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Santorini is one of the most popular destinations in Greece and this guide helps you plan a fantastic Santorini road trip to get to know this beyond-words beautiful island, especially if you’re visiting for the first time.
Instead of staying for just a couple of nights there, though, we’d recommend spending at least four days in Santorini, preferably during the low season, to appreciate the uniqueness of this Greek Island.
This way, not only will you be able to experience the real island of Santorini, beyond the Instagrammable spots that you’ll inevitably see anyway, but you’ll also support the local community in a meaningful way.
To make the most of the island and everything it has to offer, we’d advise you to explore it by car. This guide has everything you need to plan the perfect Santorini road trip.
So, here’s what to do in Santorini in four days by car.
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Where Is Santorini?
Santorini is a compact island in the southern part of the Cyclades Islands in the Aegean Sea. The island is located between Ios and Anafi. South of Santorini is the island of Crete.
Best Time For a Santorini Road Trip
Santorini gets unbearably crowded in the summer months, as well as in May and September.
Avoid visiting Santorini during the peak season, when available parking spaces are limited and the traffic is heavy. Instead, plan your trip for April or October.
How To Get To Santorini
By Plane
Santorini has a small airport with frequent direct flights, both domestic and international, especially from April to October. Pick up your rental car at Santorini Airport, a 10-minute drive from Fira.
By Ferry
If you plan a trip to Greece that combines a few days in Athens with a couple of Greek Islands, a great way to get to Santorini is by ferry. Ferries to Santorini operate throughout the year.
The ferry ride from Piraeus Port to Santorini takes eight hours, while high-speed ferries reach Santorini in around five hours. However, we’d advise against the latter in case of bad weather.
We recommend checking ferry routes and timetables in the Ferryhopper app, as they can vary by season.
Once you arrive, pick up your rental car at Athinios, Santorini’s port, a short drive from Fira.
Is It Worth Renting a Car in Santorini?
Public transport is a good way to get around the island, but it’ll only take you as far as the main villages and some of the top sights.
Although public buses are pretty frequent, they can be very crowded in the high season.
The best way to explore Santorini is by car. Santorini is a small island with short distances, making driving easy without spending hours behind the wheel.
So, yes, it’s worth renting a car in Santorini, as this is the most hassle-free way to experience the island.
How Long Does It Take To Drive Around Santorini?
Santorini is a small island, and distances between locations are short.
Driving from Oia, the island’s northernmost town, to Akrotiri, in the southern part of the island, takes 40 minutes to one hour, depending on traffic.
Any driving distance in this Santorini 4-day itinerary is around a ten-minute drive.
Driving in Santorini
Road Network
Santorini doesn’t have highways but a wide network of provincial roads. The road along the caldera runs over the cliffs, with protective barriers.
The main roads are generally in good condition. There are just a few parts of dirt roads, but nothing too difficult. The narrow streets of the traditional villages make driving hectic during the peak season.
Some roads are steep, like the route from Kamari to Ancient Thera or the road to Profitis Ilias.
Greek Drivers
While driving in Santorini, always follow the rules and speed limits, as Greek drivers tend to drive fast and overtake.
Gas Stations
There are several gas stations across the island, mainly in the area between Fira and the airport. You should know that fuel in Santorini and all the Greek Islands is always more expensive than in Athens.
Gas stations are almost always serviced and it’s likely to find at least one open late at night.
Parking
Parking spaces are limited in crowded places like Fira and Oia. In Fira, the capital of the island, the best place to park your car is this large free parking lot near the Ktel Bus Station.
In the hilltop village of Oia, there are several small free parking lots at the edge of the town. We usually have no trouble finding a spot in this parking area.
Similarly, in the smaller villages of Santorini, always look for a free parking area outside the village. Avoid driving in the villages as the streets are narrow.
What Type of Car Should I Rent in Santorini?
As roads in Santorini are narrow and public parking is limited in crowded areas, we recommend choosing a small car that suits your needs.
Keep in mind that most rental cars have a manual transmission.
