Last Updated on June 22, 2023 by Maggie McKneely
Only get to spend one day in Santorini? This is the itinerary for you!
One Day in Santorini
Santorini: every Instagrammer’s favorite Greek island. And it’s not hard to see why, what with its aesthetic villages of snow-white abodes, accented with cobalt blue roofs, doors, and garden gates, and immense sheer cliffs reaching down into the Aegean. It truly is picturesque no matter where you look.
The prettiness is blinding!
Greece’s star of the Aegean, now a beautiful paradise, was formed from a violent volcanic eruption. The eruption of Thera was one of the most powerful volcanic eruptions in the history of the world. It wiped out the Minoan civilization, and has been the source of many myths and legends (like Atlantis) throughout history.
But the eruption produced what we now know as the island of Thera (named for the former volcano), or Santorini. The island’s villages are balanced along the rim of what was once the volcano’s caldera. Its multi-colored beaches reveal the different layers of solidified lava produced by the volcano (such as Red Beach and Black Beach), and its volcanic soil is perfect fertilizer for many crops.
As popular as it is, you may think that Santorini is inaccessible to you or any other average Joe (no offense to Joes), whether because of its status as a luxury island or the very fact that it’s an island in the middle of the sea. But it actually makes the perfect day trip from Athens! Round-trip tickets on Ryanair from Athens to Santorini are only 30 euros in the off-season. And with the flight being a mere 45 minutes, it’s just as quick to get to as many of the mainland sites outside of Athens.
Though the island is only 34 square miles, it’s packed with different things to see and do. So planning to spend just one day in Santorini can be a daunting task. But unlike other top-destinations (like Venice), spending one day in Santorini is manageable, as long as you have a plan. So to make your life easier, here’s an already made plan that has been created and tested by me that you are welcome to use!
One Day in Santorini Itinerary
7 AM: Get on your flight
“But that’s so early!” If you want to have as much time as possible on the island, you need to take the earliest flight out of Athens. It’ll be worth it. You do only have one day in Santorini, after all.
Also, brace yourself: the runway at the airport is VERY short. Our rather rough landing earned our pilot a round of applause from us passengers happy to not be currently floating in the ocean.
(If you have more than a day, consider a sailing holiday to the Greek islands!)
Santorini, I see you 😀
8:30 AM: Find the bus to Akrotiri
Your first stop of the day should be the Akrotiri Archaeological Site. It’s not widely known about, but it was one of the highlights of my trip to Santorini. The ancient settlement of Akrotiri was destroyed when Santorini’s volcano erupted. But, like Pompeii, the layers of volcanic ash preserved the city. It’s a time capsule back to 4000 BC Minoan civilization. Go here for my article on how awesome this place is and why you need to go.
The public buses are the best mode of transportation on Santorini if you’re only there for a day. Most of the streets are not car-friendly. ATV’s are another popular transport, but you can’t go as far and as fast as on a bus. Taxis are another option, but the bus fare is always under 3 euros, regardless of where you’re going, whether to Oia, one of the beautiful beaches, or Akrotiri.
To get to Akrotiri from the airport, you need to take the bus to Fira (it’s easy to find, it’s the only bus option at the airport). From Fira, get off and transfer to the bus going to Akrotiri. The bus “stations” (usually just an open space with a plethora of buses) are chaotic, but most of the drivers understand English and will be able to help you get on the right bus if you get confused.
Akrotiri: the streets and buildings are almost entirely intact
Note: All times from here on out are approximate, as your schedule will be dependent on the buses.
10 AM (ish): Explore Akrotiri
I say “ish” because, despite the myth that they run on GMT (Greek Maybe Time), the buses do run on a schedule…but that schedule is subject to change. Hence, my above “note.”
Tickets to the archaeological site alone are 12 euros. Or, you can get the combo ticket for 14 euros, which I suggest doing. If you also want to visit any of the museums on the island, the combo ticket will save you a few euros. I’m including one of them on the itinerary, so if you follow this plan, get the upgraded tickets.
You don’t need a ton of time at Akrotiri because the site is small, but it’ll be about an hour before the bus comes back. Might as well enjoy it!
Akrotiri Admission Info
- Hours:
- Wed-Mon 8:30 AM – 3:30 PM. Closed on Tuesdays.
- Go here for the full schedule.
- Ticket prices:
- €12 for just Akrotiri Archaeological site, or €14 for a combined ticket that gets you into all 4 of Santorini’s museums
Look how deep the city was buried below the ash!
11:30 AM: Explore Fira
From Akrotiri, get back on the bus and get off at Fira.
FYI: Fira is also called Thira depending on what alphabet is used; you will see both names, so don’t let this confuse you, they are the same thing. But to make things more confusing, “Thera” is the ancient name of the island. You will also see that, but it’s not referring to the town of Thira/Fira. Lol.
