll get there soon. Also, LOVE that you wore doc martens there. Awesome. My fave shoes!
Krista says
We were meant to go here last summer, but have had to postpone. So this itinerary is going to be really helpful when we eventually travel to Santorini!
skigrl985 says
We have a game called Santorini that my kids love to play, and because of it they want to go here! I will show them this post to show them that there’s so much more than just buildings 🙂
Keena says
I can’t wait to visit Greece . Love your detailed itinerary. It’s an amazing place for pictures .
ildiko says
Oia is so picturesque and the sunsets are amazing. I can definitely do without all the staged IG spots and photographers. The black beach of Perissa and the red beach of Akrotiri are amazing. I would love to go back to Akrotiri now that their archaeological museum is open.
Nora says
Wonderful itinerary! Greece is lovely, I am saving this for my visit to Santorini (hopefully soon).