Where To Stay in Santorini
Hands down, a unique stay at one of Santorini’s cave hotels is one of the most memorable experiences you could ever have.
Oia and Fira are two of the best places to stay in Santorini if you want to stay in a traditional cave hotel with spectacular caldera views.
However, having a car in Santorini means that a hotel near a parking space would be the perfect fit for your needs.
If Fira and Oia stress you out with parking and driving, consider staying in other smaller villages, such as Pyrgos or Emporio. This will make your Santorini road trip easier as parking is easier and traffic is less.
4 Days in Santorini: The Video Version
Travel Resources To Help You Plan The Best Santorini Road Trip
Santorini in 4 Days: The Ultimate Itinerary By Car
Day 1
Full-Day Boat Tour
Start your first day in Santorini with a full-day boat tour that takes you to the island’s indisputable highlight: the Santorini Volcano.
The tour starts at Athinios port, where there is ample parking for your car.
Besides the volcano, the tour visits the hot springs for a healing bath and Thirassia Island, the hidden gem of your Santorini itinerary.
Santorini Volcano
Your first stop is one of the most beautiful places to visit in Santorini, or Greece for that matter. The volcano is what forged Santorini, as its eruptions defined the island’s fate throughout the centuries.
Although dormant, Santorini’s volcano is active. It’s situated on the almost round uninhabited Nea Kameni Island, where you can see several craters.
Once there, there’s an uphill path that leads to Crater Georgios at the top. Make sure you enjoy the scenery at every step because it’s one-of-a-kind.
Located at the top of the island, Georgios is utterly impressive, a steaming crater that smells of sulphur and feels hot like lava.
It’s next to impossible to find the right words to describe the raw beauty of the scenery on Nea Kameni Island. Walking around this lunar landscape made entirely of volcanic ash is a surreal experience to remember.
Hot Springs
Nea Kameni and Palea (or Palia) Kameni, Santorini’s two volcanic islets, are surrounded by hot springs with warm, sulphur-rich waters, your next stop on the tour.
The boat stops a little bit farther from the hot springs of Palea Kameni Island.
You must jump into the crystal clear waters of the Aegean Sea and swim towards the hot springs with their, admittedly uninviting, brown waters.
The closer you get to the shore, the warmer the water becomes, until you’re suddenly in the warm embrace of a surreally brown sea.
The whitewashed, tiny church of Agios Nikolaos, which sits above the brown waters, only adds to this overall otherworldly experience.
Keep in mind that the closer you get to the hot springs, the less transparent the water gets, to the point that you’re not able to see the seabed or the submerged part of your body, for that matter.
If you find this disturbing, please don’t let it keep you from enjoying this great experience, which tops the list of the best excursions in Santorini.
If you tend to freak out when the water isn’t transparent enough to see what’s on the seabed, it might help to wear water shoes.
This way, you won’t get startled when you inevitably step on the rocky seabed without being able to see what you’re stepping on.
Thirassia Island
Most boat trips return to Santorini right after the hot springs. However, the boat tour we recommend includes Thirassia or Therasia, another magical island that forms part of the volcanic island group of Santorini.
Unlike Nea Kameni and Palea Kameni, Thirassia is an inhabited small island.
With fewer than 1,000 residents, Thirassia feels like the shy younger sister of Santorini, a charming yet low-profile damsel growing up in the shadow of her ravishing elder sibling.
There, you will have plenty of time to explore the island’s main settlement. Manolas is a village engulfed in a bittersweet atmosphere of semi-abandonment.
Wander around Manolas, relishing the stunning views of Santorini’s caldera in the distance.
However, keep in mind that the only way to get to Manolas is by climbing a little less than 300 steep steps. There are also donkeys available, but please don’t ride them.
To avoid contributing to the abuse of the poor Santorini donkeys in the Old Port of Santorini, please make sure you book a boat tour to the volcano, hot springs, and Thirassia that starts from the New Ferry Port of Santorini (Athinios). We’ve handpicked this one for you.
Fira
In the evening, it’s time to explore Fira, the vibrant capital of Santorini and the best place to experience the island’s nightlife.
