What to Do in Santorini 3 Days
Are you wondering what to do in Santorini in 3 days? I LOVED Santorini and I’m so excited for you to experience this magical Greek island! I spent about four days in Santorini end of May and it was perfection! The focus on this post is 3 days because I think that’s the minimum needed to really see and experience this beautiful island!
Here is an itinerary of what to do in Santorini in 3 days and a few extra suggestions so you can really tailor your trip for you!
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When to Go to Santorini
What to do in Santorini in your 3 days there will very much be impacted by when you go. I always recommend shoulder seasons for most destinations. It allows you to visit a place like Santorini, where the weather will still be beautiful but there will be way less crowds! So I recommend April, May, September or October as a great time to visit Santorini. I go into more examples as to why on my Greece Travel Tips post, but less crowds and lower prices are the main reasons! High season is June through August, so you will get more crowds and higher prices during those months.
I recommend April, May, September or October as a great time to visit Santorini.
If you can’t visit during shoulder months, either be prepared for more people on the island or visit a less touristy Greek Island and save Santorini for another time.
Three Days in Santorini
Three days in this beautiful Greek Island is enough to really experience Santorini! You can add a day or two if you to explore at a more relaxed pace, but Santorini in three days is great! I’m more of a traveler than vacationer so there was not an entire day where I relaxed. However, I did get some relaxing on a beach in and plenty of exploring!
Day 1 | What to Do in Santorini 3 Days
Morning | Explore Oia
Chances are the images that sparked your interest of Greece were likely from Santorini! And the images of Santorini are probably from Oia (pronounced ee-uh). So it seems fitting to start in dreamy Oia!
Head here in the morning, if you aren’t staying in Oia to wander around the shops. Be sure to grab breakfast or lunch and enjoy it with an unbeatable view! Don’t forget to take some photos! This is, after all, one of the most picturesque views in all of Greece!
Afternoon | Explore the Island on an ATV
During my trip, my friend and I rented ATV’s to explore the island on our own and I LOVED it! Originally I had wanted to rent a scooter, but you need a motorcycle license. I completely agree with that rule after driving around Santorini! So the ATV is what we ended up choosing and enjoyed driving around the island!
If you are going during a busy time or simply don’t want to drive around on your own, you can book an ATV tour! Overall, navigating Santorini was a breeze, except for the one main from into Oia. I was good and enjoying the breathtaking view, but my friend didn’t enjoy it. There were guardrails and areas to pull over, which we did any time cars were behind us. However, if you’re afraid of heights, you will not like this road, but the good news is you can avoid it!
The tour starts from Perissa Beach (black sand beach in Santorini), and explores that area of the island. This means you don’t go on the road I mentioned above! So whether you choose to rent and explore on your own, this is a fun way to see Santorini’s sights!
Book the Santorini ATV-Quad Experience Tour + Transportation
Evening | Magical Oia Sunset
What to do in Santorini with three days is to absolutely catch three sunsets! There is something about chasing sunsets when I travel that I love, but Santorini is magic! Head back to Oia for your first night to catch the sunset! You won’t be alone watching it, but it’s magical even among strangers.
Depending on the time of year and the sunset, grab dinner before or after in Oia. There are tons of options and plenty with a view! However, if you want dinner with a sunset view, checkout Beefbar Santorini.
Day 2 | What to Do in Santorini 3 Days
Morning | Red Beach and Akrotiri
Santorini doesn’t have the typical white sand beaches, but they do have dramatically beautiful beaches! Red Beach is one and you can easily get to the viewpoint of Red Beach. There are tours that will give you a view of this stunning beach from a boat, but if you don’t have a tour planned, be sure to include a stop here!
If you are interested in archeology, then you will enjoy Akrotiri! It is believed this civilization collapsed after the volcano erupted and they date this area as far back as 4,000 B.C.!
If you aren’t interested in Akrotiri, consider a horseback riding tour in this area!
Book the Akrotiri: Guided Horseback Riding Day Trip to a Beach
Afternoon | Relax at a Black Sand Beach
Spend an afternoon relaxing on one of Santorini’s Black Sand Beaches, Perissa or Perivolos. You can pick a restaurant with lounge chairs and eat lunch relaxing and taking in the Santorini sea views!
