What is the best area to stay in Santorini?

For views and romance, the caldera villages: Imerovigli for peace, Oia for the famous sunsets, Fira for nightlife and convenience. For families and value, the black-sand beach resorts of Kamari and Perissa.

Is Oia or Fira better to stay in?

Oia is prettier and more romantic, with the famous sunset, but busy and expensive. Fira is livelier, with more restaurants and better bus links, and is more central for exploring.

Where should families stay in Santorini?

Kamari and Perissa, on the east and south coasts, have long beaches, good-value hotels and fewer steps than the caldera villages.

Does Santorini have sandy beaches?

Its beaches are mostly black volcanic sand and pebbles, such as Kamari and Perissa, with the famous Red Beach near Akrotiri. There is no beach in the caldera villages.

Where to stay guide

Where to stay in Santorini: the best villages and beaches

Updated 1 October 2026 · 7 areas · 25 hotels picked

Pictured: Andronis Boutique

Santorini is the remains of a volcano that blew itself apart, and the result is one of the most spectacular places on earth: whitewashed villages balanced on the rim of a sea-filled crater, blue domes, and sunsets that draw crowds every evening. It is pricey, busy in summer and worth every minute.

The big choice is caldera or beach. The villages on the caldera cliffs, Oia, Imerovigli and Fira, have the views (and the steps). The east and south coasts, around Kamari and Perissa, have long black-sand beaches and better value, but no caldera view.

The short answer

Best for couples
Best for couples
Imerovigli
The highest point of the caldera, quieter than Oia, with cave suites and private plunge pools.
Best for sunsets
Best for sunsets
Oia
The most famous sunset in Greece, over the caldera from the island’s northern tip.
Best for nightlife
Best for nightlife
Fira
The capital, with the most bars and restaurants, right on the caldera.
Best for families
Best for families
Kamari
A long black-sand beach, easy-going hotels and a shallow shore.
Best for beaches and value
Best for beaches and value
Perissa
A long black-sand beach, beach bars and good-value hotels.
Best for a quieter stay
Best for a quieter stay
Megalochori
A traditional inland village of courtyards and wineries.

Santorini areas at a glance

Area	Best for	What it's like	Hotels
Oia	Couples, Sunsets, Luxury	The postcard village, with the most famous sunset in Greece.	Hotels: 67
Imerovigli	Couples, Honeymoon, Luxury	The highest point of the caldera, calmer than Oia.	Hotels: 58
Fira and Firostefani	Nightlife, Convenience, Couples	The lively capital on the caldera, with neighbouring Firostefani.	Hotels: 110
Kamari	Families, Beach, Value	A long black-sand beach on the east coast, near the airport.	Hotels: 39
Perissa	Beach, Value, Groups	A long black-sand beach with beach bars and good value.	Hotels: 27
Akrotiri	Quiet, Sunsets, Culture	The quiet south-west, with a lighthouse, sunsets and ancient ruins.	Hotels: 34
Megalochori	Quiet, Couples, Wine	A traditional inland village of courtyards and wineries.	Hotels: 31

Oia

Andronis Boutique, Oia — Pictured: Andronis Boutique · Nikos Villas Traditional Houses · Charisma Suites

Nikos Villas Traditional Houses, Oia — Pictured: Andronis Boutique · Nikos Villas Traditional Houses · Charisma Suites

Couples
Sunsets
Luxury

The postcard village, with the most famous sunset in Greece.

Oia, at the island's northern tip, is the Santorini of every postcard: blue domes, windmills and white cave houses tumbling down the cliffs, with the most celebrated sunset in Greece. Steps lead down to the little harbour of Ammoudi, with its fish tavernas by the water.

Hotels here are mostly small and luxurious, with plunge pools and caldera views. It gets very busy at sunset, so a hotel terrace is the best seat in the house.

Hotels to look at in Oia

Imerovigli

Couples
Honeymoon
Luxury

The highest point of the caldera, calmer than Oia.

Imerovigli perches on the highest point of the caldera rim, about 2 km from Fira, and many say it has the best views on the island, with the volcano and the rock of Skaros right in front. It is quieter than Oia and Fira, and it is honeymoon central.