Fira is home to two of the island’s best museums, the Archaeological Museum of Thera and the Museum of Prehistoric Thera.
Other things to see in Fira include the beautiful Roman Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, the Gyzi Megaron in the Catholic district of Fira and the quintessentially Greek churches of Agios Minas and Agios Stylianos.
Start from Fira’s main square and wander around the quaint backstreets to appreciate the charms of one of the best towns to visit in Santorini. Once you’re done walking, it’s time to enjoy the famous Santorini sunset.
Although the most popular place to enjoy the sunset in Santorini is Oia, Fira isn’t bad either. If you ask us, we enjoy the sunset in Fira a lot more than in Oia.
That’s because the sun in Fira looks as though it drops into the crater of the volcano rather than into the sea as it does in Oia. Moreover, Fira attracts fewer crowds than Oia during the golden hour.
A great place to enjoy a bottle of local wine and take in the best sunset views over the blue-domed churches of Fira is the quaint PK Cocktail Bar.
Day 2
Emporio
Start your second day in Santorini at the medieval Emporio, one of the most beautiful traditional villages on the island.
If you’re into castles as much as we are, you should know that the best-preserved and most enchanting castle in Santorini is located in Emporio.
However, don’t expect to see a fortress. The Castle of Emporio is, in essence, the village’s old fortified town. True magic awaits once you step inside its century-old walls.
Emporio is characterised by its exceptional architecture. The old medieval settlement consists of several tiny houses, one next to the other.
The buildings are connected by equally tiny staircases, bridges, and super-narrow maze-like alleys.
Emporio is a fine example of medieval defensive architecture, although you could easily mistake it for the setting of a fairy tale or fantasy film.
Perissa Beach
A few minutes’ drive from Emporio, Perissa Beach is one of Santorini’s three black sand beaches, alongside Kamari and Perivolos.
With its century-old black volcanic ash mixed with sand and pebbles, Perissa is one of the most beautiful beaches in Santorini to go for a swim.
Akrotiri
After a quick swim in Perissa, drive to Akrotiri, the so-called Pompeii of the Aegean Sea and one of the most impressive archaeological sites in Greece.
With evidence of an early settlement dating back to the fifth millennium BC, the prehistoric city of Akrotiri was a prosperous trading centre until the 17th century BC.
The 17th-century BC eruption of the Santorini Volcano buried the once-thriving city under tons of volcanic ash.
However, this devastating event is also why we have so much information about life in prehistoric Akrotiri today.
The volcanic ash that covered the entire city helped preserve streets, multi-storey buildings, furniture, pottery and beautiful frescoes almost intact.
Wandering around the archaeological site of Akrotiri feels like you’re suddenly teleported to the past. Sure, this is true for many archaeological sites in Greece and elsewhere.
Yet, some findings in Akrotiri are incredibly well-preserved, forcing you to pinch yourself to believe that you haven’t found the secret to time travel.
Red Beach
After you visit the Akrotiri Archaeological Site, head to the most impressive of all Santorini beaches, the famous Red Beach.
It’s a short walk to the Red Beach via a dirt path that starts from the nearby parking lot.
You’ll see signs warning you of falling rocks and other risks. If you decide to go for a walk on the beach, tread carefully, as landslides can occur during an earthquake.
The beach is not ideal for swimming, but its sand and rocks, combined with the emerald waters, are out of this world.
Akrotiri Lighthouse Sunset
Built by a French company in 1892, the Lighthouse in Akrotiri is one of the oldest in Greece and it provides the perfect backdrop for a sunset to remember.
After sunset, head to the underrated, charming village of Akrotiri. There, you can find lovely cafés, bars, and local tavernas for a perfect ending to your second day in Santorini.
Day 3
Ancient Thera
Start your third day on this 4-day Santorini road trip itinerary by exploring yet another fascinating archaeological site and one of the best places to visit in Santorini.
After the 17th-century volcanic eruption that destroyed Akrotiri, the island was abandoned for centuries.
However, around the 8th century BC, colonists from Ancient Sparta founded a new city at the top of Mesa Vouno Mountain, the glorious Ancient Thera.
