Heimdall

Normally you buy tickets in advance to use on the KTEL buses, but not sure about Santorini. You can buy them at the bus stations and some designated shops, and buy several at a time to use as needed, insuring you have a ticket for the amount required for each destination. The KTEL bus stations on Paros and Naxos are near the ferry ports. Here is the ticket page for KTEL Parou:
https://ktelparou.gr/en/tickets.html

MFNYC

Thanks. That's good to know!

Debbielynn

Cvilletravel, my husband and I did a similar trip in the late summer 2016. We went to Naxos first, then Santorini but when we got back to the mainland, we went to Nafplion and on to Trikala to visit family.

Debbielynn

MFNYC, I will post a trip report from our trip to Greece 2016. I have been a member of the forum since 2010 but have not really been on the last 2 yrs. I received much help from everyone here. I usually keep a little journal of our trips abroad but apparently did not this time so I am telling the story from photos, memories and receipts. Stay tuned!!

MFNYC

Thanks Debbie Lynn. Look forward to read your trip report. I also keep a travel journal and receipts, and take tons of photos when vacationing (been doing at least a photo a day on my instagram for 9 years and still at it).

cvilletravel

Hi MFNYC, if you haven't booked your hotel yet for Santorini, I highly recommend a look at Kapari Natural Resort. Right on the caldera across from Skaros Rock. Breathtaking views, pool, and short walk to cute boutique shops (not designer stores like Oia) and good restaurants in Imerovigli. The sunset from our room and also atop Skaros Rock were so enjoyable - no throngs of people. Again, we went during peak July season, and it was so quiet in comparison to Oia and Fira. We did explore those two towns and around the island, but found ourselves wanting to get back to Imerovigli due to the crowds. Your recent itinerary sounds lovely. We strongly considered Paros or Mykonos as a day trip, but we decided to embrace going a slower pace on Naxos.

Food for thought for others who are considering a single day trip from Naxos to a nearby island - fellow hotel guests who did go to Mykonos for a single day trip regretted spending so much time on the boat. The seas were very rough, and while they enjoyed their ultimately short time on Mykonos, they wished they spent the time relaxing or exploring Naxos instead.

MFNYC

That resort looks lovely, but way above my budget (~ $300/nt for Santorini, and usually < $200 but Santorini is pricey, so I upped it there).. It's around $700/night for my September dates!

Debbielynn

We stayed at Smaro Studios in Firostephani on Santorini in 2016. Clean, nice breakfast and we looked over the caldera. My report and pictures are coming. Might not be under the Greece sub file. Look for trip reports.

MFNYC

Just looked up Smaro. It's booked for 2 of the 3 nights I'd need it!

travelerjan

DId you ever check any of the FIrostephani hotels i recommended way back on Feb 8?? At that time, all those listed were available for roughly your time-frame. They wre all within your (recently-stated) budget but apparently not of interest at that time, because you did not mention considering any of them. ALl probably now booked as good values are snapped up.

MFNYC

I did book 1 of the firostestephani hotels but found a Oia place. being 1st timer and probably only timer there I decided I want to be in that location.

I just like the idea of easily strolling around Oia in evenings.

travelerjan

OK, I understand your choice, but do be sure that you have somewhere to go,some things to do between 10 or 10:30am - 4 pm, and then a serene place between 5:30 - 7:30 pm, or you'll find yourself becoming very irritated at All Those People.

MFNYC

We will most likely be exploring outside of Oia during the day. One full day I'd like to do the walk to Fira, and the other full day we'll rent a car, or go on a small group tour of the island (that is TBD). As far as sunset times, we do have a sunset view (not Caldera) from our room, and I believe also from the pool area of the hotel. We are also steps away from 1 of the (probably over crowded) viewing spots which I will probably brave, just for the photo op. Living in NYC, I may not love crowds, but I'm used to them (much more careful during Covid).

Heimdall

MFNYC, you plan to do pretty much what I have done when staying in Oia. Get up early and have a stroll around the village, maybe stopping at a bakery to pick up some pastries or rolls to bring back to your room for breakfast. Oia is bliss first thing in the morning before bus loads of tourists begin to arrive.

During the day you can get away from the caldera rim and its hordes of tourists. After the cruisers return to their ships, and the sunset crowd gets on the buses back to Fira, Oia is tolerable again.