Evening | Explore Fira
Explore the capital of Santorini, Fira. Visit the Museum of Prehistoric Thera. Be sure to enjoy some viewpoints from here! If you’re up for a hike, consider the hike from Fira to Oia! Even if you don’t do the whole hike, you can enjoy the views and experience for some of it!
While in Fira, you can grab dinner to keep your evening more relaxed. However, if you are wanting to maximize every sunset, consider a sunset cruise! Just be sure to choose the sunset option!
Day 3 | What to Do in Santorini 3 Days
Morning | Caldera Cruise
The caldera is begging to be appreciated from a boat! The views are amazing and a boat tour is really one of those must do tours for your first time in Santorini. Since it’s such a popular experience, you will have budget friendly choices up to more luxury options.
I did the tour that included the volcano and hot springs. The tour stops at the volcano and you walk to the top! From there, you stop at the hot springs and then Thirassia. The boat is large so it never felt crowded on the tour I did. I was in Santorini with a friend and our tour felt more for friends and families traveling.
If you want a more exclusive, chill and romantic experience, go with the Luxury option! From what I can tell, they only pass by the volcano, but do stop at the hot springs. They also make other swimming stops including Red Beach and a stop near White Beach!
Book the Santorini Caldera Cruise Tour (Volcano, Hot Springs, Thirassia)
Book the Santorini Luxury Caldera Cruise with Full Greek Meal and Sunset
Afternoon | Amoudi Bay & Cliff Jump
Once you return from your tour, head to Amoudi Bay, but keep your swimsuit on if you fancy a cliff jump! Walk passed all the seafood restaurants in Amoudi Bay. Eventually the path stops, and now you are navigating rocks (at least that was the case for me when I was there). Eventually the path reappears and you may walk by some local kids jumping from a real cliff. Continue on until it dead ends.
The little island across the bay is the goal.Tourists around gave me some quick tips about where to swim and what to expect. If no one is around, you will want to swim to the left side of the island (if facing it). I consider the water temperature here cold basically year round, but you might have a differing opinion. I found the swim to be easy, even though it was choppy when I did the swim, the current was almost non-existent.
When you get to the island, there is a rope ladder to climb and eventually steps. The ground is beautifully decorated, but it was hard on my “no longer used to being barefoot” feet. Once on the platform, take in the sights before you make the jump.
This cliff is essentially prepared for us tourists looking for a thrilling moment. Having the area all dolled up does diminish some of the excitement, but it’s a memory worth having if you are the cliff jumping type!
Evening | Dinner at Amoudi Bay
Amoudi Bay is adorable! Dinner, or at least one meal here is a must! If you’ve seen Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, then you’ve seen Amoudi Bay! You can enjoy your meal right by the water and of course, seafood is the main type of restaurant here!
This is not really a sunset viewing spot, but that doesn’t mean it wouldn’t be a nice atmosphere at sunset! You could walk up to Oia to catch the sunset if you’d like. However, be warned it’s a trek UP to Oia.
More Ideas | What to Do in Santorini 3 Days
Fira to Oia Hike
If you’re up for it, consider doing the Fira to Oia hike on the morning of Day 1 or Day 3. I never did the whole hike, but the part I did was beautiful! If you like being active, this is definitely something to add to your three days in Santorini.
Visit a Winery
Wine enthusiasts might want to add a visit to a local winery, perhaps replacing the ATV tour on Day 1. Or you can add a wine adventure to one of your sunsets!
Book the Santorini Wine Adventure with 12 Wine Tastings, Tapas and Sunset
Walk to White Beach
I’m said I missed the epic sights of White Beach on my trip. I didn’t know you could get here on foot when I went and I don’t think the tour I did drove by. Or at least if it did, I missed it.
However, you can walk to this dramatic beach and it will likely have less people! If I ever make it back to Santorini, this will be on my list!