This windswept archaeological site is home to the remains of large squares, porticos, temples and a theatre, among other buildings. However, the panoramic views from up there probably steal the show.
It’s no overstatement to say that walking around Ancient Thera feels like flying sometimes. You can get to Ancient Thera via a ridiculously scenic winding road or by hiking.
Kamari Beach
Before you continue your Santorini sightseeing, make a quick stop at Kamari Beach for a refreshing swim.
This black sand beach is fully organised with sunbeds and umbrellas. There are all kinds of restaurants to enjoy a light lunch after enjoying some beach time.
Profitis Ilias Mountain
After your refreshing break, drive to Profitis Ilias Mountain for a quick stop to check out the beautiful view from Santorini’s highest point.
At 567 metres above sea level, Profitis Ilias Mountain is not only the highest point in Santorini, but also one of the island’s oldest parts. It existed before the catastrophic eruption of Santorini’s volcano.
Pyrgos
A few minutes’ drive from Profitis Ilias, Pyrgos is one of the places not to miss during your Santorini road trip.
Built on a hill under the shadow of a Venetian Castle, Pyrgos is a gorgeous whitewashed village that boasts spectacular views.
Still relatively untouched by mass tourism, Pyrgos is regarded by many as the prettiest village in Santorini.
Wander around the small village and its castle and enjoy a cup of Greek coffee at one of its traditional cafés before you jump back in the car.
Santo Wines
Near the picturesque village of Pyrgos, one of the best places to learn about Santorini’s wine culture awaits.
Among many wineries on the island, Santo Wines stands out. It’s the perfect place for a superb wine tasting or dinner as you enjoy a fantastic sunset with breathtaking caldera views.
Founded in 1947, the Union of Santorini Cooperatives offers wine tours led by knowledgeable guides, followed by tastings of the most exquisite local wines.
Wine-making is intertwined with Santorini’s history and local culture. Santorini has been producing wine since ancient times. But it was during the Middle Ages that the island thrived as a wine-making region.
Santorini has three white grape varieties indigenous to the island: Assyrtiko, Aidani, and Athiri.
The most famous wine produced in Santorini is Vinsanto, an aged dessert wine and the perfect Greek souvenir to take back home.
Open Air Cinema Kamari
End your third day in Santorini with a unique experience under the stars. Santorini is home to one of the quaintest open-air cinemas in Greece.
Situated in the village of Kamari and open since 1987, Open Air Cinema Kamari offers you the unparalleled opportunity to watch a film in the heart of a garden-like setting, with some of the island’s best cocktails in hand.
For an even more memorable experience, get there early to catch one of the sun loungers in the front row.
Day 4
Hike From Fira To Oia
We’ve saved the best for last so that you end your Santorini road trip on the perfect note. On your last day, start early and leave your car in Fira to hike the path from Fira to Oia, one of our highlights in Santorini.
This 10-kilometre trail is one of the most scenic hiking routes in Greece.
The trail is a combination of paved roads lined with whitewashed houses, pedestrianised streets, and dirt paths. This route may be long, but it isn’t too strenuous as it’s mostly downhill if you start from Fira.
Walking along the rim of the magnificent caldera is a once-in-a-lifetime experience and this is not just another cliché. It’s true. As for the views, neither words nor photos can do them justice.
Hiking from Fira to Oia allows you to explore almost half of the island on foot. The hike takes around two and a half hours without stops or detours.
The trail is marked and passes through some of the island’s most picturesque towns, such as Fira, Firostefani, Imerovigli, and Oia, as well as lunar landscapes of red or black volcanic rocks.
If you’re hiking from Fira to Oia (rather than the opposite direction), once you’re past the various towns and out in Santorini’s bare landscape, there are a couple of points along the route where there are seemingly two directions to follow.
If you find yourselves unable to decide which path to follow, remember to always keep the sea and the caldera to your left. It’s impossible to get lost this way.
Wear sunscreen, sunglasses, good hiking shoes or trainers and always carry water with you.
