When you think of Santorini the first thing you imagine is probably its beautiful sunset caldera views, posh hotels, and romantic evenings in your personal hot tub! All of that though, comes at quite the cost, so after a bit of initial research you may then have given up, assuming that Santorini was way out of your budget.
But I’ve just returned from there and I didn’t have to break the bank to enjoy my time on the island. I made the most of Santorini, taking on one of the best hikes I’ve ever done, some great food, and a beachside family-run hotel which offered a really unique experience. So, look again, and keep in mind a few important things which, taken together, will help you to enjoy this popular Greek island just as the 1% does!
Be smart and a little flexible in terms of when to travel, where to stay, what to do, and how to get around. I’m covering all of that here in this guide, so that you too can enjoy Santorini sustainably and on a budget.
THE PROBLEM WITH TOURISM ON SANTORINI
Usually I would eschew visiting places like Santorini, which suffer dreadfully from over-tourism already, but as tourist numbers continue to increase across the world, I no longer think this is the correct approach.
Santorini suffers predominantly due to the thousands of cruise ship passengers who disembark for a few short hours, spending very little money on hotels, restaurants and activities, in favour of clogging up the streets and getting their all-important sunset photo for Instagram. But that certainly shouldn’t ruin it for those of us that support the local economy for the duration of our time on the island by staying overnight (at least), eating in its restaurants, and engaging meaningfully with local people.
I knew it was coming, but I was still surprised at the huge cruise ships docked in the caldera, as well as the tenders and cable cars that were relentlessly ferrying their passengers up to Fira (and down again just a few hours later). Likewise, the other of Santorini’s most sough-after towns, Oia, was difficult to walk through as its narrow streets struggled to cope with the throbbing mass of temporary visitors arriving for their early evening sunset photos.
I felt the island was being exploited rather than appreciated, and I found it rather depressing. I therefore fully support this petition to ban cruise ships from Santorini, not just for the benefit of other tourists and the local people who have to endure this on a daily basis, but also for the local environment, which visibly suffers due to reduced air quality and sea pollution.
The powers that be at the Greek tourist board still have work to do, but I believe there is great potential to transform the status quo into a far more sustainable model. Anyway, back to visiting Santorini the right way…
HOW TO VISIT SANTORINI SUSTAINABLY AND AFFORDABLY!
WHEN TO VISIT?
This may very well be the most important factor in terms of making Santorini affordable on a lower budget. Much like any of the Greek islands, and most of Europe’s most visited places for that matter, Santorini is Sergio Ramos (rammed) throughout the peak summer months between May – September. This is when even more cruise ships tend to arrive. It’s also bloody hot then too, so if you’re anything like me, for your own personal comfort it makes more sense to visit Santorini between October – April.
Granted, temperatures in January and February do get a little cooler, with averages of around 12°C. So while your chances of actually meeting someone who was born and raised on the island increase massively, these temperatures may defeat the point of visiting the Greek islands for many. So I reckon the best times to visit Santorini are Autumn (Oct & Nov), and Spring (March – May). Forget visiting in June through August, unless of course you enjoy queueing, sweating and other people in very large quantities.
WHERE ARE THE CHEAPER AREAS TO STAY ON SANTORINI?
The second most important decision you’ll make in terms of making Santorini more affordable, is where to stay. I chose Perissa on the island’s southeast coast, but I was also considering the towns of Kamari and Perivolos. This decision was made after an initial look at hotel prices along the west facing caldera hotspots of Fira, Imerovigli and Oia, which were simply too expensive for me.
Besides, I also wanted to be by the beach to go for a swim if I wanted. With just a few exceptions, most of the aforementioned west-side villages are located several hundred meters above sea level, perched atop the volcano rim. This naturally affords wonderfully long sunset views but doesn’t allow the chance for beach time.
Anyway, I stayed in Perissa Bay Hotel, which was great value, especially considering the size of the rooms as well as the proximity of the beach – just 20 meters from it. There was a good-sized pool, plenty of local cats to befriend and it was only a short walk to the center of the village for a selection of good restaurants.
A Note on Santorini’s Beaches
The interesting thing about staying in Perissa, as well as its neighbours to the north and south, Kamari and Perivolos respectively, is that the sand on this side of the island is volcanically black. And, if you stay on the southwest corner of the island around Akrotiri, you’ll even experience red sand (again due to the island’s past volcanic activity).
