Santorini is an extremely unique and popular holiday destination. The beauty of this Greek island is often shown on social media. Influencers and photographers from all over the world travel to Oia to capture the famous sunset and take a picture in a wind dress with this beautiful blue dome background. Fira is another renowned village in Santorini which is extremely crowded during the peak season, May-September. Many tourists travel on fairies from other islands (about 17000 people) for a one-day trip. Even though there are many daily visitors Santorini should be on your travel bucket list so you can also experience its beauty. However, did you know that there is so much more to the islands other than these two popular destinations?
In this article, I would like to show you why you should pick different villages for your stay other than Oia and Fira. Especially if you like to have a peaceful holiday or travel with your children. So, let’s start from the beginning.
Is Santorini family-friendly?
The answer is short and simple ‘no’! The popular villages described above are full of stairs and tight sidewalks. It is hard to travel with a toddler because there are too many stairs for them to walk up and down and not be accidentally pushed by other tourists. Taking the stroller might be helpful but in certain areas, the stroller must be folded and carried. As mentioned earlier the island is overcrowded in Oia and Fira so when everyone is in a rush it’s hard to keep your toddler safe. I cannot imagine traveling with infants because, during the season on the island, the heat is extreme.
But what if I already booked the flights to Santorini and I’m traveling with babies?
Book your stay far away from the main villages! Let me introduce you to Vlychada a village that is based in the southern part of Santorini. It is family-friendly, very quiet, peaceful, and it’s full of polite people who are always happy to answer your questions.
Vlychada things to do:
- Watch the sunset from the Vlychada beach. No need to go to Oia because the sunset is as beautiful from the beach as it is from Oia village. It is not crowded at all so you can watch the sunset comfortably.
- Take the fun train from Vlychada to Perissa. The train was stopping at the port in Vlychada next to the sign shown in the picture below. The ticket costs 8 euros per adult and 5 euros per child (toddlers don’t pay)
- Take a bus from Vlychada to Fira. The bus stops between the Taverna Dimitris and Porto Villa hotel. The sign is hard to read but it looks like this picture below.
The bus costs 2.50 euros to Fira and 2 euros from Fira to Oia. The buses don’t drive too often, so you need to make sure that you plan your trip wisely and don’t miss the last bus. (Below are the links to the bus schedule.)
- Visit the mini market based next to the port, next to the Fisherman’s House restaurant.
- Visit the Tomato Industrial Museum and learn how tomato paste was made in the past in Santorini
Santorini, Vlychada restaurants that we have dined at:
Suzi’s
We (together with my husband) dined at Suzi’s probably about four times. The staff was polite and hospitable. The food was delicious. We recommend trying the steamed mussels and lobster spaghetti.
Taverna Dimitris
Another favorite restaurant that we visited three times. The owner of the restaurant also owns a hotel that is located behind the restaurant and a place that we stayed at (Family Villages).
Here are the links to the hotel
Link to the restaurant:
Meroula
Very polite staff and delicious side dishes. We loved the tzatziki and steamed mussels. There is also a hotel with a pool next to the restaurant.
Fisherman’s House
We loved the fried octopus unfortunately the rest of the food was average. The shrimp we ordered were overcooked therefore, the meat didn’t come off easily from the shell.
To Psorak (Do not recommend)
We have also dined at the famous and recommended by many to Psorak unfortunately we don’t personally recommend it. The food wasn’t that great, and the staff was quite grumpy when serving people.
Perissa - the perfect spot for shopping, tanning, and dining
If you are looking for a cute village that is full of restaurants, mini markets, and a beach where you can tan and have a cocktail, Perissa is the place to be! It is a little more expensive than Vlychada, however, there is so much more choice when it comes to shopping and dining.
Is Santorini overrated or overcrowded?
Going back to our main question! Santorini is definitely worth visiting. However, it's so much more peacefull if you book your stay far away from the main villages. The other villages are not overcrowded at all and you can really have a lovely time when travelling solo or with your family.
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