Once you’re past Imerovigli, the next place to buy water is a food truck on the road, about an hour from Oia.
There’s literally zero shade along the path. Therefore, try to choose a cloudy day for your hike or start early in the morning. Under no circumstances should you walk this trail at noon in the summer.
Skaros Rock
Along the way from Fira to Oia, we recommend making a detour to Skaros Rock.
If you feel that you don’t have enough time or energy to do both hikes on the same day, you can enjoy the amazing views of the imposing volcanic rock from the main trail instead.
Skaros Rock is an impressive promontory that defines Santorini’s iconic landscape. In the Middle Ages, when Santorini was under Venetian rule, Skaros was a thriving fortified town with more than 200 residences.
However, due to numerous volcanic eruptions and earthquakes between the 17th and 19th centuries, parts of the small town collapsed into the sea and whatever remained fell into disuse and abandonment.
Nowadays, there’s not much to evoke the medieval town’s former glory, apart from the remains of the old fortifications at the top of the rock.
However, Skaros Rock is worth a visit for the best views of Santorini and the Aegean Sea beyond.
It takes about 45 minutes each way to walk from Imerovigli to Skaros Rock. Once at the foot of Skaros Rock, there are two paths to follow.
The one on the left will take you to the side of the rock and the Chapel of Panagia Theoskepasti.
The one straight ahead leads to the top of the rock. Sometimes, it isn’t easy to reach the very top of Skaros Rock because of rockfalls.
The hardest part of the Imerovigli – Skaros hike is the way back to Imerovigli, which involves many steep steps.
Before or after your hike to Skaros Rock, take some time to wander around Imerovigli.
Often called the Balcony of Santorini, Imerovigli is the highest point of the caldera. This is why it offers the most breathtaking views.
Oia
The hiking trail ends at the postcard-perfect village of Oia. Walk around the narrow streets and admire Santorini’s remarkable architecture and iconic blue domes.
A beyond-words enchanting town, Oia flourished during the 19th and 20th centuries. The neoclassical captains’ mansions that line the upper part of the town are a testament to that glorious past.
Other elements of Oia’s distinctive architecture include the traditional cave dwellings, now converted into luxury hotels.
One of the best things to do in Oia is to visit Atlantis Books. Housed in a traditional cave building, Atlantis Books is one of the prettiest and quirkiest bookshops you could ever dream of.
Apart from doing the obvious – buying some of the best books set in Greece, that is – it’s worth stepping inside Atlantis Books.
Even if it’s just to read the funny post-its on the walls or enjoy the mesmerising scent that only books have.
While in Oia, don’t forget to savour the best ice cream in Santorini at Lolita’s Gelato and drink a glass of wine at any bar overlooking the caldera.
Unless you plan to visit Santorini in the off-season, sunset from Oia’s popular Venetian Castle might be one of the worst experiences.
Oia Castle and the surrounding streets get so crowded just before and during sunset that the magic is spoiled. Therefore, you’ll be better off watching the sunset from a terrace or a café in Oia.
Take the Ktel Bus back to Fira to pick up your car. Check bus routes and timetables here.
With its unique caldera, iconic architecture and spectacular scenery, Santorini is one of the prettiest Greek Islands.
Although suffering from overtourism, Santorini is still a place you should see at least once in your life.
We hope this article on how to plan a Santorini road trip convinced you not to just hop to Santorini for one or two days, but to stick around a bit longer instead.
Spending at least four full days in Santorini and timing your trip outside the peak season, you have better chances to truly enjoy one of the busiest yet most beautiful islands in Greece, while contributing to sustainable travel in Greece.
If you can spend more days in Santorini, that’s even better.
Book a 60-minute video call with us or order your personalised Santorini itinerary and we’ll be more than happy to recommend lots of other fantastic places to visit and things to do in Santorini.
Oh, and don’t forget. If you’re planning a Santorini road trip soon, read our article about the top reasons to visit Santorini and our guide with sustainable tips for Santorini for even more inspiration.
WORDS: Maria & Katerina
IMAGES: Katerina
EDITING: Maria