Pretty much all of the beaches in Santorini tend to be darker and a little rockier than what is typical on some other Greek islands, so if you’re expecting golden sands and picture postcard beach vibes therefore, you may need to adjust your expectations before arriving.
THINGS TO DO IN SANTORINI THAT DON’T BREAK THE BANK!
Regular readers of The Travel Tortoise will know that I have my own outdoor activities and tour company in Vienna, and that when I travel, I always like to do something active, not least to burn off some of the calories I consume whenever I’m on holiday! So, when I heard that it’s possible to hike a large section of the caldera, while taking in some of those much sought after views, I was all over it.
Hiking the Caldera From Fira to Oia
After some initial research into how long it would likely take, and broadly what route to follow, I rented a car for the day and drove from Perissa to Fira to begin. At hike’s end I would then return to Fira via local bus, before then driving back to Perissa later on that day. I could easily have taken a bus from Perissa to Fira to start the hike, and I would recommend this if money is really tight, but for just 25 EUR a day, I thought it would be nice to drive through the interior of Santorini in a tiny little Fiat 500 with the roof down!
Anyway, once I got to Fira, I parked in a large (and free) public car park and then found my way to the Atlantis Hotel – the official start point for the hike. I’ve gotta say that this caldera hike was by far the coolest thing I did on Santorini, and apart from the travel costs of getting there and back from Perissa, it was completely free too!
In total, walking from Fira to Oia was just over 10km in length. In this direction, the hike is mostly downhill although there are some short uphill sections to navigate. If you decide to do it in reverse i.e. from Oia to Fira, then be prepared for more of an uphill (albeit still manageable) slog.
I passed several hikers going in the opposite direction, and after chatting to a few of them, I discovered that many were also doing the return journey’s back to Fira or Imerovegli, having spent a few hours in Oia. One of them was Irish, with his top off, and with very bad sunburn in late October. Legend.
Following the Correct Route on the Hike
Following the right route during the hike was pretty easy. The hardest part was actually the beginning, as you walk through Fira and Firostefani. Here you need to generally stay left, but when you are presented with options between staying strictly left (and going down lots of stairs to some of the hotels) or continuing to climb higher, then choose the high road, and keep heading up towards nearby Imerovigli – the highest section of the entire walk.
When you reach Imerovigli, you have the option to take a detour to Skaros rock if you wish, but this will add another hour onto the hike, and I reckon 3-4 hours is enough for anyone for one day – I am supposed to be a Tortoise after all!
Is the Caldera Hike Suitable for Kids?
I did the hike with my 9-year-old, and we took three decent breaks of about 15 minutes each. I’d previously read that doing it with kids under 10 wasn’t recommended, but with much less heat in October, and a consistent cooling breeze atop the caldera it was as fun and memorable for him as it was for me. In total, it took us about 4 hours, with a few mini breaks, and loads of photo and ‘trying-to-throw-stones-in-the-ocean-from-the-top-of-the-caldera’ stops along the way 🙂
You may feel that you should avoid doing the hike in the middle of the day, but so long as you’re not attempting this between May – September, I think it’s totally feasible at any time of day really, so long as you wear a hat, have plenty of water, some sunscreen and take a rest whenever you feel like it.
Final Impressions
Seeing both Fira and Oia during the hike, I was more drawn to the narrow, higgledy-piggledy streets of Fira compared with the more manicured Oia. It probably didn’t help that as we arrived into Oia it was close to sunset, so the streets were already filling fast with cruise ship passengers. Rather than deal with them, and getting stuck in a bus queue for hours, I wanted to be out of Oia by around 4pm, which is perfectly manageable with a hike start time of around midday.
If you’re fit and alone, and you could do it just over two hours I reckon. But rushing a hike like this with such wonderful views would be a massive shame, so take your time and enjoy what is a truly unique way to experience the natural beauty of Santorini.
OTHER THINGS TO DO IN SANTORINI ON A BUDGET
If you are hiring a car, you could do a little tour of Santorini’s different coloured beaches, with visits to Perivolos/Perissa (black), Akrotiri (red), and Aspri beach (white) just on the other side of the headland close to red beach. Add in a visit to a traditional inland village i.e. Pygros for way less tourists, cobble-stoned streets, historic Greek architecture, and very authentic local food and wine.
