Choosing where to stay in Santorini can make a big difference in the type of vacation you have. Some areas are known for luxury cave hotels and caldera views, while others have beachfront resorts, traditional villages, or easy access to restaurants and transportation.
We spent five nights at Radisson Blu Zaffron Resort in Kamari, using it as our home base while exploring the island with a rental car. I loved that setup, but after visiting Oia, Fira, Imerovigli, and several smaller villages, I can definitely see why travelers choose different areas.
Here’s how I’d compare the best areas to stay in Santorini, including what makes each location different and what I’d consider before booking.
If you just want the quick answer, here’s where I’d recommend staying based on your travel style.
| What You’re Looking For | Best Area to Stay |
|---|---|
| Best for first-time visitors | Firostefani or Fira |
| Honeymoons and iconic views | Oia |
| Quiet luxury and caldera views | Imerovigli |
| Staying without a rental car | Fira |
| Beach resorts | Kamari |
| Budget-friendly beach stays | Perissa or Perivolos |
| Traditional Greek village | Pyrgos |
| Peaceful village atmosphere | Megalochori |
The biggest decision is whether you want to stay along the caldera or near the beach. Both have their advantages, and if you have several nights, you can even experience both.
Oia is probably what most people picture when they imagine Santorini. Whitewashed buildings, blue-domed churches, luxury cave hotels, private plunge pools, and those ridiculous caldera views.
It’s also home to some of the island’s most famous photography locations, including Oia Castle, the blue-domed churches, and the windmills.
If you’re planning a honeymoon, anniversary, or romantic getaway where the hotel itself is a major part of the vacation, Oia would absolutely be on my list.
WENDY’S TIP: Before booking a caldera-view hotel, check whether your room actually faces the sunset. A caldera view doesn’t automatically mean you’ll be able to watch the sun go down from your private terrace.
The biggest tradeoffs are the prices and crowds.
Oia is one of Santorini’s most expensive areas, particularly if you’re booking a luxury suite with a private pool or unobstructed caldera views. You’re paying for the location as much as the hotel itself.
We spent a good portion of a day exploring Oia, and the difference between the morning and later in the day was noticeable. As more visitors arrived, the narrow pedestrian streets became increasingly crowded, especially around the famous viewpoints.
Cruise passengers and organized tour groups contribute to that congestion, so staying in Oia doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll have a peaceful village outside your hotel throughout the day.
However, staying overnight gives you the opportunity to enjoy the village earlier in the morning before many day visitors arrive. You’ll also find romantic restaurants, boutique shops, art galleries, and plenty of places to explore on foot.
If I were planning a short romantic trip and wanted to spend a significant amount of time enjoying our hotel, I’d seriously consider splurging on Oia.
If you’re still deciding between the island’s two most famous towns, my Oia vs Fira: Which Santorini Town Is Better for Your Trip? guide compares everything from crowds and shopping to restaurants and transportation.
Imerovigli was one of my favorite areas in Santorini.
You still get the dramatic caldera cliffs, whitewashed buildings, blue-domed churches, and incredible sunset views, but the atmosphere felt noticeably calmer than Oia and Fira.
And THAT is what made me love it.
I especially enjoyed Imerovigli around sunset. You can find beautiful viewpoints without having to fight your way through the crowds around Oia Castle.
The village is also known for its boutique hotels, luxury suites, and cliffside accommodations. You can still have that romantic Santorini hotel experience without staying in the busiest part of the island.
Imerovigli is quieter than Fira, with fewer shops and nightlife options. For some travelers, that’s exactly the appeal. It’s also located along the scenic caldera walking route connecting Fira, Firostefani, and Imerovigli.
You can explore the village, photograph Anastasi Church, admire the views toward Skaros Rock, and continue walking south toward Firostefani and Fira.
For couples, honeymooners, sunset lovers, or anyone looking for a quieter luxury stay, I think Imerovigli is an excellent choice. If I returned to Santorini for a slower romantic getaway, Imerovigli would be VERY high on my list.
