The Best 3 & 4 Day Santorini Itinerary
Need help planning your Santorini itinerary? If so, you’ve come to the right place! After 2 trips to different parts of Santorini, I am here to provide you with all the details. Not only will I fill you in on what we did, where we ate & stayed…but also my comments on these. Would I eat there again? Or do you need a reservation?
You can use my itineraries as a starting point to planning your own perfect trip to Santorini!
My first trip to Santorini was for 3 nights/4 days and I stayed at Caldera Premium Villas in Oia. Here we were right in the center of everything, close to restaurants and shops. It was also very easy to join tours and activities. Of course, this also meant it was quite crowded.
Definite pros and cons to staying in Oia, but the white buildings here and overall charm (minus the crowds) are truly unique!
My second trip to Santorini was for 2 nights/3 days and I stayed at Vedema Resort in Megalochori. I absolutely loved staying in Megalochori, as it was not crowded at all! The village is much smaller than Oia and doesn’t have the same aesthetic but I loved it. Plus it is within walking distance of the Heart of Santorini, where you can watch the sunset without the crowds.
I enjoyed both of our stays, in Oia and Megalochori. For me, a combination of the two was perfect and I would highly recommend splitting your stay on Santorini for this reason.
My Santorini itinerary will show you how I did this and honestly, how I would do it again!
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Santorini Itinerary Part 1: Oia
My first trip to Santorini was for 3 nights/4 days and I stayed at Caldera Premium Villas in Oia. Here we were right in the center of everything, close to restaurants and shops. It was also very easy to join tours and activities. Of course, this also meant it was quite crowded.
Definite pros and cons to staying in Oia, but the white buildings here and overall charm (minus the crowds) are truly unique!
Oia Day 1: Arrival & Sunset Cruise
- Arrive by ferry to Athinios Port
- Checked in to hotel (Caldera Premium Villas)
- Grabbed lunch at Apsithia (Oia)
- Sunset catamaran booze cruise in Caldera (with stop at hot springs)
- Cocktails and dinner at Fino (Oia)
Comments:
- Pre arrange shuttle through hotel
- Apsithia was just okay, but we needed food ASAP
- Catamaran Booze Cruise was beautiful way to see Santorini from the water
- Fino was delicious!! Great service, too
Oia Day 2: Fishing Trip & Pool Day
- Early breakfast at hotel
- Walked streets of Oia
- Traditional fishing trip with seafood lunch on boat
- Relaxing afternoon at our hotel pool
- Explored Oia around sunset time
- Dinner at Roka (Oia)
Comments:
- Streets of Oia are totally empty in early morning
- Fishing trip also gave option to snorkel
- Oia is very crowded around sunset time
- Roka can have a long wait, if you don’t have a reservation
Oia Day 3: Scuba Diving & ATV
- Breakfast at hotel
- Pick up ATV in Oia and drive to Santorini Scuba
- Scuba Diving course and dive
- Seafood lunch at Melina’s Tavern (Akrotiri)
- Santorini Brewing Company
- Relaxed at hotel pool for a bit
- Sunset pictures at 3 Dome Church viewpoint
- Dinner at Thalami Oia
Comments:
- We did a beginner dive because I’m not certified, but they offer all types of dives
- Melina’s Tavern had a cool location
- 3 Dome Church viewpoint has a line for pictures but it’s worth it
- Thalami Oia: make a reservation, especially if you want a front row table
Oia Day 4: Departure
Early morning ferry
Comments:
- Pre arrange shuttle/taxi through hotel
- Early morning ferries are the most punctual
- Requested to-go breakfast from hotel
Santorini Itinerary Part 2: Megalochori
My second trip to Santorini was for 2 nights/3 days and I stayed at Vedema Resort in Megalochori. I absolutely loved staying in Megalochori, as it was not crowded at all! The village is much smaller than Oia and doesn’t have the same aesthetic but I loved it. Plus it is within walking distance of the Heart of Santorini, where you can watch the sunset without the crowds.
Megalochori Day 1: Arrival & Sunset
- Arrive by ferry to Athinos Port (again)
- Taxi to hotel in Megalochori (Vedema Resort)
- Relaxed at hotel pool for a bit
- Watched the sunset at Heart of Santorini
- Dinner at Mousiko Kouti (Megalochori)
Comments:
- Our Santorini time was split in 2 parts (Oia & Megalochori)
- We pre-arranged our taxi through an online service because it was much cheaper than through our resort
- Brought our own champagne to the sunset
- Minimal crowds at Heart of Santorini for sunset
- Mousiko Kouti was great overall, wonderful service
Megalochori Day 2: Beach Day & Horseback Riding
- Breakfast at hotel
- Beach day at Perissa black sand beach
- Sunset private horseback ride to beach
- Dinner at Raki (Megalochori)
Comments;
- Vedema resort has a free beach shuttle to a sister hotel on Perissa beach
- We used the company Santorini Horse Riding (Megalochori) for our private horseback ride
Megalochori Day 3: Explore, Pool Day & Departure
- Breakfast at hotel
- Explored Megalochori
- Pool day at hotel
- Wine at Alisachni Art & Wine Gallery
- Taxi to airport for night flight home
Comments:
- Megalochori is a beautiful village, without crowds
- Alisachni Art & Wine Gallery is a lovely spot with great service
- We prearranged our taxi to the airport through an online service again