Expect cave suites, infinity pools and very romantic terraces. Fira is a scenic clifftop walk away.

Hotels to look at in Imerovigli

Fira and Firostefani

Apeiron Blue Santorini - Apeiron Hotels, Fira — Pictured: Apeiron Blue Santorini - Apeiron Hotels · Mill Houses New Elegant Suites by Mr and Mrs White · Adamant Suites

Mill Houses New Elegant Suites by Mr and Mrs White, Fira — Pictured: Apeiron Blue Santorini - Apeiron Hotels · Mill Houses New Elegant Suites by Mr and Mrs White · Adamant Suites

Nightlife
Convenience
Couples

The lively capital on the caldera, with neighbouring Firostefani.

Fira is Santorini's capital and its hub: a lively warren of shops, bars and restaurants on the caldera edge, with the most going on in the evenings and the best bus connections on the island. Cable cars and the famous steps link it to the old port below.

Next door, Firostefani is a quieter extension along the cliff, and inland Karterados offers village charm and lower prices a short walk away.

Hotels to look at in Fira

Kamari

Families
Beach
Value

A long black-sand beach on the east coast, near the airport.

Kamari, on the east coast, is the island's best-known beach resort: a long, Blue Flag beach of dark volcanic sand and pebbles, backed by a promenade of tavernas and cafés, beneath the mountain that holds the ruins of Ancient Thira.

It is relaxed, family-friendly and much better value than the caldera, and the airport is just a few minutes away.

Hotels to look at in Kamari

All 39 hotels in Kamari →

Perissa

Beach
Value
Groups

A long black-sand beach with beach bars and good value.

Perissa is on the other side of the Mesa Vouno mountain from Kamari, at the start of a long beach of black volcanic sand that runs on to Perivolos. It has beach bars, water sports and some of the best-value hotels on Santorini.

Hotels to look at in Perissa

All 27 hotels in Perissa →

Akrotiri

Quiet
Sunsets
Culture

The quiet south-west, with a lighthouse, sunsets and ancient ruins.

Akrotiri, on the island's south-western arm, is quiet and rural, with caldera views, a lighthouse with superb sunsets and the remarkable Bronze Age site of Akrotiri, a town preserved by volcanic ash. The famous Red Beach is nearby.

Hotels here are fewer and more secluded, ideal for anyone who wants Santorini without the crowds.

Hotels to look at in Akrotiri

All 34 hotels in Akrotiri →

Megalochori

Quiet
Couples
Wine

A traditional inland village of courtyards and wineries.

Megalochori is a traditional village of narrow lanes, bell towers and old captains' houses in the south of the island, surrounded by vineyards and wineries. Pyrgos, nearby, is a hilltop village with views over the whole island.

It's a peaceful, romantic base, a short drive from the beaches and the caldera.

Hotels to look at in Megalochori

Caldera or beach?

Caldera (Oia, Imerovigli, Fira) for the views, sunsets and romance, but expect steps, higher prices and no beach. Beach (Kamari, Perissa) for families, value and swimming, with the caldera a bus ride away. A good compromise is a few nights of each.

Getting around

Santorini's airport is on the east coast, a few minutes from Kamari, around 15 minutes from Fira and 25 to 30 minutes from Oia. Buses run from Fira to the main villages and beaches.

See live prices in Santorini →

Questions about where to stay in Santorini

What is the best area to stay in Santorini?: For views and romance, the caldera villages: Imerovigli for peace, Oia for the famous sunsets, Fira for nightlife and convenience. For families and value, the black-sand beach resorts of Kamari and Perissa.
Is Oia or Fira better to stay in?: Oia is prettier and more romantic, with the famous sunset, but busy and expensive. Fira is livelier, with more restaurants and better bus links, and is more central for exploring.
Where should families stay in Santorini?: Kamari and Perissa, on the east and south coasts, have long beaches, good-value hotels and fewer steps than the caldera villages.
Does Santorini have sandy beaches?: Its beaches are mostly black volcanic sand and pebbles, such as Kamari and Perissa, with the famous Red Beach near Akrotiri. There is no beach in the caldera villages.