Santorini in Winter – The Top 5 Reasons to Visit

Are you considering visiting Santorini in the winter? If so you’ve come to the right place!

Near the beginning of October, as the days start to get shorter, things start to slow down on the Greek Islands. The tourists head home and the restaurants start to close their doors for the season. Seasonal employees head back to wherever they came from as hotels start preparing for renovations and upgrades over the winter season. 

But all does not stop here in the Cyclades. While the majority of the hotels and shops close for the winter, a number of them stay open to cater to those who want to experience winter in Santorini.

Note: this article contains affiliate links, which means that should you purchase something or get a quote through them I may make a small commission at no additional cost to you. This helps keep the site running with up to date information. I do not represent Booking.com, World Nomads, GetYourGuide, or Rentalcars.com. This is information only and not a recommendation to buy the product mentioned in this article.

This post is not meant to be a complete guide to Santorini. You can find a million of those online. What we are focusing on here is specifically winter in Santorini and why you might want to consider an off-season trip to this unique Greek island in the future. 

We will also go over things to do in Santorini in the winter, of which there are plenty. But first, let’s start with a quick intro to this amazing island in the Aegean Sea!

Santorini in Winter – What You Need to Know

Where is Santorini?

Santorini is an island in the Aegean Sea to the southeast of mainland Greece. The Aegean blends in with the Mediterranean in this part of Europe.

The Greek Islands are world famous for being some of the most beautiful islands in the world, and Santorini is really the claim to fame. This chain of islands is known as the Cyclades and it’s what south Europe vacation dreams are made of.  

How to get to Santorini

There are two ways to get to Santorini: air or sea. Santorini International Airport is tiny, but handles a surprising amount of daily flights. You can get a direct flight to Santorini from just about any major European city as well as a few places in the Middle East.

Literally every one of these flights, however, is seasonal. So they don’t run in the winter. You’ll have to go through Athens, which is about a 45 minute flight. Luckily there are three airlines that fly the Athens to Santorini route and all operate multiple flights per day. Even in the winter there are over a dozen daily flights and you should be able to get a round trip ticket under $100 USD.

The other way to get to Santorini is by ferry. If you’re coming from Athens this can be a pretty long (but beautiful) journey. In the winter the faster ferries don’t run and you’re looking at a nearly 8 hour journey.

Even in summer the fastest you can get there is just under 5 hours. If you’re coming from a nearby island like Naxos, however, the ferry might make sense. Naxos, for example, is 2 hours from Santorini by ferry. 

Conclusion: assuming you’re coming from Athens, take the flight. 

How to get around Santorini

In the winter you should most definitely rent a car. Rental cars are affordable in the winter and the roads are empty. You can book your rental car from the Santorini airport here.

Even if you’re just using it to get from the airport to your hotel, it will likely be cheaper than the taxi ride (OK maybe not but if you’re only there 2 or 3 nights it is possible).

If you really don’t want to drive (or you can’t drive a stick shift), taxis are affordable and there is a bus network that connects all the main towns on the island. Just note that in the winter the bus runs a limited schedule (it only stops by the airport every two hours). 

There are also numerous organized tours across the island that can probably get you to where you want to go. 

Winter Weather in Santorini

See the entire section below on winter weather in Santorini.

Where to stay

The majority of the hotels do close for winter, but about a quarter of them stay open. There are plenty of options for all budgets, and hotels are a fraction of the rates they charge in peak summer. Fira is the largest town on the island and has the majority of the hotels. It’s on the cliff overlooking the caldera and it is stunningly beautiful. 

That being said, Fira still ranks second to Oia in terms of beauty. Oia is at the north side of the island and features the best cave hotels and most luxurious properties. Most of the famous photos you’ve seen of Santorini are of Oia. If you can, stay there. We highly recommend Alexander’s Cave Suites. 

If Alexander’s is booked there are ton of other options in Oia. Check out the listing on booking.com!

How long to stay

Three days is sufficient to see all the main highlights of Santorini. Since it’s winter, you’re not going to be spending days sitting on the beach so you’ll have plenty of time to explore the island. If you want to spend more time relaxing, a longer stay is encouraged.

Many people spend an entire week on the island. The bare minimum stay is two nights. You can still see a lot in two days, you’re just taking a chance with the weather. Perhaps add an amazing road trip around the Peloponnese to your Greek itinerary?

Language 

As one of the most touristy places on the planet, English is prevalent. You won’t have much of a language barrier in Santorini like you might in other parts of Greece. Though I will add that we did find one lady who lives in Oia and did not speak a word of English. We had no idea what she was yelling at us about! 

Money 

Greece uses the euro. You don’t need to carry cash, but it might be good to have if you want to buy something from one of the few street vendors that are open in the winter. Other than that everywhere in Santorini accepts cards. 