Firostefani is another area I’d seriously consider staying, especially for a first trip to Santorini.
It’s located just north of Fira along the caldera walking path, approximately a 10–15-minute walk from the center of town, depending on where you’re staying.
That location gives you a nice balance. You can enjoy the caldera scenery and a generally quieter atmosphere while still being close to Fira’s restaurants, shops, and transportation.
One of my favorite photography spots here was the Three Bells of Fira, also known as Agios Theodoroi.
The viewpoint above the church gives you a beautiful perspective of the blue dome, bell tower, and caldera. It’s a popular photography location, but the surrounding area felt much less hectic than central Fira.
What appeals to me most about staying in Firostefani is that you’re not directly in the middle of busy Fira, but you’re also not far away from everything.
You can walk into town for dinner or shopping and return to your hotel afterward.
Just remember that the caldera walking path includes some slopes, steps, and uneven surfaces, so the exact location of your hotel matters.
For first-time visitors who want caldera views, restaurants within walking distance, and somewhere a little quieter to stay, I think Firostefani is one of the strongest all-around choices.
If you’re considering staying along this stretch of the caldera, my Fira to Imerovigli Walk: Santorini Caldera Walking Guide covers the route, viewpoints, and what to expect along the way.
If convenience is your biggest priority, I’d look at Fira. As Santorini’s capital, it has plenty of restaurants, shops, bars, hotels, and caldera viewpoints all within walking distance.
Fira is also the island’s main public bus hub, making it especially convenient if you’re not planning to rent a car. You can catch buses to other parts of Santorini, although some routes require you to return to Fira to make a connection.
Fira has much more of a busy town atmosphere than Imerovigli or Firostefani. We enjoyed exploring its shopping streets, restaurants, churches, and viewpoints, but there were definitely plenty of people around.
Cruise passengers also come through Fira, particularly around the cable car and central shopping areas.
On the positive side, you have a lot of options within walking distance. There are casual restaurants, upscale dining, shops, nightlife, and scenic walking routes.
You can also walk north along the caldera through Firostefani toward Imerovigli, which was one of my favorite scenic walks on the island. Personally, I enjoyed visiting Fira, but if I wanted a quieter overnight stay with caldera views, I’d probably choose one of the neighboring villages instead.
For travelers without a rental car, people who enjoy nightlife, or anyone who likes having plenty of restaurants and shopping nearby, Fira is hard to beat.
Kamari is where we stayed, and I LOOOOOVED having it as our home base. We spent five nights at Radisson Blu Zaffron Resort, which gave us a completely different experience from staying along the caldera.
Instead of cliffside hotels and busy viewpoints, Kamari has a long black volcanic beach, a pedestrian promenade, beachfront restaurants, cafés, and shops.
For our trip, that worked REALLY well.
We rented a car and spent our days exploring different parts of Santorini. After sightseeing, we could return to our resort, park the car, and walk around Kamari for the rest of the evening.
That was REALLY nice.
I loved having a resort-style hotel with large pools, Kamari Beach nearby, restaurants within walking distance, and plenty of little shops along the promenade.
Radisson Blu Zaffron also has a private beach section, which was a nice addition to the resort experience.
TRAVEL PRODUCT: Kamari Beach is made up of black volcanic sand and pebbles rather than soft white sand, and the surface can get REALLY hot in the sun. I’d definitely recommend bringing water shoes. They made walking on Santorini’s rocky beaches so much easier, and they’re lightweight, easy to slip on and off, and simple to clean.
You do not get the famous caldera views. That’s important because the scenery is completely different from what you’ll find in Oia or Imerovigli.
If your dream is opening your hotel door and looking directly over the Santorini caldera, Kamari isn’t going to give you that experience. For us, that was completely fine because we were planning to spend most of our days exploring anyway.
I’d recommend Kamari for beach lovers, resort travelers, families, couples, and anyone who wants a more relaxed place to return to each evening.
One thing to remember: Radisson Blu Zaffron is an adult-oriented resort welcoming guests ages 13 and older, so families with younger children would need to choose another property.
