Selecting a place to stay in Santorini is not always easy, especially if we take into account the amount of options that the island offers and that depending on the one you choose, so will be your type of trip or experience in what is said to be one of the most beautiful islands in the world.
After our experience we believe that there are two very specific areas in which to sleep in Santorini, especially if it is your first time on the island. Although both are the best known and most crowded, they are the ones with the best location and also the ones that, we are sure, will give you the best moments. We are referring to Oia and Fira, which are two of the jewels of Santorini and two of the places with the best hotel and restaurant offerings on the island.
Based on our visit to the island during our 32-day trip to Greece, in which we wrote this guide to Santorini, we leave you with a selection of places to stay in Santorini and the best areas and hotels. Let's get started!
Places to stay in Santorini
As with the places to stay in Mykonos, there are plenty of options for hotels in Santorini, although there are fewer areas that we dare to recommend if you want to have a good location and get to know the island making a route through the places to see in Santorini that combines culture, beaches and some trekking to see that other part of the island that we assure you, is incredible.
In this case, we always recommend staying on the west side of the island, overlooking the caldera, in one of the most famous towns with the best views: Oia, Imerovigli, Fira or Firostefani.
That is why we wanted to publish this post in which we tell you the pros and cons of each of the options where to stay in Santorini, one of the best Greek islands, which we are sure you will fall in love with.
1. Oia, the best place to stay in Santorini (and the most expensive)
Located on the west side of the island, which is the best as it overlooks the caldera, Oia is the most iconic and best known place to stay on the island and, unsurprisingly, also one of the best places to stay in Santorini, although it is also the most expensive.
This is where you will find the famous postcard photos of Santorini, such as the blue domes or some of the hotels with infinity pools, which are so characteristic of these Greek islands, as well as being the place where you can experience some of the most breathtaking sunsets in the world.
Although we always recommend renting a car in Santorini, in Oia there is a bus that makes stops at the most important points of the island such as Fira, Firostefani or the airport, which can be a great option if you do not want to make many visits to the interior of the island.
Another attraction is the old harbour area, although you'll have to climb up more than 200 steps or take a shuttle to get there. The reward is the views and a small cove, Ammoudi Bay, where you can spend a few unforgettable hours.
Please don't ever use the donkeys offered for this trip! It is very important to participate in responsible tourism and not to take part in such activities with animals.
The price of accommodation in Oía is usually around 150-200 euros per night, although in low season you can find hotels at a lower price and in high season the prices tend to skyrocket.
Search here for your accommodation in Oía
Recommended hotels in Oia
Here are the most recommended options we have found for accommodation in Chora, taking into account the quality/price ratio:
Oia, the best place to stay in Santorini (and the most expensive).
2. Fira, another of the best places to stay in Santorini
Fira, or Thira, is the capital of Santorini and as such another of the best places to stay in Santorini. Here, as well as offering a wide range of accommodation and restaurants, you'll find more affordable prices and, best of all, transport to get around the island, which is perfect if you don't want to hire a car on the island.
In addition to this, the area is a real wonder and is where you can find another of the typical postcards of Santorini, in which you can see the white village hanging from a cliff almost 300 metres above sea level.
And if you like shopping, Fira is also one of the most important shopping spots on the island, as it has a wide range of places where you can buy handicrafts, souvenirs or clothes, among many other things.
The price of accommodation in Fira is usually around 80-100 euros per night, although there are some luxury accommodations, especially those with views of the caldera, which are much more expensive, especially if you book in advance.
Recommended hotels in Fira
Here are the most recommended options we have found for accommodation in Fira:
Fira, another of the best places to stay in Santorini.
3. Firostefani, our favourite place to stay in Santorini
Located next to Fira, Firostefani is another of the villages on the west side of the island, overlooking the caldera. This is the area where we stayed as, apart from having unique views of the caldera, the place is much quieter and you can walk to Fira, along the coast, with exceptional views.
Also here we found a unique accommodation in Santorini, Gaby Apartments, which although it is not a luxury accommodation, it has a privileged location, being also the only place in Santorini where you can be right next to the famous Greek Orthodox Church of the Blue Dome, since you have to be staying at the hotel to get close to it. Important: this accommodation is currently not available but we have some excellent alternatives below.
If you stay here you can also do the trek from Firostefani to Oia or the trek from Firostefani to Imerovigli and its fascinating church and return by public transport.
Accommodation in Firostefani usually costs around 80-100 euros per night, although there are some luxury accommodations, especially those with views of the caldera, that go well beyond that, as well as some cheaper ones, especially if you book early and choose those on the inland side of the island.
