It is no secret that Santorini is definitely one of the most romantic places in the world, and every travellers dream for sure. This was one of our dream destination too and we absolutely loved it to the core. It’s considered to be one the most beautiful islands in the world, which is why it receives more than two million annual visitors. We hope this ultimate Santorini Travel Blog helps you plan a perfect Santorini Itinerary 4 Days. 4 Days in Santorini we felt is just about right to give you enough time to cover all the best things to do in Santorini.
Santorini is famous for its whitewashed houses and caves carved into clifftops and blue-domed churches overlooking the caldera, it’s insanely gorgeous, you go and you know! This destination exceeded our expectations in every possible way. What we enjoyed the most here are the world famous sunsets, its an OMG moment, when viewed from your private jacuzzi with a glass of wine in hand overlooking the Aegean Sea.
Below is the ultimate Santorini travel guide to help you plan an unforgettable trip and also honeymoons here would be a great choice too. We hope this ultimate 4 days travel itinerary for Santorini helps you plan a perfect jaw dropping vacation. And 4 Days in Santorini we felt is just perfect to give you enough time to cover all the best things to do here.
Below are the list of things you need to know before you visit Santorini : Santorini Itinerary 4 Days
1. How to reach Santorini : Santorini Itinerary 4 Days
The fastest and easiest way to get to Santorini is by plane. We boarded fast ferries( 80 EURO per person) from Mykonos to Santorini. The fast ferry departs from New Port, Mykonos and it takes almost 2hr30min to reach Athinios Port, Santorini. You can also fly from Athens to Santorini as well.
2.Greece Currency: Santorini Itinerary 4 Days
You can easily use Euro which is accepted everywhere. If possible, try to carry some hard cash as most of the local shops don’t accept plastic money apart from few big stores. You would even find ATMs at every corner so don’t have to worry much if you run short of cash.
3. Language in Santorini : Santorini Itinerary 4 Days
As Santorini is quite a touristic place, almost everyone speaks and understands English. However, Greek is by far the most spoken language in the city.
4. Best time to visit Santorini : Santorini Itinerary 4 Days
Santorini endures Mediterranean climate with hot dry summers and mild winters. Summers are best time to visit Santorini which is between June and September. Mostly tourists flock from June to August which is high the season and rates for everything spikes up.
The winter months are lesser visited by tourists i.e November – April. It can be a great time to travel around, while you can save money but weather could be unpredictable. Winter here means gloomy days, and rains.
5. Is Santorini safe : Santorini Itinerary 4 Days
Greece as a country is very safe to travel around, even if you are a solo traveller or travelling with friends & family. Still you must take good care of yourself and people around with you as safety should always be the first priority. We felt absolutely safe around every nook and corners.
6. Greece Mobile Networks : Santorini Itinerary 4 Days
We always prefer using a local SIM card wherever we travel, which makes it easier to remain connected and to also avoid international roaming rates. You can get a Greek SIM card for 5 EURO from Vodafone and other authorized stores which are mostly of similar rates. We collected our SIM cards from Athens International Airport (ATH).
7. How to apply for an Visa for Greece : Santorini Itinerary 4 Days
You need to apply for Schengen visa to enter Greece. Find out whether you need to apply for a Greece Visa or not. However U.S. citizens may enter Greece without a visa for stays of up to 90 days for tourism or business purposes. Visit your nearest embassy for further information.
8. Transportation in Santorini : Santorini Itinerary 4 Days
Getting around in Santorini is really accessible without too much of hassle. If you are an independent traveller like us, you will find that Santorini is quite easy to go around on your own, either on public buses or in a rented car or even on foot. Buses are the most convenient and the cheapest way of transportation to get around from one town to another. We would also suggest to take out time and walk the Caldera edge pathway and admire the exotic view.
