Published: July 3, 2025
Planning a trip to Santorini and not sure where to stay? You’re not alone! With its cliffside villages, black sand beaches, and postcard-worthy views, Santorini offers a wide range of options–but choosing the right area can make a big difference in your experience. Whether you’re dreaming of you watching the sunset from a private balcony on the Caldera, lounging on a quiet beach, or staying somewhere more local and low-key, this guide breaks down everything you need to know before you book. From the most popular towns to hidden gems, I’ll help you find the best spot for your budget, travel style and dream vacation.
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Where to Stay in Santorini
The Caldera or The Beaches?
Where To Stay On The Caldera
If you choose to stay on the Caldera side of the island, these are the main towns to consider:
Fira
Fira is the capital of Santorini and home to the island’s main cruise port. It’s also known to have the best night life on the island, with plenty of bars, restaurants and late-night spots to explore.
Fira is the starting point of the famous hike from Fira to Oia. It is home to several blue dome photo hotspots and also an easy walk to many of the blue dome churches in Firostefani and Imerovigli. Fira is the main bus hub of the island, so you can easily get to any part of Santorini from here.
Because it’s home to the cruise port and the island’s main bus hub, Fira can get quite crowded–especially when multiple cruise ships are docked. It is the second most crowded village in Santorini, after Oia.
Top-Rated Hotels In Fira
Firostefani
Top-Rated Hotels in Firostefani
Imerovigli
Imerovigli (pronounced ih-mere-o-vee-lee) is my personal favorite place to stay in Santorini! Located next to Firostefani, it’s a short, scenic walk to Fira and a perfect mid-point if you’re planning to hike to Oia. Imerovigli offers the same jaw-dropping views, stunning sunsets and blue-domed churches– but without the big crowds you’ll find in Fira or Oia. I would even venture to say that the sunset views from Imerovigli are some of the best on the island! It is a larger village compared to Firostefani, and home to some of the best sunset-view restaurants on the island, all within walking distance to your hotel.
The vibe here is much more relaxed and laid-back, with no busy nightlife scene to worry about. We stayed in the Heaven suite at Above Blue Suites in Imerovigli and absolutely loved it. We didn’t have people walking directly in front of our balcony, which you find in many hotels on the Caldera. Check out the video below of the sunset view from our balcony in Imerovigli.
Another benefit of staying in Imerovigli, is that it is in the middle of the famous hike from Fira to Oia which allows you to break the hike up into two shorter hikes. One day we did the easy stroll from Imerovigli to Fira and another day we did the hike from Imerovigli to Oia. Skaros Rock is also located in Imerovigli, and hiking out to Skaros is a popular thing to do in Santorini.
If you’re looking for a peaceful and uncrowded places to stay with stunning Caldera views and sunsets, Imerovigli is a perfect choice.
Top-Rated Hotels in Imerovigli
@postcardsfromcarrie 🌅Avoid the crowds in Santorini by booking a sunset caldera view hotel 🇬🇷Highly recommend staying in Imerovigli, much less crowded than Oia and Fira and these incredible views 🔗Link in bio for our fabulous hotel #santorini #santorinigreece #santorinisunset #greece #greece🇬🇷 #greecetravel #greecetiktok #greekislands #greecevacation #sunset #sunsets #travel #traveltok #bucketlist #bucketlisttravel #anniversarytrip #santoriniisland #imerovigli #postcardsfromcarrie ♬ original sound - Postcards From Carrie | Travel
Oia
Oia (pronounced EE-UH) is the most famous-and most photographed- town in Santorini, known for its cluster of blue-domed churches, cliffside cave hotels and iconic sunset views. It’s also the most crowded and most expensive of the Caldera towns.
Like Fira, Oia has a lively nightlife scene and the largest concentration of hotels and restaurants on the island. It’s home to some of the most luxurious cave hotels and designer boutiques and high-end shops on the island. Oia definitely leans into its Instagram-famous reputation–you’ll often see lines of people waiting (sometimes for more than an hour!)to snap photos at the most popular photo spots. You’ll also likely run into several flying dress photo shoots, often staged in front of scenic overlooks and sometimes right in front of hotel balconies. It’s a total “see and be seen” kind of vibe in Oia. It has a total “see and be seen” kind of vibe, with people dressed to the nines for sunset photos and rooftop cocktails.