Santorini is by far the most expensive place in Greece, thanks to its immense international popularity. You’ll save a lot of money visiting in winter, but still expect to spend quite a few euros during your time on the island.

Food and Restaurants

Greek food is some of the best food in the world (at least in my subjective opinion). And there is no shortage of amazing restaurants in Santorini. Unfortunately, though, most restaurants do close for the winter.

In Oia there are only a few restaurants that remain open year-round. There are some fast-food-like gyro places that remain open if you’re not looking for a sit-down dinner. Over in Fira, a lot more restaurants are open for the winter and you won’t struggle to find a great place to eat at a great place. 

Santorini Geology

Santorini is a volcanic island. It used to be a lot larger before the Minoan Eruption in 1600 BC blew a giant hole in the middle of the island and created the caldera that is now filled with sea water to the west of present-day Santorini.

That volcanic eruption was one of the most powerful volcanic eruptions in human history and it destroyed an entire civilization on the island. The volcano is technically still active. The region is also very seismically active.

In 1956 a large earthquake devastated the island, killing over 50 people and leveling most of the buildings (what you see today was mostly built after that earthquake). Don’t worry, you’ll be fine 🙂 

Travel insurance

Be sure to have travel insurance in Santorini so that you’re protected for the unexpected. We use World Nomads and have had good experiences with them. World Nomads provides coverage to travelers in over 100 countries. You can search for a coverage plan using the link below.

The Top 5 Reasons to Visit Santorini in Winter

1) Avoid the crowds

There are many benefits of visiting Santorini in the winter and I will discuss all of them in this post. But by far the number one advantage of a winter trip to Santorini is avoiding the crowds.

If you’re interested in visiting Santorini you’ve probably already heard the horror stories about the lines at the tiny airport. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Santorini is one of the most popular vacation destinations in the world.

But the island is small; small enough to walk from one side to the other, and nearly all the attractions and hotels are on the west coast. That doesn’t leave a whole lot of room for all those people.

At some of the more popular viewpoints in Oia I have seen photos of people standing shoulder to shoulder and waiting in line to get their photo taken with the magnificent blue-domed churches. It’s starting to get to the point where it can’t even be enjoyable anymore. There is only one way to avoid those insane crowds, and that’s to go in the winter. 

2) Room to stretch your legs

I’d be lying if I told you that we were the only ones there on that weekend in February. But I’d say at any given time we saw no more than a hundred people at once, which allowed us ample room to spread out and enjoy those famous Santorini sunsets.

On a beautifully sunny morning we walked down to the famous blue domes and only saw a few other people (and a few donkeys). Go back to the cover photo on this page. What don’t you see? There isn’t another human in the view. Good luck getting this photo without another person in the summer!

Even at the most popular sunset watching spot during a brilliant sunset we had our choice viewpoints. There were other people, but few enough to avoid them in all our photos. 

Being in Santorini with such a minimal amount of other tourists was really special. It felt like we had the place to ourselves!

3) Save some serious money on a cave hotel

Another big draw for us when deciding to go to Santorini in the winter was that we could stay at one of the famous cave hotels within our budget. We still spent a bit more than we usually like to spend on accommodation, but staying in a cave hotel overlooking the Aegean Sea was a once in a lifetime opportunity we could not pass up.

We stayed at Alexandre’s Cave Suites and paid 143 EUR per night for a Superior Cave Villa with an outdoor hot tub. In the summer, the villa we stayed at goes for about 620 EUR per night.

Yes, you read that right. The winter rate was literally less than 25% of the summer rate. Spring and fall prices are in between. All the hotels that stay open throughout the winter significantly drop their prices in the off-season. It’s a great chance to stay somewhere amazing that would typically be out of your price range. 

4) Avoid the traffic

Another cool thing about the winter was that there is no traffic and rental cars are super cheap. In fact the main reason we hired a car was because it was cheaper to do a two-day car rental than a return taxi to Oia from the airport.

The car rental was 37 EUR and the taxi would have been 50. There is a bus you can take but it comes sporadically in the winter and we didn’t want to end up wasting an hour of our day waiting at the airport for a bus.

We were concerned about parking at the hotel, but they assured us we’d have a place to park. “It’s winter,” he said. “Park anywhere you want.” He told us we could park on the street in winter but when we got there he had an actual parking spot for us, which was great as we didn’t even plan on using the car until it was time to go back to the airport.

The car ended up being super nice when that time came too, because we got to take a scenic drive around the island and check out Red Beach. 

5) Hike comfortably from Fira to Oia

The hike between the two main towns on Santorini is the perfect winter activity, as it’s quite strenuous and pretty brutal to do on a hot summer day. And I would know, as I’ve also done it in 90 degree (32 C) in September 2008.

