Luxury holiday villas in Santorini offer a great base for enjoying all the island has to offer, from wine tasting in the unique vineyards with volcanic soil to soaking up the sun on its black sand beaches, to the fresh Mediterranean/Greek cuisine. With great views and fine food and wine on your doorstep, you could spend a week here without leaving your villa and not have wasted a second of your time. But if you’re venturing out there’s plenty to see.
The ruins of Akrotiri give a fascinating insight into what life was like here before the volcano and you can then take a boat trip out on the Caldera to cross some of the original landscape.
You can feel like you’re on the edge of the world by taking a walk out to Skaros Rock, which juts out from the iconic town of Imerovigli. With unbeatable, uninterrupted views of the Caldera, it’s worth the hike to get there.
Santorini’s northernmost town of Oia is also a must-see. Wander along the old cliff-side path dropping into the bars and cafes along the way to rest and enjoy the view. Every summer evening, people gather on the rim of the Caldera to watch the sunset over the water, the perfect end to a perfect day on a luxury villa holiday in Santorini.
When to Visit Santorini
The warmest and most popular time to visit Santorini is July and August and luxury villas in Santorini get booked up early. Early summer is a little cooler and the produce is at its best, so June is a great time to visit Santorini.
What We Love About Santorini
We love the unique wine tasting you can experience on Santorini. With volcanic soils, the wine produced is unlike anywhere else in Europe, and we particularly love Santorini’s famed Vinsanto desert wine.
Getting to Santorini
Santorini International Airport (JTR) is accessible from many international airports and is a 15-minute drive from Imerovigli or a 25-minute drive from Oia. The island is also accessible from Athens or many of the surrounding islands.
The Best Places To Eat and Drink in Santorini
The local produce is excellent so if you’re self-catering at your luxury villa or even just fixing yourself the odd casual lunch, you’ll find a wealth of foodie treasure to be bought locally.
The volcanic ash that covered the island created porous soil, which, combined with the humidity and sea air, created perfect conditions for growing flavoursome fruit and veg. The island is famous for its tomatoes, but also capers, peanuts and white aubergines. Be sure to try out Santorini’s famous keftedes – delicious tomato fritters.
For the freshest seafood on the water’s edge, there’s nowhere quite like Ammoudi Bay. Ammoundi Fish Tavern is one of the most romantic spots and is perfect at sunset as you watch the old ships sail by and the fishing boats float nearby.
For an intimate affair, head to Kapari Wine Restaurant in Imerovigli. Without the crowds of Oia but still, with the same exceptional Caldera views, you can enjoy all of Santorini’s highlights during a sunset meal here: good wine, great food and greater vistas.