The Best Value Guided Tours In Santorini
If you prefer not self-guide, and don’t mind splashing a bit of cash, then you could visit both white and red beaches as part of this guided kayaking tour. As someone who offers kayaking tours myself, I can thoroughly recommend them as being a wonderful way to see somewhere new in a unique and fun way!
Of course, Santorini is dominated by the Aegean sea pretty much everywhere you look, so with the sea playing such an important role on the overall aesthetic on the island, you may want to get out there yourselves in style, by taking a Catamaran Cruise with snorkeling, BBQ, & an open bar. Had I had more time on the island I would have done this myself, as it sounds like great value and would be a cool way to meet other travelers.
Alternatively, if wine is your thing, then you could take a guided wine tour to three of the island’s best wineries. Santorini is known for its white wines, which tend to match well with its plentiful seafood and fish – so get involved, especially if you fancy a sunset wine tasting overlooking the caldera at day’s end.
GETTING AROUND CHEAPLY
Santorini is very mountainous, so it’s all about the buses if getting around cheaply is important to you. You can of course rent a car, which I did myself from a local place called Diamond Cars in Perissa, but I also took several buses during my time on the island and they all worked well.
There are bus ‘stations’ in each of the island’s main towns and villages, just don’t expect an actual station with buildings, counters etc., as these will most likely just be a square or a wider stretch of a road where a bus could just about turn around in! This is mostly because you pay for your bus tickets in Santorini on the bus itself, directly from the ticket conductor. Fares cost 2.50 EUR per person, per ride.
If you’re lucky you may see a little hut where you can ask somebody something, or another bus if you’re in Fira. In fact, if you’re taking a bus anywhere on Santorini, you will be passing through Fira multiple times, because all buses in Santorini pass through the island’s capital. As such, Fira’s bus station is actually quite recognisable due to the large number of buses which come and go to all other spots around the island.
WHAT AND WHERE TO EAT CHEAPLY IN SANTORINI?
I can only really talk about Perissa, as that’s where I mostly ate during my visit. However, broadly speaking, grills and Gyros places are your friend if you want cheap eats in Santorini.
In Perissa, check out the cheap and cheerful family run grill ‘Aris’. Service was a little slow but only because they’re so popular with locals, who were picking up orders as soon as they opened from 2pm onwards. Don’t forget that you’re on Santorini, and service should be slow! Solid and cheap Gyros sandwiches, and cold Mythos beers for 3.50EUR.
A few shops down from Aris you’ll find a wonderful local bakery, with a really crap name – ‘Bakery 24 Hours’. I used this place every day while we were staying in Perissa and its sweet and savoury goods fuelled our hike along the caldera. I can especially recommend the coffee and the baked cherry jam balls that sit on top of the counter – they were lush, and I miss them even now.
While not super cheap, Fratzeskos Fish Tavern on the beach in Perissa was so typically Greek that it demands a visit. The selection of freshly grilled fish was amazing, and its beachfront location with tables literally on the sand had me feeling all Shirley Valentine! Much like everywhere on Santorini and other parts of Greece, there are some very smart cats which prowl in and around the tables at Fratzeskos, so if you’re allergic or just don’t like cats then give it a miss.
Definitely avoid Loquita Snack Bar though. I had to eat here on the first night I arrived, as it was late, right next to my hotel and nowhere else was open. It wasn’t great quality and overall a bit of a rip off. The most expensive (and disappointing) club sandwich (19 EUR) and fruit salad (15 EUR) I’ve ever had. Friendly wait staff but they saw me coming.
VISITING SANTORINI SUSTAINABLY AND ON A BUDGET: OUTRO
So yeah, while Santorini continues to be the rich honeymooners Greek island of choice, there’s no reason why it can’t be for you too.
Choose to visit during the off-season, but while the sun is still shining and temperatures are gratefully lower, stay on the island’s east side where accommodation options are generally cheaper and beach swims are possible, and bring some good walking shoes in preparation for doing one of the world’s most beautiful hikes!
Together let’s reclaim Santorini for the sustainable traveler! So go forth and conquer, and don’t forget to take out as many cruise passengers as you can along the way 😉
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