9. Best areas to stay in Santorini : Santorini Itinerary 4 Days
We preferred staying at Imerovigli village which is also a great alternative choice if you are not staying in Fira (Thira) or Oia. This place is much quieter and calmer in comparison to Oia and also very affordable offering great views.
From Imerovigli, Fira( island capital) is just 1 mile away and is easily accessible on foot with tons of shops, restaurant, amazing nightlife and lot more. We definitely recommend splurging on a cool cave hotel where we have spent a good portion of our time.
Santorini Hotels Tips
- Getting a hotel in Santorini during peak season can be challenging because the best hotels usually gets booked 6 to 8 months prior.
- October – April might be good months to consider visiting Santorini, when prices of hotels and everything are cheaper in comparison.
Santorini Itinerary 4 Days
- Day1: Arrive in Santorini and explore Fira(Thira) town and Imerovigli on foot.
- Day2: Visit Perissa black sand beach, spend full day exploring Oia town and witness the world famous sunset there.
- Day3: Full day tour to Nea Kameni Volcano, Thirasia Island and enjoy the nightlife in Fira.
- Day 4: Visit the Red sand beach and visit Akrotiri which is the pre-historic excavation ruin city.
Below is the complete breakdown of days on how you can utilize your 4 days in Santorini without missing a bit.
Day 1: Arrive in Santorini
We boarded the fast ferries from Mykonos new port early in the morning. It would cost around 80Euro and takes approximately 2hr30min to reach Athinios port. On arrival at Imerovigli village we checked in at this stunning boutique hotel called ‘Absolute Bliss’. Imerovigli is situated at the highest point on the cliff side of Santorini Island between Fira and Oia.
You would find many stay options catering caldera view in that area, if your looking for budget accommodations. In the evening you can go for a walking tour of the neighboring Fira town which is Santorini’s art and culture capital. Pay a visit to the narrow back streets and hidden chapels—for example, the Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist and Saint Minas Holy Orthodox Church.
Don’t miss to visit the viewpoint overlooking the church, with the three bells. Finding this place might seem tricky, so simply turn on the GPS and search for this hotel called “Santorini Palace”and bamm you made it!
Later experience the magical sunset with a cup of coffee, relaxing at any cafeterias of your choice.
Day2 :Visit Perissa black sand beach and explore Oia town
Started our day at ease,after finishing a fabulous breakfast which was served in our room. We boarded the city bus from Fira central bus stand and directly headed towards Perissa beach(2.2Euro). Perissa is a black sand beach which stretches for miles and absolutely worth visiting. The whole island is covered with ash and volcanic lava mixed with sand making the beach extraordinary and different from others.
You would find good choices for bars and restaurants on the beach, so some chilled beers would be great. However there are no direct bus from Perissa to Oia, so we boarded the bus back to Fira central and decided to hike along the Caldera view till Oia. The hike stretches for almost 10kms and might take 3-5 hrs depending on your speed.
We thought we could make it after going through many positive reviews, considering the world class view. It is said that the hike from Fira to Oia is the most beautiful walk on Santorini. Hence we started the hike but sadly couldn’t finish it in that scorching heat, and we boarded the bus to Oia from somewhere midway. We would recommend if you don’t wish to strain too much on walking, than directly board the bus from Fira bus station. The route from Fira to Oia is a 25 minutes drive and ticket costs 1.80 Euros.
FIRA TO OIA (BUS SCHEDULE):
Monday – Sunday : 6:50, 8:15, 9:15, 10:00, 10:30, 11:00, 11:30, 12:00, 12:30, 13:00, 13:30, 14:20, 15:00, 15:30, 16:00, 16:30, 17:00, 17:30, 18:00, 18:30, 19:00, 19:30, 20:00, 21:20.
Oia pronounced as ‘IA’ means upper side in Greek, which is a small village on the islands of Thira. Many travelers including us would agree that it is the most beautiful of all the Greek islands and truly is a must-see destination.
