What to Book in Advance in Santorini (and when to book)

Last Updated on 29th January 2024 by Sophie Nadeau

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As one of the most popular places to visit in Greece, the stunning island of Santorini is no stranger to the millions of visitors who opt to make the island their dream getaway on an annual basis. However, considering that Santorini sees approximately 2 million visitors per year, this also means that many of the must-see attractions with visitor caps tend to sell out ahead of time. As such, here’s a complete guide on what to book in advance in Santorini (and when to book each activity)!

If it’s your first time on the island, check out our suggestions for the best things to do in Santorini and how to spend 3 perfect days in Santorini.

What to book in advance in Santorini

Accommodation

As soon as you’ve decided on your travel dates and booked your flights/ ferry to reach Santorini, your next order of business should be choosing and booking accommodation. I would book this at least 4 – 6 months in advance so that you can guarantee the best rates and also the best locations (the most sought after spots often sell out months in advance).

There are three main places to stay in Santorini, each at slightly different price points and so you’ll want to choose the location you stay at depending on your budget and also what kind of activities you envision doing during your time on the island of Santorini.

Oia: Of course, the most famous place to stay in Santorini is in the town of Oia, which lies to the North of the island and is actually not the capital city but remains the most famous town on Santorini. It’s worth noting that Oia is the most expensive place to stay since it’s the most popular. Check hotel availability in Oia here.

Fira: The capital city of Santorini is that of Fira (sometimes also written as Thera), which can be found in the middle of the island. It’s also here where the main port of Santorini is and is likely where your first port of call to the Greek island will be if you’re arriving by boat.

Thanks to Fira’s central location, it’s a great place to base yourself in order to explore the wider island. Since it is much less popular than Santorini, places to stay in Fira tend to be significantly cheaper than those in Oia. Check hotel availability in Fira here.

Akrotiri: One of the newer up and coming popular places to stay in Santorini is a little off the beaten path though still remains close to several popular attractions on the island such as the red beach and the archaeological park, and the Santorini lighthouse.

Akrotiri is where visitors will be delighted to discover a plethora of upscale and boutique hotels which are much more exclusive and private than those found in Oia. You see, due to the stepped nature of Oia, you should note that the villas are not nearly as private as you think they are. Sitting in a small private pool in a hotel in Oia, you may still easily be seen by tourists and locals.

Catamaran cruise around the island

Would you like to escape the crowd of the island and contemplate the rocks from the sea? Do not wait any longer to book a cruise with meals and drinks included (so that you can sit back and relax, knowing that the finer details are taken care of).

Boat tours of the island usually last for 5 to 6 hours and offer the opportunity to snorkel in crystal clear water or bathe in the numerous lagoons. There is also a stop below the picturesque village of Oia planned if you book the late afternoon tour with dinner included.

• Luxury Catamaran Cruise with meal and open bar: Please note that the price per person increases during high season (from around the 11th of May to the 30th of September included).
• Private tour: You can also make this tour a bit more private if you are willing to pay extra, this one has great reviews and had seemingly great value for money.

Guided tour throughout the island

It can get pretty overwhelming to make your way throughout the island during high season, hence why some would prefer to be guided and learn from an expert about the best locations to visit; including Oia Castle and Profitis Ilias. This tour is provided by GetYourGuide and is featured as a top pick/rated tour so make sure to book a couple of months before you visit especially between June and September.

If you already know what you wish to see , then this tour allows you to customise it to a certain extent. It is also very well rated and more affordable than the first one.

Walking Food Tour

There are not many food tours on the island, but we found one that might interest you if you’re keen on trying the Greek cuisines and some specialities of Santorini. Highlights of this tour include the chance to sample traditional Greek street food such as mezes, Loukoumades, Greek honey and Souvlaki. Book the tour here in advance

Wine tasting tour

There are three main wineries on the island, including the most famous one which is called Venetsanos. I visited Venetsanos a few years ago and was enchanted by the gorgeous sea views, delicious wine, and even tastier accompaniments.

As often, the tours and activities which have the best ratings are usually the first to sell out, so be sure to anticipate at least a few months ahead of time if you want to taste the volcanic wines of Santorini and other Greek wines (which are mostly whites and dessert ones). Book a wine tour here in advance

Akrotíri

If you’d like to discover more about the prehistoric city of Akrotíri then I would recommend booking a guided tour in advance as these can be pretty popular and can sell out ahead of time.

This one is actually more affordable to book as a group of up to 10 people as the total price remains the same if you’re on your own or part of a group. Also, please note that the tour does not include the 12€ entrance fee which is additional to the initial price.

If you only want to visit Akrotíri on your own, you can also purchase our tickets online by following this link.

In the area there is also the Museum of Prehistoric Thira that is worth visiting, you can’t buy tickets online unfortunately, but there is a special ticket package sold for 15€ that can be purchased on-site and allows you to visit Ancient Thira, Akrotíri, and the Museum, valid for 3 days.

Bike Tour around the Island

Even though these are electric bikes, I would still recommend this tour for the most sporty readers of this blog post, as you will have to climb steep hills… This tour is overall pretty unique among the numerous tours we have found so far in Santorini as you get to explore the island on two wheels! Book the bike tour here in advance