If you are here in the off-season, you don’t need much time in Fira – nothing is open until April. But it’s still fun to walk around the alleys and take pictures of the gorgeous view – because Fira is in the center of Santorini’s mainland, you can see both ends of the island from here!
I actually recommend visiting in the early spring, or even winter, as opposed to coming in the summer. It will make this one day in Santorini much more doable. We were there in March and were able to get around the island pretty easily. But one taxi driver told us that the normally 20-minute drive from Fira to Oia can take 1.5 hours during the summer because of the traffic. That kind of traffic would significantly limit what you can do in a day.
During the summer, the island also gets multiple cruise ships every day, each of which dumps thousands of visitors into the tiny streets of Fira. From what the locals told us, Santorini summers actually sound pretty miserable.
Make time to visit the Museum of Prehistoric Thera (especially if you got those special combo tickets), located near the Fira bus stop. It’s small, but it houses all of the original, beautiful frescoes that were taken from the Akrotiri site. It helps provide context to your Akrotiri visit and gives you a better idea of what the site would have looked like 4000+ years ago.
Akrotiri frescoes
12:30 PM: Head to Oia
From Fira, catch the bus to Oia (pronounced ee-ya, though I can’t help myself and always say oy-yah). The ride is a very scenic 30 minutes that travels along the mountainous spine of Santorini to the northernmost tip of the island.
You know those pictures of infinity pools hanging over the Mediterranean, or tan, bikini-clad models posing against sparkling white buildings? Yeah, those were taken in Oia. Oia is Santorini’s signature aesthetically pleasing village and one of the most instagrammable places in Santorini. This is where you will want to spend most of your time during your one day in Santorini.
Me, pretending to be an Instagram model
Like Fira, if you are here in the off-season, almost everything will be closed. But that doesn’t matter – you can spend hours wandering through the white-washed alleyways and not be bored at all. With eye candy everywhere you turn, you won’t want to leave!
Food tip: When we were here in March, there was only one (ONE!!!!) restaurant open, out of the hundreds that operate here in the summer. So….keep an eye out for that one restaurant when you get hungry for lunch!
The color actually has an official name: “Santorini Blue”
Related: Go diving in the Aegean from another Greek island, Paros !
6 PM: Head back to the airport
Maybe you’ll be luckier, but when we went the only flight back to Athens left Santorini at 7:30 PM – which means we didn’t have a chance to see the famous “Santorini sunset.” That’s one of the drawbacks of only having one day in Santorini.
The Santorini airport is tiny and only has flights in the morning and evening. That means that it closes in the afternoon and doesn’t open again until about 30 minutes before the first evening flight is scheduled to leave. So you don’t have to rush back to the airport, but you do have to remember that you will need two buses to get there: Oia to Fira, and Fira to the airport.
If you just can’t bear to leave Oia before seeing a Santorini sunset, you can always get a cab to the airport. Cabs charge at least 20 euros one way, as opposed to the 3 euro bus fare. You’ll be pushing your time if you take a taxi, as there aren’t THAT many cabbies in the off-season, but just know that that’s an option!
7:30 PM: Bye Santorini!
And with that, your one day in Santorini is already over! But it’s never too early to start planning your next trip back.
7:35 PM: Don’t be sad; start figuring out when you can visit Santorini again!
What to pack for one day in Santorini:
- Sunglasses
- Cash – Greece places an extremely high credit card tax on businesses, so while many places do accept them, business owners appreciate you paying in cash
- Light jacket – it can get quite windy on the island!
- Comfortable shoes – you’ll be doing lots of walking, and you don’t want your feet to wear out before you’re done exploring!
Have you ever been to Santorini? Did you have a YOLO experience, or did you think it wasn’t worth the hype? Let me know in the comments!
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Check out this post for 14 more things to do in Santorini!
This has been a bucket list item for awhile. Good to know it’s doable as a day trip. Did you find that it’s cheaper to go by plane vs. ferry/boat?
A one-way ferry trip is about 90 euros (much more than a round-trip flight), and takes 5 hours, so that wasn’t even an option for us doing a day-trip. Some people really want the ferry experience though, so if you have more time it’s worth looking into.
I so desperately want to go here but from the UK, the flights are super expensive. One day I will get to this beautiful village and take super photos of the white buildings during sunrise. One day. Fantastic post 🙂 Loving your photos 🙂
Santorini is on my bucket list. I want to take pictures of it all, especially Oia. I’ve heard they have the best sunsets. I find it crazy that nothing is open till April, that would make finding food a little more difficult, but it is nice to know Santorini can be done in a day!
Wow! What a whirlwind trip! I would be so nervous about flying in and out in one day!
I was too, but it actually worked surprisingly well! Probably because the Santorini airport is so tiny haha
Heading to Santorini for 10 days in May. Thanks for the tips. Can’t wait.
Have a great time!!
Santorini is definitely on my travel bucket list!! It looks so beautiful!
