Where to stay in Santorini

We like Oia.

Frankly, we hated Fira. The worst place I've ever stayed in Europe.

During the day, both Fira and Oia are very busy, but the difference comes at night. Oia returns to being a quiet Greek village (OK, with many tourist amenities) while Fira turns into a Greek version of Ibiza with the beat going all night and English and German teenagers racing scooters and puking on the sidewalk. To me, Fira / Firostefani / Imerovigli is all one big conurbation.

From Oia, we also loved the walk down to Ammoudi Bay, eating at the seafood restaurants along the water there, and swimming out to the rock.

Check out Hotel Aethrio. We loved it. https://www.aethrio.gr/

Cosmopolitan Suites is a lovely place to stay in Fira . Top notch staff and lodgings.

darrenbois, most people say Fira is a good place to stay, is it really that bad?

We currently have two reservations and I really need to cancel one soon out of fairness, although we aren't going until October.

We have one in Fira and the other in Firostefani. Do you have an opinion on Firostefani.

Oia isn't an option for us, too crowded and too "Instagramy" so to speak.

I did look at your hotel, but it doesn't appear to have caldera and sunset views, is that correct? They are vital for us.

We booked Lithies Traditional Homes in Firostefani for June based on their 5 star reviews and gorgeous caldera views. The owners have been very responsive to my email inquires.

I have been to Santorini at least 7 x... once on my first visit, the other times because of travel companions for whom it was a "must-see." I"ve managed to avoid the worst scenes (OIA from 10am - 5pm, and 7PM - 9, FIra during midday crush), and enjoy the best experiences through strategy. Research helps, folks, and by that I mean reliable guidebooks, not youtube Eye Candy. Here's what I've learned:
• FIROSTEPHANI has many rimside hotels with fab caldera views from balconies or terraces, at much lower rates than OIA. Plus, you don't have massive crowds all day peeking onto your balcony and crowding up all nearby cafes. PLUS, it's an easy 15 minute stroll down rimside path to selected Fira attractions (Museum, cathedral, nightlife)... and walking back you neednt go uphill... there's a "hidden walkway" paralleling the N-S main road, which is level & flagstoned... locals push their baby carriages on it). Tho its near Fira, it's overlooked by cruise crowds or package tours -- their busses whizz right by. Thus, its cafes and hotel terraces etc are serene by day AND night.
• OIA is beautiful to see -- IF you can avoid the insanity of cruise mobs that jampack the lanes from 9:45 on, most weekdays, and again, cramming the pathways for a hyperpromoted "best sunset". How you do it is get an 8 am bus from Fira OR splurge for taxi, to get there by 8:30 or so, enjoy strolling its lanes, taking photos, going up to castle... then when armies invade, you jump on bus and go to Fira for the museum... Cruise crowds seldom care about it they're too busy buying jewelry.
• FIRA does have some places with good caldera views, and insulation from crowds., Just be very careful that accommodations are not far down on the actual cliffside, so that you must clilmb many many dizzying steps just to reach the clifftop level.
• IIMERVOGLI Is justly praised for lovely views, away from crowds ... the only drawback is that it's away, period. Fewer tavernas or cafes or shops, you must walk to OIA (see above) or bus or taxi to anywhere else, unless you rent a car, then there's the problem of where to park, when you reach Fira or Oia.

Oia isn't an option for us, too crowded

Then you're not going to like Fira. 10x worse. Oia is crowded, during the day if a cruise ship is in, but nearly empty in the evenings (at least in June when we stayed there). So just go to a beach or down to Ammoudi Bay when the cruise ship is in.

Firostefani, we have not stayed in, but just driving through we could not tell where one ended and the other started. Its all "Fira" to us.

I did look at your hotel, but it doesn't appear to have caldera and sunset views, is that correct?

The first thing to know is that sunset and caldera are two different directions, at least in Oia. You can't have both. The caldera is south, the sunset (like everywhere) is west.

Hotel Aethrio is NOT on the caldera, but that's a good thing; it means you get twice the hotel at half the price. It DOES have sunset view. We had a room with a balcony which had a beautiful sunset view every night (again, at least in June). I wish we could link pictures here but our sunset view from the Aethrio is my cellphone wallpaper. Its just beautiful.

darren just drives North through Firostephani on the main N-S road & doesn't stop -- that's the beauty part! Just keep goin, darren! All the beauty, and the views, and the tranquililty, are to the left, to the west, by the foothpath, where the hotels, and the tavernas face the view and the sunset ... The crowds just zip by, on their way to Oia ... while we sit serenely, by the rimside wall, sipping our wine, reading a book, having a (inexpensive) snack ... bye bye darren.... yes, tell all your friends "it's just like Fira" ... tell them to hurry to OIA so you can see "the world's best sunset" (standingroom along the wall for an hour).

OK Janet.

Cosmopolitan Suites is on the caldera, no walking down stairs and beautiful sunsets. Oia is for sunsets . Lots of regular places have left Oia. Even the best bookstore is in Fira now. The Archeological Museum isn’t to be missed even if you can’t make it to Akratori.
I know people who go to Greece all the time & say how special Santorini is. Maybe not a great cruise stop, but it may depend on the cruise line. Never been there on a cruise.

Plan to size up your budget for this special place.

Janet, you have cheered me up. We are booked into Firostefani and were so looking forward to it, but Darren's posts re Fira were depressing.

We aren't going until October, so hopefully the worst of the crowds will have died down. It doesn't matter if the weather is cooler, we'll be coming home to an Australian summer, so don't need hot weather.

Oia is crowded, during the day if a cruise ship is in, but nearly empty in the evenings

This was our experience as well. Use the crowded daytimes to walk down the (very aggressive) steps to Ammoudi Bay -or take a shuttle- and catch a caldera catamaran cruise. They will feed you a great picnic dinner, you can swim in the beautiful water, watch the sunset, and return to a magical night free of crowds and have a nightcap with a sparkling caldera view.

Another daytime escape? Hire a private guide to take you to other sites on the island. Akrotiri, the lighthouse, just wander the charming small villages. Or take the hike from Oia to Fira and the bus back stopping at an authentic village for a spritz to celebrate. You are not stuck where you choose to have your hotel!

hey hey all
can't help you on places/hotels to stay in, we were on a cruise several years ago. it was crazy and so busy/crowded.
cruisemapper.com
click on ports, what port you're looking at, months 2025 and look at days ships are in port. click ship to see how many passengers are onboard. look at the hours they are in port, will be packed if ships leave around same time. we had 5 ships the day we were there, it's tendered, then either cable car, walk up stairs or ride donkeys up (watch out for slippery donkey poo). unless you are on a ship paid excursion, you're let off somewhere else. a free for all from getting off ship and up above caldera and walking, running, pushing/shoving. we decided to walk to left side and up/down small alleys for views, hole in the wall family restaurant overlooking caldera with gorgeous sunset & yummy food, shopping thru busy shops (my crazy friend bought BIG pottery vase & had shipped back to states :) 4 months later she received it.
have a fabulous stay and enjoy the beauty, just be prepared.
aloha