For more details about the hotel, pools, rooms, and beach access, read my Radisson Blu Zaffron Resort Santorini Review: Is It Worth It?.
If you like the idea of staying near the beach but want to compare more affordable accommodations, I’d also look at Perissa and Perivolos.
Both are located along Santorini’s southeastern coastline and are known for their long stretches of black volcanic beach.
You’ll find beachfront restaurants, beach clubs, casual accommodations, and places to spend the day swimming or relaxing by the water.
All three areas offer a beach-focused vacation rather than the classic caldera hotel experience.
Perissa and Perivolos are particularly appealing if you’re comparing accommodation prices and want to prioritize spending money on activities, restaurants, and exploring the island.
There are also beach clubs and restaurants along the coast, making it easy to spend an entire day near the water. You’ll need to plan transportation for visiting Oia, Fira, and other inland villages, especially if you want to explore several locations in one day.
If the choice is between spending your entire budget on the hotel room or having money left to actually DO things in Santorini, I’d definitely compare these areas.
Pyrgos was another village I really enjoyed exploring.
Located on a hill in the interior of Santorini, it has winding cobblestone streets, churches, stone archways, traditional whitewashed buildings, and panoramic views across the island.
The atmosphere feels VERY different from Oia. I loved wandering through the narrow streets, discovering little restaurants, and exploring the older parts of the village.
The historic Kasteli area is especially interesting, with passageways, staircases, and buildings tucked closely together.
Because Pyrgos sits on a hill, you’ll also find viewpoints overlooking different parts of Santorini rather than just the caldera. I’d recommend Pyrgos for couples, boutique-hotel travelers, and anyone interested in staying in a traditional Greek village with fewer crowds.
Just keep in mind that it isn’t as convenient for nightlife, extensive shopping, or getting around without transportation. Personally, I’d want a rental car if I stayed here and planned to explore the rest of Santorini.
Megalochori was another village I really enjoyed exploring, and it was one of my favorite discoveries outside Santorini’s famous caldera towns.
The village has traditional architecture, narrow cobblestone streets, beautiful bell towers, and little corners that feel completely different from the busiest tourist areas.
One of my favorite photo spots was actually along the picturesque village streets. I particularly loved the Six-Bell Tower and the village’s quieter little passageways.
Megalochori is appealing if you enjoy smaller villages where you can wander around without needing a huge sightseeing list. Unlike Fira or Oia, you won’t find the same concentration of shops, restaurants, and nightlife. That’s part of why it feels more peaceful.
I’d recommend Megalochori for couples, peaceful getaways, repeat Santorini visitors, and travelers interested in a traditional village stay. This would be much more of a slow-travel choice for me, and I’d want a car if I planned to explore the entire island.
Not necessarily. If you’re staying in Fira or one of the nearby caldera villages, you can get around using buses, taxis, and walking.
However, if you’re staying in Kamari, Pyrgos, Megalochori, Perissa, or Perivolos and want to explore the island, I’d recommend renting a car.
We rented a small automatic from the Santorini Airport, and pickup took less than 15 minutes. Having our own car made exploring incredibly convenient, although the narrow roads, challenging parking in Oia and Fira, and nighttime driving definitely took some getting used to.
I’d rent a car again, but you can read all about what to expect in my Driving in Santorini Greece: Everything You Need to Know About Renting a Car.
I actually think this is a GREAT idea, especially if you have several nights and don’t mind changing hotels. With five or six nights, you could spend two or three nights in Oia or Imerovigli and the remaining nights at a beach resort in Kamari.
That would give you time to enjoy both styles of accommodation rather than choosing just one.
Of course, switching hotels means packing up, checking out, moving your luggage, and checking in somewhere else. If you only have two or three nights in Santorini, I’d probably choose one base instead.
This is something I would absolutely research before booking a cliffside hotel. Some of Santorini’s most beautiful caldera accommodations involve A LOT of stairs.
And those dreamy suites built down the side of the cliff?