I love Santorini! I went there on a failed honeymoon and returned for a much better girl’s trip. I totally agree that their buses are the best mode of transport- those roads are way too close to the edge for me to even consider driving a motorbike or car! If you have the time, visiting ancient Fira (Thera) on the mountain top above Kamari is worth the view too. Thank you for sharing this- love those photos!
Next time I go, I’ll have to check out ancient Fira! Sounds fascinating!!
I agree with you, it’s worth getting up early sometimes to make the most of one’s opportunities to enjoy! Santorini looks definitely worth it, one of the most iconic places in the world. I’ve not seen so many photos of Akrotiri, and would definitely like to explore that alongside the whitewashed buildings of Fira and then Oia for those classic shots!
Great itinerary! Definitely useful for visiting Santorini! I would really like to go one day! Thanks for sharing 🙂
A day trip to Santorini – this is really a short trip. But you have seen a lot. I think I would rather stay longer on the island and discover it in peace.
Susanne
Beautiful photos! I think I would want to go for a longer period of time, but glad you enjoyed your short time there! Akrotiri especially intrigues me.
Thank you for the walk down memory lane. 😉 We sailed into Santorini on a sail, bike and hike adventure a number of years ago and loved it. Dinner watching the sunset was a highlight. As was waking up early in the morning and walking along the spine of the island, when the island and its narrow streets were quiet.
A “sail, hike, and bike” trip?! That sounds amazing!!
when I first time looked at a Santorini pic, I felt my breathe away… and said to myself “wow, wished to visit this city one day”. Fast forward years later, and next year I plan to visit Santorini along with girlfriend 🙂
You’re right about Santorini and Instagram, I keep on seeing it on my feed! But I can’t believe it can be that cheap if you plan it well in advance and maybe off the peak season. We’ll have to think about it!
So Santorini is made up of 3 places: Anrotiri, First, and Oia! Good to know! Thanks!
There’s actually more little towns on the island, those are just the big three! It’s kind of confusing haha
Thanks for the comment, i’m actually going to Greece by the end of the week so your guide will come in handy !
Great!! Have a WONDERFUL time!!
You managed to explore Santorini and nearby places in a day. Would you have liked to stay on for a couple of more days and luxuriate in the ‘Santorini blues’? I would personally prefer to stay.
If I could, I would definitely stay longer than a day. In fact, I hope to eventually go back and do just that! But that wasn’t an option on this trip, so we made the most of the few hours we had!
Santorini must indeed be a place that is the stuff of dreams. Of course, the white buildings and infinity pools and the mediterranean sea are now iconic, thanks to Instagram and other social media. But apart from this, I am fascinated with Akrotiri Archaeological Site, it is amazing that a city that dates back to 4000 BC is so well preserved.
Santorini was my first stop on my first trip abroad! It’s the place that ignited my love for travel. This piece just brought back all of those amazing feelings!
I went to Santorini 30 years ago and it doesn’t look like anything has changed. Except, we backpacked and it was affordable to do that. I didn’t know it is considered a luxury spot now. I guess it is so beautiful and unique, it isn’t surprising. Your recommendations were great. We rented mopeds and explored the island. We loved that.
We will do our best to avoid Santorini in the summer 🙂 Sounds dreadful. Packing lunch and going off season seems the best way to see the place. #weekendwanderlust
Santorini looks so dreamy! What a great itinerary! #WeekendWanderlust
Santorini is just beautiful. Happy that one could take a perfect day trip from Athens and would prefer to visit in off season too and I so hope to not miss that only one restaurant which would be open.. haha. The “Greek Maybe Time” is funny and I quite like it. I would love to spend more time exploring Fira and Oia, just looking at the scenery around and waters, listening to the tip around traffic. Did not know about the official color called Santorini Blue. Something new to learn everyday.
Santorini looks so gorgeous! It’s been on my wishlist for a while now. Great informative post and I love your photos.
Santorini is somewhere I definitely want to visit but would prefer to go there in the off season to avoid crowds the crowds. Would probably stay a few days. Crazy there was only one restaurant open!
Santorini looks beautiful! I’ve seen lots of photos of the white buildings, but I don’t think I’ve seen the museum or the Akrotiri Archaeological Site before. Definitely want to check those out when I get to go!
Akrotiri was probably my favorite part of our visit!
I’m glad to know that I can do Santorini in one day. A great resource that I’ve MapPosted for when I go.
I have been to Rhodes but Santorini is high on my list of places to go to soon, very helpful post which i have pinned for later
You are not kidding when you say it is a Instagram dream! The photos are breathtaking.
What a beautiful island. I can’t wait to see it for myself. Thanks for such a great, informative post. I learned a lot!
What months are better to go to Santorini and Mykonos off season when shops are open?
April and September are probably your best bets. I was there in March and all of the shops were supposedly going to open in a couple of weeks, but the cruises don’t get ramped up until May/June.