Santorini in Winter – Wander Without the Crowds

WINTER IN SANTORINI

Santorini in Winter was all we expected and more … We’d heard that Santorini was something not to be missed; that it was breathtaking and a bucket list destination.

It not only lived up to our expectations, but because it was winter, we had this beautiful island almost to ourselves. 

It was December, and we were on our Campervan Europe Trip and were on our Greece Road Trip.

As we were so close to the many Greek Islands, we decided to take a trip to the one we had heard so much about, Santorini.

THE BENEFITS OF SANTORINI IN WINTER

There are plenty of reasons to visit Greece, but if you want to visit Santorini for swimming and to sunbathe at its beautiful beaches and are looking for great nightlife, then a winter visit isn’t for you. The weather is not guaranteed to be warm in winter and the nightclubs are closed.

If you are not concerned about those things, however, then read on for all the reasons Santorini in winter is fabulous.

WINTER WEATHER IN SANTORINI

The average temperature in the winter months in Santorini ranges from a low of 10 to a high of 15 degrees C with the highest rainfall is in December.

We were in Santorini for five days at the beginning of December and were lucky to have only one day of rain. The temperature also reached 18 degrees on two of our five days.

Go here for more information on Santorini’s weather.

DOES SANTORINI SHUT DOWN IN WINTER?

In wintertime in Santorini, the nightclubs are closed as well as some restaurants and hotels.

However, due to the overcrowding of the island in Summer, more tourists are choosing to visit Santorini in Winter.

As a result, more Santorini restaurants and hotels are remaining open to cater for the change.

WINTER TRANSPORT IN SANTORINI

The main bus system is run by KTel and each route runs directly from Fira, the capital of Santorini. To get to each town on the island you need to depart from Fira each time.

We wanted the flexibility to explore the island in our own time and were able to hire a rental car for 25 Euro/day.

 Hiring a small car, gave us the opportunity to see the furthest parts of the island and made the trip so much easier.

A three-day hire was the perfect amount of time for our five-day trip.

It was a wise decision to leave the campervan behind, as our plan to tackle the little out-of-the-way places with their tight access ways, definitely required a small vehicle.

MAP OF SANTORINI AND THE PLACES TO VISIT.

THINGS TO DO IN SANTORINI IN WINTER

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1. EXPLORE IMEROVIGLI

The beautiful hotel ‘Heliotopos’, that we stayed in, was situated on the cliffs in the town of Imerovigli. It had superb panoramic coastal views both to the north and south.

The hospitality and the quality of homemade food were second to none, which certainly set the mood for our December visit to Santorini.

If you do not have a hire car, it would probably be more convenient for you to stay at a hotel located in Fira so that you have easy access to the local buses. Imerovigli is about half an hour’s walk from Fira.

Imerovigli is the most elevated town on the western side of the island, along the Caldera, (Caldera means crater). There are plenty of paths, alleys and stairwells to explore in this area with beautiful views along the coast.

2. EXPLORE SKAROS ROCK

Skaros Rock, a rocky protruding headland that used to be the medieval capital of Santorini, was walking distance from our hotel at Imerovigli.

It was an easy downhill descent to ‘the Rock’. However, remember to keep enough fuel in the tank for the steep ascent on the way back.

The medieval town of Skaros was built around Skaros Rock and it used to be densely populated. However, due to earthquakes the people gradually drifted away to take up residence in Fira, the current capital of Santorini.

We walked to the far side of the rock and we were pleasantly surprised to find a remote chapel. The Chapel of Panagia Theoskepasti faces the horizon and is tucked completely out of sight from the mainland.

3. VISIT OIA

On the day we drove to the renowned town of Oia, the sun shone and it was a perfect 18 degrees C.

To walk among the picture-postcard iconic blue and white buildings of Oia that we had seen in so many magazines and online was surreal, especially given that they were missing the crowds.

It was captivating wandering through the winding walkways, all the time surrounded by vivid whitewashed limestone buildings with their bright blue trappings.

During our walk around the many winding pathways of Oia, we heard a raised voice and the clacking of hooves.

Eager to investigate, we rounded the next bend and saw about ten donkeys ascending the paved steps. They were loaded heavily with stones for the nearby building works.

Donkeys were definitely the preferred mode of transport for these steep cliff pathways as there was no way a motor vehicle could fit. Over the next few days, we realised that it was common to see a procession of these untethered loaded donkeys, each following the next in single file, on their way to a job site.

4. VISIT ATLANTIS BOOKSTORE IN OIA

Atlantis Books was listed on the number one spot of the National Geographic top bookstores in its book Destinations of a Lifetime.

Entering this cave-like store, you can smell the musty history of the precious treasures within. If you love reading and getting lost in the shelves of quirky bookstores this is the place for you.

5.  SEARCH FOR SANTORINI’S HIDDEN GEOCACHES

Geocaching is great to do while travelling, as the hidden spots are often in places that the locals know about but aren’t advertised as tourist spots.

One of our geocache locations took us to an old abandoned school built into a hill at Vothonos. Surprisingly there were still the old school tables and chairs in place.

6. PYRGOS

Pyrgos is about 7km from the capital Fira and has the meandering cobbled laneways and steep steps that are so representative of Santorini. 

At the highest point on Pyrgos, you’ll find the ruins of the castle, destroyed by an earthquake in 1956. From here you can enjoy uninterrupted views across to Fira and Oia.

7. PERISSA BEACH

Take a walk along the dark volcanic sands of Perissa Beach and watch the sunset turn the rocks to gold.

8. MESO VOUNO MOUNTAIN

Head up the winding drive to stop near the top of Mesa Vouno Mountain. This is where the Ancient Thera ruins are found. From here, you have fantastic views of Kamari Beach.

9. VISIT AKROTIRI LIGHTHOUSE

You’ll find the pretty Akrotiri Lighthouse at the southernmost tip of Santorini. It was a picturesque scene. The land fronting the lighthouse gently falls away into the sea and the nearby hills stand watch from above.

Here great views of the island’s western coastline and headlands could be seen, accentuated by the townships of whitewashed buildings along the cliffs.

GOOD TO KNOW For Winter in Santorini

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CAMPERVAN PARKING

We researched the suitability of the island for motorhomes and it didn’t look particularly suitable. Also, it was cheaper for us to fly and leave the motorhome in Athens with Megaparking. 

We left the van near Athens airport in Megaparking and booked online via Parkcloud.

SANTORINI CAR HIRE

Car Rental: We rented a small run around

SANTORINI ACCOMMODATION

For more hotel deals in Santorini check out Booking.com here.

Santorini in Winter … That’s a Wrap

All too soon, our five-day, wonderful winter visit to Santorini drew to a close. It was nice to have a small hiatus from the camper but to be honest, we were quite looking forward to getting back to our home on wheels. It certainly feels like ‘home’, even though it is rarely in the same place for more than a few days on our road-tripping adventures.

We’d love to hear your thoughts on Santorini or any tips you may have when visiting.

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