If you don’t mind the large crowds and want to be in the heart of the action with buzzing nightlife, fabulous dining and photo ops around every corner, Oia could be a great choice for you. Whether you choose to stay there or not, Oia is still. must-visit town while you are in Santorini.
Where To Stay In The Beaches of Santorini
If you’re dreaming of a relaxing beachfront vacation, the beach side of Santorini is a great choice. Unlike the caldera towns perched high above the cliffs, the beach towns like Kamari, Perissa, and Perivolos offer a totally different vibe — relaxed, fun, and perfect for those who want to spend their days sunbathing and swimming. These areas are much flatter and easier to walk around, plus you’ll find everything from beachfront hotels to restaurants just steps from the water.
If you want a romantic getaway without the crowds–the beaches would be a great fit! These beach towns are more budget-friendly than the Caldera villages and offer easy access to restaurants, beach clubs, and even water taxis to the caldera if you want to explore both sides of the island!
Perissa
Perissa is one of the most popular beach towns on Santorini’s eastern coast, known for its long stretch of black volcanic sand and relaxed, friendly atmosphere. The beach is lined with casual tavernas, beach bars and hotels, making it a great spot for travelers looking for a more affordable and laid-back experience, Perissa is also home to a few fun water activities and is within walking distance to the base of Mesa Vouno, the mountain that separates it from Kamari and houses the ancient ruins of Thera.
Kamari
Top-Rated Hotels in Kamari
Perivolos
Other Places to Stay In Santorini
Akrotiri
Akrotiri sits on the southwestern tip of Santorini, on the opposite end of the Caldera from Oia. It offers a quieter, more off-the-beaten-path experience. While it’s technically on the Caldera side of the island, it’s important to note that Akrotiri is not perched on the Caldera cliffs like the other Caldera towns like Oia or Fira.
From Akrotiri, you with views of the Caldera in the distance–but you won’t be surrounded by the iconic whitewashed buildings cascading down the cliffs. This area sits at a lower elevation, so you get a wider, more panoramic perspective rather than the dramatic cliffside villages.
Akrotiri is also home to the Akrotiri archaeological site, an ancient city preserved by volcanic ash. You’ll also be close to the Red Beach, one of the island’s most iconic beaches. Akrotiri is also where you can pick up the hop-on, hop-off water taxi to the Red Beach, White Beach & Black beach.
If you’re looking for a more relaxed stay with views of the Caldera and a better value for money, Akrotiri is a fantastic choice. Just keep in mind that you won’t be able to walk to any of the other villages from Akrotiri. You will need to drive or take a bus.
Top-Rated Hotels in Akrotiri
Megalochori
Final Thoughts
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@postcardsfromcarrie Santorini’s hop on, hop off water taxi was one of our favorite activities in Santorini. 🇬🇷 There is no website for the water taxi and we found it difficult to find any information on it online. We heard about it from other visitors 🇬🇷 Since there is no address, type “Hotel Akrotiri” in to your GPS and that will take you right to the port. 🇬🇷 Be sure to bring cash if you want to rent sunbeds beds at the beaches 🇬🇷 The beaches are rocky so wear water shoes 🇬🇷 Bring snorkel masks to explore the sea caves at the white beach and black beach 🇬🇷 Highly recommend adding this to your Santorini trip itinerary 🇬🇷 A great thing to do to avoid the Caldera crowds on busy cruise ship port days 🇬🇷 Have you been on the water taxi before? Save this and follow for more ⬇️ #santorinigreece🇬🇷 #santorini #greekislands #greece🇬🇷 #greecetiktok #greecetravel #beach #watertaxi #travel #traveltiktok #exploregreece ♬ Tropical Summer Vibes - Netuno Music
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