There is no exact starting point for the walk. You can start anywhere in Fira or Oia, so long as you stick to the walkway along the cliff. The path takes you right along the cliff along the length of the caldera and offers stunning views the entire way. 

The hike is 6.5 miles one way and it’s best done as a one way hike. This is possible thanks to the city bus between Thera and Oia that runs about every hour from 7 until 7 during the winter.

The bus costs 1.80 euros and accepts cash only on board. For detailed information about how to take the bus between cities refer to this post. Since the bus comes every hour, it’s best to start with the bus ride and then hike back.

Along the hike you’ll walk between Thera and Imerovigli. On this part of the route you’ll pass luxury hotel after luxury hotel and have endless quintessential Santorini views. After Imerovigli things get a little more quiet. You pass one more row of hotels before it becomes more of a rocky hike in the open sun, buildings few and far between.

Endless caldera views to your west. It stays like this all the way to Oia, where the trail spits out into the picturesque Greek island town everybody has seen a thousand times on Instagram.

What is Open in the Winter?

The answer to this question is more than you might imagine for a seasonal destination. While well over half of the hotels shut down, enough stay open to make choosing a place to stay still a difficult decision. It’s not quite the same as winter in Cappadocia, where everything is open, but there are so many incredible places to stay in Santorini that there will be plenty of options.

We went back and forth on a few different cave hotels in Oia before settling on Alexander’s. There were also plenty of options in Fira and the villages between. There is no shortage of accommodations to choose from in the winter from the uber-luxurious to the budget-friendly.

Restaurants

In terms of restaurants though, there are far fewer options in the off-season. Only a few restaurants in Oia remain open throughout the year, so be sure to check that they are open before heading out for dinner (ask your hotel to verify).

Fira has far more places to eat and it was much harder to decide where to go when we went to Fira for lunch. It seemed nearly every restaurant was open in Fira in the town center. Along the cliffs most of the restaurants were closed for the season.

Santorini also produces some great wine, and the larger wineries with restaurants were open. If restaurants being closed is a major concern, maybe consider a more populated Mediterranean island like Mallorca where everything stay open year round.

Shops

Shops in the winter are hit or miss. While the shopping streets in Fira were mostly dead, there were a few jewelry and souvenir shops we found open. Oia has far fewer shops but we found quite a few little gift shops with locals selling hand-made goods. If you’re a serious shopper you might be disappointed, but if you’re just looking for a souvenir coffee mug you’ll be fine. 

Public transport

Public transport runs throughout the year, as it’s just a few busses. We took the bus from Oia to Fira and it was actually full. If you plan to do the hike from Fira to Oia or vice versa you will want to take that bus. It’s just 1.80 EUR (cash only) and takes about 25 minutes. Taxis aren’t as plentiful in the winter, but your hotel should be able to book one for you. 

Santorini Winter Weather

Our biggest worry about booking a getaway to Santorini in February was trying to judge what the weather would be like. What would we do if it was raining or too cold to enjoy being outside?

Those are serious concerns anywhere in Europe in the winter, but especially in the Greek Islands as they don’t offer many indoor activities. We decided if the weather stunk we would sit under a balcony somewhere drinking wine. That wouldn’t be so bad would it?

Luckily for us, we didn’t have to use that contingency plan because the weather was absolutely perfect. The first two days we didn’t see a single cloud, just brilliant blue skies. The evenings were definitely chilly (we ate outdoors both nights with heaters), but the afternoons were warm enough for a t-shirt.

The high was about 60 degrees (16 C), so chilly to sit outside in the shade with no jacket, but nice for a drink in the sun. 

The Drawbacks of Santorini in Winter

Of course I can’t sit here and tell you that everything is perfect and you should go in the winter no matter what. As I already mentioned, not a lot was open so you have way fewer options (though I still found there were enough options to be satisfied).

While we had great weather, there is a good chance you will be stuck with a cold and rainy day. In fact the day we were leaving the clouds rolled in. The forecast for the next few days was cold and rainy, so you have to be prepared for that, whereas in the summer you know it’s going to be hot and dry. 

It’s also a bit too cold to swim in the water this time of year (though I did in Nafplio a few days earlier) so beaches are not really something you can do in the winter. That being said, given the volcanic makeup of the island and the caldera creating a giant cliff along the coast, beaches are not really what people flock to Santorini to see. If you want an amazing beach holiday in Greece, you’d be better off going elsewhere regardless of the time of year. 

The days are also shorter in the winter (obviously) so you have less daylight to work with, meaning you might have to get started earlier in the day. Sunset will be around 5:00 and you definitely want to be in Oia to watch that sunset. But if you’re fine with catching an early sunset and then relaxing at your hotel for a bit before dinner then winter time might be ideal for you. 

