Can anyone offer any advise/suggestions on where to stay in SANTORINI? Would you recomment staying in town in Fira, or do you recomend the Northern part of the island, Oia? My wife and I were thinking of a place near the beach. Any feedback, suggestions will be greatly appreciated. Feel free to email me directly @ [email protected] . Thanks, Michael.

I don't know how to post links to previous threats -- sorry -- but you don't go to Santorini for the beach. If this is your first time, you want a spot on the caldera. In a nutshell, here are a few options.

Oia -- beautiful, traditional town at the end of the island. Excellent caldera views.

Imerovigli -- Highest point on the rim. A quieter village not far from Fira. Excellent caldera views.

Fira -- Bustling tourist town. Lively shops and nightlife. Many places have great views, but confirm the quality of the view with the hosts or on this board.

While the beaches are OK, it's not what most folks come to Santorini for.

We stayed in Perissa, one of the beach resorts in the south of the island. The sand is black, which I know is not to everyones taste, but it was clean. The resort was fine but just a normal package holiday place, nothing special. If I was to visit again I'd definately stay in Oia, a fantastic place to watch the sunset. Fira is also very scenic but much busier and more touristy.

As the previous posters mentioned, you don't go to Santorini for the beaches because due to the volcano they have black sand. Santorini is for the caldera, so Oia, Imerovigli, Firostefani or Fira are the places to stay. Oia is more romantic and Fira more touristic.

you will love santorini
my opinion is oia is the best.
like no place you'll ever see.. and when everyone crowds down for the great sunset then leave you can linger and get dinner..
amazing

fira I think had too many tours crowded and commercial..
we rented a car and drove around to get a taste.

perviolas is nice boutique hotel also another hotel at very tip of oia.. less expensive but with that sunset view from the pool.. cant think of the name.. sorry

I always recommend Oia as the most beautiful and traditional village. If you're physically fit the swimming there is the best in my opinion, but you must be able to walk down many steps to the sea from the village above then return the same way. It's a struggle for many people. Perissa and Kamari Beaches are the most popular and offer the most choices for rooms of any of the beach areas.

Thank you all for the replies and the advice. You've been very helpful. Michael

Your question seems to have been pretty well covered here, but I thought I might provide my two cents worth.
We stayed at a hotel in Perissa which was nice but the heat from the black beach is a little intense and we had to find somewhere else to spend time. We ended up in a backstreet at a tiny local taverna that was frequented primarily by Brit and other foreign hotel workers on their time off. It was fun but we realized that the action is on the caldera so we bailed out after two nights and headed into town and booked a hotel ovelooking the caldera. We spent hours just sitting on the balcony reading and watching the ferrys and cruise ships bustling about.

We actually stayed at Imerovigli which is about a kilometer walk to Fira. It's close enough to get there easily if you want the activity of the town but far enough away that it is very quiet at night.
If you do want beaches the bus system is excellent and you can get to the main beaches on an hourly basis and can get back to town for the sunset.

Oia is a beautiful choice, although Fira isn't as busy as say, Mykonos town.
You don't go to Santorini for the beaches, but if you do, ask your hotel desk clerk about the red and white beaches near Akrotiri--at the south end of the island. The drive isn't bad, you get a stunning view of fira and Oia. it is a bit of a hike once you park, but what a great spot. clear calm water (the water is a little rough at perissa). Eat at koukoumavlos in fira--located below the Atlantis hotel. Selene is good, as is 1800 restaurant, but koukoumavlos is fantastic. dont forget to walk the 580 or so steps to the little fishing port at the bottom of fira. but take the tram back up. forget the donkeys. one last thing...when you watch the sunset in Oia, get to the windmill early for an up front seat.