Everything is so beautiful here, right from the white-washed buildings, the most photographed blue domed churches, the most famous sunsets, unique architectures are unlike anything else you have seen before. Get ready and grab your camera, as around every corner is a new surprise and Oia certainly won’t leave you disappointed.
Try to reach Oia 1 hour before sunset and reserve a good seat for yourself at the Castle of Oia, where you can sit on the castle wall to witness the charismatic sunset.
This town becomes crazy in the evening as tourists flock to catch a glimpse of the spectacular view. It doesn’t take long to explore Oia, as a return journey from the boulevard to the sunset point will only take about 30 minutes. Also don’t forget to wear comfortable shoes as the paths are really uneven. Even we heard that the sunrise is beautiful too.
OIA TO FIRA (BUS SCHEDULE)
Monday – Sunday : 7:30, 8:35, 9:35, 10:20, 10:50, 11:20, 11:50, 12:20, 12:50, 13:20, 13:50, 14:20, 15:20, 15:50, 16:20, 16:50, 17:20, 17:50, 18:20, 18:50, 19:20, 19:50, 20:20, 21:40.
Day 3: Visit Nea Kameni Volcano, Thirasia Island and enjoy the nightlife in Fira.
We pre booked a full day city tour with Get Your Guide and our first stop was Nea Kameni Volcano, and we boarded the ferry from Athinios port.
Nea Kameni is a small barren island of volcanic origin located in the Aegean Sea, within the Santorini’s caldera which is made up of black lava rock covering an area of 2km. On arrival you need to pay 5 Euro at the entrance and can go for the hike. It was a decent footslog and it took almost 2hrs to complete the trail. The view point is incredibly beautiful.
Once back to the shore, the ferry would take you to the nearby hot spring where you can go for a swim if you like. So make sure you pack your swim wears and towels.
Later for lunch we were dropped at the island of Thirasia where you can taste authentic Greek cuisine in the taverns and cafes. The island of Thirasia was formed due to the volcanic eruption that happened around 1500BC. Thirasia today is a virgin island, still untouched by tourism and modern lifestyle. You can also choose to walk till the top which is very steep and difficult but has concrete flight of stairs. You might feel disappointed that after so much of hard work there is nothing much to do and see, as this part of the island is completely ghosted with many abandoned houses.
By 4pm we were again dropped at the Athinios port, and from there we went back to Fira. Nightlife in Fira is quite fun and happening, don’t miss it if you love nightclubs and some grooves.
Day 4: Visit the Red sand beach, Akrotiri historic excavation ruin city and back to Athens.
This was our last day in Santorini. We checked out from the hotel kept our luggage at the lobby, tried to figure out what else we can do in this gorgeous island before departure in that limited time frame. Again from Fira central bus station boarded bus for the Red sand beach(1.8Euro)which is located in the southern part of the island, in Akrotiri village, near the famous Akrotiri Excavations site. You would see a sign board that would guide you the way to the beach.
This beach is completely alien and mesmerizing, and it is one of the places worth visiting when you go to Santorini which is surrounded by red hills & volcanic rocks. If you love history visit the Akrotiri excavation site which is the Bronze Age settlement.
This prehistoric settlement of Akrotiri on the island of Santorini is one of the most important sites in the Aegean Sea. Towards the end of the 17th century BC the inhabitants of the town were forced to leave after a series of severe earthquakes and volcanic eruptions,and the ashes completely covered the island and the town.
The first excavations here were carried out in 1867, and even today exciting discoveries are being made. Artefacts from the site are kept on display in the Archaeological Museum of Thera (Fira) and the National Archaeology Museum (Athens). Entry charges are 12EURO and it remains close on Mondays.
Finally it was time for us to depart from this beautiful island. Booked a cab and reached the Athinios ferry port from where we boarded the ferry for Athens. That’s all about it, things you can do in Santorini in 4 days. So guys hope you find this blog helpful planning yours, and if you have any queries please write it down in the comment section below. We would try to help with the best of our knowledge.
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