Well…
You have to get down there somehow.
Ha.
Before booking, I’d check a few things:
This is especially important if you have mobility concerns, heavy luggage, or difficulty navigating steep steps.
WENDY’S TIP: When booking a caldera hotel, I’d check how close you can actually get to the entrance by car. Some hotels are tucked along pedestrian-only paths or down staircases, so even if they look close to a road on Google Maps, you might still have a bit of a walk with your luggage.
The view may be incredible. Dragging a 50-pound suitcase down approximately 100 stairs? Less magical.
We spent five nights in Kamari, and I genuinely loved our setup. Having a resort to return to after a full day of sightseeing was exactly what I wanted for this trip.
But now that I’ve explored more of Santorini, I think I’d do something different next time.
I’d probably split our stay between Kamari and either Oia or Imerovigli. A few nights enjoying the beach resort, followed by a few nights overlooking the caldera.
And while I loved having a rental car and spending every day exploring, I wouldn’t mind planning a return trip with a little more time actually enjoying the hotel.
Especially if that hotel happens to have a private plunge pool overlooking the caldera. Ha.
If you end up booking anything for your trip, using my affiliate links helps support my blog at no extra cost to you. I spend a lot of time researching and writing these guides, so I really appreciate the support.
Compare Santorini hotels on Booking.com or Hotels.com, especially if you’re deciding between a caldera-view suite and a beachfront resort.
For more details about the area where we stayed, read my Kamari Santorini Guide: Best Things to Do Eat and See.
If you’re planning to explore several parts of the island, compare rental car options through Discover Cars.
For flights, you can compare routes and prices through Skyscanner.
If you’d prefer guided sightseeing, browse Santorini tours on Viator or GetYourGuide.
You can also read my The Best Things to Do in Santorini Greece for more ideas on how to spend your time.
I had less than 7 hours to spend in Hydra, Greece, and here is how I made the most of it.
From waterfront lunch to swimming at two beautiful beaches, this day trip was one of my favorite parts of Greece.
Read my full Hydra itinerary on the blog and save this for your trip!
This is what I mean by lunch with a view. 🇬🇷
Sunset Restaurant on one side, the Aegean Sea on the other.
And even as someone who doesn’t usually go for seafood, this spot in Hydra surprised me. Between the fresh sea bass, panko-crusted feta, and waterfront setting, it was a meal worth remembering.
Save this for your next trip to Greece!
Flying out of Frankfurt at the crack of dawn? Stay at the airport, not in the city!
The Hilton Frankfurt Airport is connected to Terminal 1 and the long-distance train station, so the walk to your gate takes a few minutes and no taxi. The rooms are soundproofed so well you barely hear the planes, some have runway views, there’s a sauna, and the bread and butter at Rise are dangerously good. It costs more than hotels farther out. On a budget, the Hilton Garden Inn next door gets you the same walk for less.
Save this for your next Frankfurt layover ✈️
No landmarks, no crowds, no souvenir shops. Otterberg is the everyday side of Germany 🇩🇪
It’s a small town just outside Kaiserslautern. Lunch at Putai inside the historic Das Blaue Haus means crispy chicken in coconut curry and spring rolls with homemade sweet chili sauce, then a slow walk past the old church and quiet streets. The Palatinate Forest and Humberg Tower views are close by. If you want a packed itinerary this isn’t your town, but if you like good food and nowhere to be, you’ll love it.
Save this for your Germany road trip!
Every 6 minutes a new round unlocks, and you can eat your way around the world for two hours. 🌍🍽️
Masons in Kaiserslautern: Korean BBQ, Jamaican jerk chicken, raclette potatoes, crispy baked ricotta from Monaco, and the Belgian cookie cheesecake you’ll still be talking about the next day. €39-45 per person. Bring a group and pace yourself, because they charge for leftovers.
Save this for your next trip to Germany
Follow @travelwithwendyplummer for Beautiful Beach Destinations, City Guides, Foodie Spots, and Luxury Hotel Recommendations.