Winter Construction

Another thing to point out is that a lot of the hotels do renovations and construction during the winter months. In fact, I’d say the majority of other people we saw were construction workers, who, for some reason, seemed to all be from Pakistan. So you will have to deal with the construction too.

Those famous private pools you see in pictures of Santorini will all be empty. It would have been cool to see the cliffside with all the hotels free of construction debris and with pools full of water, but I really think the lack of other visitors was worth the trade-off. We still found the views along the cliff absolutely incredible and hardly even noticed the pools weren’t full. 

Things to do in Santorini in the Winter

Obviously lying on the beach and working on your tan is probably not going to happen on a winter trip to Santorini. But never fear, there are plenty of things to do to stay occupied! In fact, one might argue that winter is even a better time to visit Santorini for some of its main activities since you’ll be able to  enjoy them without sweating your butt off.

Visit Ancient Thera

Greece is known for its amazing archaeological sites, and just because Santorini is a dreamy island doesn’t mean it’s lacking in history. Ancient Thera sits atop Mesa Vouno Mountain, the second highest peak on the island, and overlooks the Aegean Sea to the east.

Founded in the 9th century BC, Ancient Thera was a bustling little city until a volcanic eruption in AD 726 covered it in a layer of pumice and forced its abandonment. 

The ruins of Ancient Thera were first “discovered” in the late 1800s but not totally excavated and unearthed until the 1990s. Today it’s a small archaeological site, but important to the history of Santorini nonetheless. In winter admission is only 3 euros and it’s open from 8:30 until 15:30 every day except Wednesdays when it’s closed. 

Discover Akrotiri

Akrotiri is another archaeological site on the island. Considered by many to be the most important ancient site in the Cyclades, Akrotiri is the best preserved city of the ancient Minoan civilization.

It is believed that the ancient city was inhabited as early as the 4th millennium BC (yeah, 6000 years ago!). Its heyday was about 2000 BC though, when it was a thriving metropolis. Sadly, a volcanic eruption buried the city in ash in the 16th century BC. 

Due to the significant amount of ash, the old city was incredibly preserved when it was completely buried for all those centuries. These days the archaeological site is well protected.

The whole ancient city is covered in a canopy and there are boardwalks through it to keep people from damaging the precious rocks. In the winter entry is 6 euros and it’s open from 8:30 to 15:30.

Catch that famous Santorini sunset

Winter time in Santorini makes for some pretty epic sunsets. The sunset lasts longer and takes place earlier in the day. The best place to catch the sunset in Oia, specifically this spot.

In the winter there will be a fraction of the amount of people there as in summer. It will still be busy but you’ll have room to spread out at least. Santorini sunsets are known for turning the sky into amazing shades of yellow and orange. Once you witness a Santorini sunset other sunsets will just disappoint you!

Taste some wine

Santorini is one of Greece’s premier wine regions. The arid island produces some great grape varieties like Assyrtiko and Athiri. The wineries of Santorini are simply stunning.

Unfortunately most of the wineries and wine tours close for the season, but a couple stay open year round. Santos Wines has a tasting room and restaurant on the coast south of Thera. The Boutari Winery also remains open throughout the year. Contact them to arrange wine tasting and tours.

To get to the wineries you will need a car or a taxi, as organized wine tours don’t run in the winter and the wineries aren’t really near any bus stops. So be sure not to down too many glasses of delicious Santorini wine before you get back in the car.

Additionally, restaurants around town are stocked with local wine should you not make it to one of the wineries. Lastly, let’s just note that wine in Santorini is not cheap, so expect to pay a pretty penny for a glass at one of the wineries.  

Check out the beaches with no other people

While it might be a bit cold for a dip in the Aegean, you can still head to the beach. Maybe it will be warm enough to lay in the sun in the middle of the day. But even if it isn’t, you’ll get to see some of the most stunning volcanic beaches in the world without any other people. 

Red Beach, White Beach, and Black Beach are all in close proximity to each other on the south coast of the island and some of the best beaches on Santorini. Volcanic activity created these beaches and left them stained with the various colors. There is no sand, just little pebbles of the volcanic rocks.

In the summer these beaches are super popular and are full of umbrellas and daybeds and people sunbathing on the rocks. But in the winter you’ll get beautiful photos of the beaches without a single person. Your friends will think you photoshopped the people out!

Santorini in Winter – FAQs

Final Word

Winter in Santorini isn’t for everybody. But if your main draw in visiting this island is beautiful views of those famous white buildings with blue rooftops and catching a surreal sunset over the caldera, then a winter visit is something you should seriously consider.

The lack of crowds brings a serenity to the island that can’t be experienced in the hectic summer months. If you have been to Santorini in the winter drop me a comment and let me know what you thought!