Recommended hotels in Firostefani
Here are the most recommended options we have found for accommodation in Firostefani:
Firostefani, our favourite place to stay in Santorini
4. Imerovigli, one of the most peaceful areas on the island
If you want to be close to everything and at the same time in a quiet place with exceptional views, Imerovigli is the perfect place to stay in Santorini. Known for being one of the most charming villages on the west side of the island, overlooking the caldera, this small town doesn't offer much in the way of hotels and restaurants, but it does offer tranquillity and the proximity to Ekklisia Theoskepasti, a beautiful church, which we would say is in the most incredible location we've ever seen.
Accommodation in Imerovigli usually costs around 60-80 euros per night, although as in the other areas mentioned above, there is more expensive accommodation overlooking the caldera and some cheaper accommodation located inland.
Recommended hotels in Imerovigli
Here are the most recommended options we have found for accommodation in Imerovigli:
Imerovigli, one of the quietest areas of the island.
5. Kamari, the best option if you want to stay on the beach
Although for us Santorini is not known for its beaches and we think it is a mistake to stay in this area if it is your first visit to the island, in case you want to sleep on the beach in Santorini, we recommend you to do it in this one.
However, don't forget that these are black sand beaches of volcanic origin and are not your typical postcard paradise beaches. There is a good range of hotels and restaurants here, as it is one of the best known areas of Santorini and is connected to other parts of the island by bus, with a connection in Fira, the capital.
The price of accommodation in Imerovigli is usually around 50 euros.
Recommended hotels in Kamari
Here are the most recommended options we have found for accommodation in Kamari:
Beaches of Santorini
Our recommended accommodation where to stay in Santorini
As mentioned above, our hotel on the island was Gaby Apartments, a small family-run hotel in an excellent location, next to one of Santorini's postcard images: the Orthodox church with the blue dome.
An important thing to bear in mind is that this hotel is in such high demand that most bookings are made many months in advance, so it is important to book as far in advance as possible if you want to stay here.
It also has a unique location, free parking upstairs, rooms with balconies overlooking the caldera are wonderful and it is only a 10 minute walk from Fira and Imerovigli.
For all this and for its facilities, we believe it is one of the best options to stay in Santorini.
After our experience we can say that when we return to Santorini we will stay again in Firostefani, in the same hotel, or we would look for a hotel in Oia, with a private pool, as this island and Oia especially, is the perfect place to indulge yourself in this kind of luxury. This is why we believe that Oia is the perfect place to stay in Santorini.
In addition to all the accommodations where to sleep in Santorini that we have recommended in this post, if you want to enjoy an unforgettable stay and treat yourself, these options we believe are the best to enjoy a few unique days on the island.
Where to stay in Santorini, one of the most incredible islands in the world.
Tips for finding cheap accommodation in Santorini
Although with all the recommendations on where to stay in Santorini and the selection of hotels we hope we have helped you to choose the place to stay on the island, we would like to leave you with a series of tips and recommendations to make your choice as easy as possible.
Although we have mentioned it on several occasions, it is important to be clear about the purpose of your trip in order to know which is the best accommodation in Santorini. If you want to be close to everything and have views of the caldera, the best places to stay are Oia, Firostefani, Fira and Imerovigli, in that order. If you prefer to stay close to the beach, the best area is Kamari.
If you want to stay in Oia but your budget is tight, we recommend looking at the surrounding areas, such as Finikia, which is just a few kilometres away and has much more affordable prices.
Other options where to stay in Santorini are the inland villages such as Pyrgos or Akrotiri. For us, these options are the least recommendable as they are further away from the most touristy areas, do not have many accommodation and restaurant options and are not well connected to the rest of the island. In this case, it is preferable to visit them for a few hours and get to know them.
Another important thing to bear in mind is that Santorini is the most famous, crowded and expensive island in Greece, especially in high season, so it is important to book as far in advance as possible to have more options and better prices.
Remember that to avoid paying commissions and to always have the current exchange rate, we recommend you use the Revolut card and the N26 card, which we use, they are free and will save you a lot of money.
Once you have found the ideal place to sleep in Santorini you can organise your routes around the city with the following guides and posts:
What to see and do in Santorini
10 restaurants where to eat in Santorini
How to get from Athens to Santorini (ferry or plane)
How to get from Mykonos to Santorini (ferry or plane)
10 must-see places to visit in Greece
Top 10 best tours and excursions from Athens
10 tips for travelling to the Greek Islands
