White houses along the edge of Santorini’s caldera cliffs at sunset

Santorini and Naxos · Greece

Greek islands: Santorini and Naxos

White villages on the rim of Santorini’s caldera, a boat to the volcano and sunset in Oia, then the long sandy beaches and mountain villages of Naxos. Six days on two very different Cycladic islands.

6 days
$$ Mid-range
Easy
Good with kids
Couples
Friends
Families
Beaches
Culture
Food

Copy this trip into Andamos See the plan

Day by day

The plan

Times are suggestions. Opening hours and seasons change, so check before you go. Once it’s in your trip, move anything you like.

Day 1
Arrive on Santorini
1. 11:00
  Arrive by plane or ferry
  Getting around
  The airport and the port are both a short drive from Fira, the main town.
2. 12:30
  Stay in Fira or Imerovigli
  Stay
  Towns on the caldera rim with the view across to the volcano.
3. 13:30
  Lunch: fava and tomato fritters
  Food & drink
  Yellow split pea purée and tomatokeftedes, both made with island produce.
4. 16:30
  Caldera path from Fira to Imerovigli
  Activity
  An easy paved walk along the cliff edge, about half an hour.
5. 19:00
  Sunset at Skaros Rock
  Activity
  A rocky headland below Imerovigli, quieter than Oia for the sunset.
Day 2
Akrotiri, beaches and Oia
1. 09:00
  Akrotiri archaeological site
  Activity
  A Bronze Age town buried by the eruption, under a protective roof.
2. 11:00
  Perissa black-sand beach
  Activity
  A long volcanic beach on the calm east coast, with sunbeds and shallow water.
3. 13:30
  Lunch: grilled fish by the beach
  Food & drink
  Simple tavernas line the sand.
4. 17:00
  Oia village
  Activity
  Blue domes and windmills at the island’s northern tip; arrive early, as the sunset draws big crowds.
5. 20:30
  Dinner at Ammoudi Bay
  Food & drink
  A tiny harbor down a long stairway below Oia, with fish tavernas at the water’s edge.
Day 3
Volcano and wine
1. 09:30
  Boat trip to Nea Kameni
  Activity
  Walk up to the crater of the young volcanic island in the middle of the caldera.
2. 11:30
  Hot springs at Palea Kameni
  Activity
  Swim from the boat to a cove where the water turns warm and orange from the minerals.
3. 14:00
  Lunch in Fira
  Food & drink
  Gyros or souvlaki for a quick, easy meal.
4. 16:00
  Pyrgos village
  Activity
  A hilltop village of lanes around a Venetian castle, with views over the whole island.
5. 18:00
  Wine tasting
  Activity
  Santorini’s assyrtiko vines grow coiled into baskets low to the ground against the wind.
Day 4
Ferry to Naxos
1. 09:30
  Ferry to Naxos
  Getting around
  About two hours on a fast ferry from Athinios port.
2. 12:00
  Stay in Naxos Town
  Stay
  The island’s port town, called Chora, base for the rest of the trip.
3. 13:00
  Lunch on the harbor
  Food & drink
  Try the local graviera cheese and Naxos potatoes, both known across Greece.
4. 16:00
  Kastro, the Venetian old town
  Activity
  Whitewashed lanes and arches inside the walls of a 13th-century castle.
5. 19:30
  Sunset at the Portara
  Activity
  A huge marble doorway of an unfinished temple of Apollo, on an islet joined to town by a causeway.
Day 5
Naxos beaches
1. 09:30
  Agios Prokopios beach
  Activity
  Fine sand and clear, shallow water a short bus ride from town.
2. 12:00
  Walk to Agia Anna
  Activity
  Follow the shore to the next beach, with a small harbor and a chapel on the rocks.
3. 13:30
  Lunch: seafood at Agia Anna
  Food & drink
  Grilled octopus and a Greek salad in the shade.
4. 15:30
  Plaka beach
  Activity
  A long, wide beach with dunes, room to spread out even in summer.
5. 20:00
  Dinner in Naxos Town
  Food & drink
  Lamb or goat slow-cooked in a clay pot, a mountain dish of the island.
Day 6
Mountain villages and departure
1. 09:00
  Temple of Demeter
  Activity
  A rebuilt marble temple among fields in the center of the island.
2. 10:30
  Halki
  Activity
  A former capital with Byzantine churches and a distillery for kitron, a citron liqueur.
3. 12:00
  Apeiranthos
  Activity
  A mountain village paved in marble, settled by people from Crete.
4. 13:30
  Lunch: village taverna food
  Food & drink
  Local cheeses, cured meats and slow-cooked stews in the mountains.
5. 17:00
  Ferry or flight out
  Getting around
  Ferries run to Athens and other islands; small planes fly to Athens.

Good to know

Tips

Book ferries ahead

In summer, book ferries a few weeks in advance. The strong meltemi wind in July and August can delay or cancel sailings, so don’t plan a tight connection to a flight.

Beat the crowds on Santorini

Cruise ships fill Fira and Oia from late morning to afternoon. See the villages early or late, and spend the middle of the day at the beach or on the boat.

Getting around

Both islands have local buses from the main town. Renting a car for a day makes Naxos’s mountain villages much easier to reach.

Sun and shade

There is little shade on the caldera paths or the beaches. Carry water, a hat and sunscreen, and rest through the hottest hours.

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Greek islands: Santorini and Naxos

The plan

Arrive on Santorini

Akrotiri, beaches and Oia

Volcano and wine

Ferry to Naxos

Naxos beaches

Mountain villages and departure