How to Plan an Unforgettable Honeymoon in Santorini: The Most Romantic Guide
A honeymoon in Santorini is the best way to start your married life!
Why?
Let us paint the scene: The sun is setting, spraying rays of pink, orange, and purple on the whitewashed buildings hanging from the caldera while you and your significant other sip on local wine and take in the view. Magical, right?
That’s what a honeymoon in Santorini is all about! But how can you organize the perfect honeymoon in Santorini and enjoy everything this magnificent island offers? Keep reading to find out everything you need to know!
1) Find where to stay on your honeymoon in Santorini
Santorini’s breathtaking volcanic landscape is the perfect backdrop for your honeymoon! The island has many picturesque villages with luxurious hotels overlooking the vast Aegean Sea and the dramatic caldera. Oia, Fira, and Imerovigli are arguably the most popular, thanks to their panoramic sunset views and opulent accommodations but overflow with international tourists during the peak season, which lasts from June until August.
If watching the sunset with hundreds of other sunset seekers isn’t your definition of a romantic honeymoon experience, then you can choose a luxury hotel in Mesaria, Pyrgos, or Firostefani, which are significantly quieter. Having a serene village as your base, you can explore the island and enjoy quality time with your partner away from the hustle and bustle, getting the best of both worlds!
2) Choose the perfect season for your honeymoon
Santorini is a top-rated destination for a summer vacation, so millions of travelers visit this scenic island during the busy peak season. However, summer is not necessarily the best time for a honeymoon in Santorini! Shoulder season (spring and fall) is an amazing alternative, as the weather is still good but the crowds are thinner, allowing you to explore the island at your own pace and discover Santorini off the beaten path.
Although summer is ideal for swimming, sunbathing, and sunset cruises around the island, spring and fall are great for sightseeing, nature exploration, and cultural immersion. So, if you’re contemplating what season is best for your Santorini honeymoon, consider other options, besides summer!
3) Decide if you’ll travel by plane or ferry
You can reach Santorini island by ferry or plane, so depending on your departure point and itinerary, you can decide which of the two options serves you.
Traveling to Santorini by boat
You can travel to Santorini by boat from Piraeus or Rafina port in Athens. The journey from Piraeus to Santorini takes 4-10 hours, depending on the type of ferry you choose (high-speed or conventional). The journey from Rafina port to Santorini lasts 5 hours, as it is only served by high-speed ferries, which are faster than the conventional ones. As for the ferry schedules, they are more frequent during the summer months and less frequent during the rest of the year.
Traveling to Santorini by plane
There are regular flights from Athens to Santorini throughout the year, but their frequency increases during the tourist season, which lasts from late spring to early fall. A flight from Athens to Santorini lasts just 50 minutes, and it’s even shorter if you travel to Santorini by plane from another island of the Cyclades island group, like Mykonos.
4) Plan romantic things to do on your Santorini honeymoon
How can you enjoy your honeymoon in Santorini without romantic activities? Santorini has so much to offer in terms of experiences that you and your partner will create memories you’ll never forget. So, what are the most romantic activities you should do during your honeymoon in Santorini?
Watch the mind-blowing sunset
If there’s one thing Santorini is known for, it’s its marvelous sunset. Watching the sun melting into the horizon line, painting the sky, and the whitewashed cliff-hanging buildings with pink, orange, and purple hues is one of the most breathtaking spectacles you’ll ever experience! The most popular spots for sunset-watching are Oia, Fira, and Imerovigli, but if you want to skip the crowds, opt for Pyrgos or Profitis Ilias Monastery.
Walk on the volcano craters
The volcano destroyed Santorini millions of years ago, dividing the originally round island into smaller ones. Today, you can visit the active volcano and walk on its craters on Nea Kameni island, which you can reach by boat from Santorini. This island will take your breath away with its lunar scenery and ethereal beauty!
Tour the vineyards and do wine-tasting
Santorini is famous for its winemaking tradition! The island’s mineral-rich soil produces excellent local wine varieties, including Assyrtiko, Athiri, and Aidani, which you can taste at Santorini’s wineries. Most wineries offer private tours of the vineyards and wine-tasting sessions, so make sure to book one for you and your significant other!
Go on a sunset cruise around the caldera
If you want to watch the sunset away from the crowds and take in Santorini’s breathtaking scenery from the sea, booking a sunset cruise around the caldera is your best bet! Most sunset cruises in Santorini start from Ammoudi Bay or Vlychada and stop at Thirassia Islet, Nea Kameni Islet, and the hot springs. Then, they sail around the caldera, allowing you to marvel at unbeatable sunset views from the sea. It’s an otherworldly experience!
Book a photoshoot
Stunning photos with a backdrop of whitewashed blue-domed churches, the sunset, and the caldera? Yes, please! Gorgeous photos taken by a professional photographer are the best memorabilia you can have from your honeymoon in Santorini, so consider booking a romantic photoshoot before your trip!
Visit Santorini’s volcanic beaches
Thanks to the island’s volcanic landscape, the beaches in Santorini boast an otherworldly lunar scenery that will mesmerize you! So, one of the most romantic things to do during your honeymoon in Santorini is to visit volcanic beaches, like Kamari, Perissa, Red Beach, and White Beach, dip in the water, and soak up the sun.
Have a romantic dinner with a view
Can you think of anything more romantic than a candlelight dinner with a view of the dramatic caldera? Well, this is arguably one of the most romantic things you can do during your honeymoon in Santorini! The island has many luxury restaurants with caldera views, where you can savor local delicacies and make a toast to spending a lifetime together.
A honeymoon in Santorini is the best way to kickstart your married life in a world full of lunar beaches, otherworldly sunsets, breathtaking views, and luxury. So, are you ready to embark on an utterly romantic trip to one of the most magical islands in the world?
