nodak

My sisters and mother have been planning on doing a big trip together and we finally made the decision to see Greece. We arrive in Athens on the 26th of August and then plan on flying to Santorini on the 28th. We have the Athens part of the trip figured out but I'm struggling with Santorini. In what area would you recommend staying and exactly what hotels? We are in our early thirties and have an active mother. We are looking forward to enjoying the beautiful sunsets, eating good food and a little beach time. We are not really interested in too much of a nightlife. I thought Oia would be the area for us but not sure if we can afford it. We are looking on spending less than 350 Euros a night but this is to accommodate all four of us. Thank you so much for any information you have. We really appreciate it.

brotherleelove2004

First of all, there is no beach in Oia, it's up on a cliff a couple of hundred meters over the sea. There is swimming below, but off large rocks and a man-made platform at the end of the seawall that begins on the wharf at Ammoudi Bay. For me this is the best swimming on the island but you have to either walk down the steps or have a vehicle to drive down the road.

For accomodations for all 4 of you in Oia check Strogili Houses, Filotera Villas, Ifestio Villas, Chelidonia Villas, Anemomilos Hotel, Laokasti Villas, Lucky Homes, Fotinos Houses and Lena's House.

nodak

Brotherleelove--Thank you so much for the above information. Do you overall recommend Oia over Imerovigli??

brotherleelove2004

I do, yes. There are lots more shops and restaurants there to keep you occupied, although to be fair the caldera/sunset views from Imerovigli are better because of the higher elevation. The problem some people have with Imerovigli is that it's too quiet for them and Fira is a mile or more away (depending on the hotel), which means an uphill mile when walking back to your hotel after a big meal or some nightlife if you don't have a car.

wug

Hi Nodak, I also recommend Oia. We always stay there when visiting Santorini. We will usually rent a car for at least part of our stay so that we can visit the rest of the island on our time. The bus service will work for you as well, you are just on the bus schedule's time. I just returned last night from Greece, with another trip to Santorini as part of the mix. Enjoy your time in Greece. Every time I go back I'm reminded of why I continue to visit this wonderful country.

gogogreece

Over the years we have visited Santorini many times when taking newcomers to Greece. Most everyone has Santorini on their list of places to see. This was the case last summer when we were lucky enough to take our children and 2 grandchildren. Our teen granddaughters insisted on the destination. We have stayed 3 times in Imerovigli, at Ilioperato. www.gr-santorini.com/hotels/ilioperato. It is truly extremely quiet, and the views are to die for. We do walk into Fira and back at times, but I found it too hot last year to do the return from Fira. The bus is handy to the lodging.. perhaps a taxi is called for if you have a late night in Fira. There are apartments that will sleep 5, basic, charming, comfortable for less than your budget. You could even rent 2 studios. Pool is an extra bonus, for the hot summer afternoons.

Bettina222

My husband and I have stayed at Delfini villas in Oia twice and loved it both times.
I think the web site is
www.delfinivillas.com

Nadia

Fira is nice because you can stroll the shops, visit the museum and take the buses around to other areas. I find the shops in Fira also stay open longer than in Oia. Oia is definetly nicer for the sunsets and dining but Fira is convenient for the bus.