More Beach Time
For those interested in more beach time, you could spend more of Day 2 of your Santorini itinerary at different beaches instead of visiting Akrotiri. There are two Black Sand Beaches with restaurants and lounge chairs. Perissa Beach or Perivolos Beach. Another one to consider is Kamari Beach. Red Beach would be a beautiful and dramatic beach to spend a couple hours and of course, you could elect to visit White Beach as mentioned above.
Skaros Rock
If you enjoy hiking, consider Skaros Rock. The trail can be steep and narrow in places. Proper footwear and caution are advised. The hike is considered moderate to challenging, but offers panoramic views of the caldera, surrounding islands, and stunning sunsets!
Island Tours | More Days for Relaxing
Maybe you’re looking for a little less of what to do in Santorini over 3 days? If you want more time to relax, the below tours can pack a punch. Santorini can be a romantic destination, so you might not want to fill your three day Santorini itinerary to its fullest.
While this island isn’t large, it has plenty to offer. To give yourself more downtime, you can book a tour that allows you to see a lot in a shorter amount of time. This way you can relax more but still get to see this magical island!
Book the Santorini: Private Customizable Car Tour with a Local Guide
Book the 6-Hour Private Best of Santorini Experience
Weather in Santorini
The weather in Santorini follows a typical, but loose four seasons, with the cooler months being mild. July and August are the hottest (and most crowded)! This is when Europe is looking for a beach vacation!
The weather still had cooler mornings and evenings (by my standards) end of May when I was there, but warmed up beautifully during the day. It did rain, but never lasted long and overall made little impact on my time in Santorini. Spring in general is a good time to visit, but the earlier you arrive, the less restaurants and shops might be open. This is because people leave during Winter before returning to the island for tourist season.
Winter here is mild, but only the true locals are in Santorini during the winter. So if you visit in the winter, a more authentic Santorini experience will be had but a lot of experiences won’t be available during this time.
Similar to Spring, Fall is a good time to visit. I highly recommend the shoulder seasons for less crowds, pleasant weather, and cheaper accommodations!
Spring (March to May):
- Average Temperature range: 54°F to 72°F (12°C to 22°C)
- Mild and pleasant weather
- Occasional rain showers
- Sea temperature: 59°F to 66°F (15°C to 19°C)
Summer (June to August):
- Average Temperature range: 70°F to 84°F (21°C to 29°C)
- Hot and dry weather
- Very little rainfall
- Sea temperature: 73°F to 77°F (23°C to 25°C)
Fall (September to November):
- Average Temperature range: 59°F to 77°F (15°C to 25°C)
- Warm and pleasant weather
- Some rainfall, especially in late fall
- Sea temperature: 68°F to 75°F (20°C to 24°C)
Winter (December to February):
- Average Temperature range: 50°F to 59°F (10°C to 15°C)
- Mild but can be chilly and windy
- Most rainfall of the year
- Sea temperature: 59°F to 61°F (15°C to 16°C)
How to Get Around
It’s a small island, so you can rely on taxis or utilize the public transport. Taxis won’t be cheap, but they are very convenient and you won’t have to wait for the bus.
For ultimate freedom, rent a car or ATV and explore the island at your own pace! If you do tours, most offer hotel pickup so on those days, there is little concern on how to get around. I relied on the ATV rental and tours to get around. To and from the airport, I booked a taxi or organized a ride through my accommodation.
Santorini Versus Mykonos
Is Mykonos or Santorini better? This can be highly debated, but I’ve been to both and I have a strong opinion that Santorini should NOT be missed! It’s unrivaled in its magic and views!
That is not to say Mykonos is bad or should not be visited. And both islands can get crazy crowded during high season, which is why I recommend the shoulder months. When places are super crowded it really puts a damper on the experience, at least to me.
Santorini is just so special and unmatched! I did a video on this topic of Santorini vs Mykonos, and while I loved my time in Mykonos, it’s just not comparable to magical Santorini!
Where to Stay in Santorini Greece
There are plenty of options for your 3 days in Santorini! Shoulder season is the best time to visit to get good deals on accommodations. I went with a friend and stayed in the southern part of the island a block from Perivolos Beach. If you are coming with a significant other, definitely stay in Oia for the romantic Santorini vibes!
With a View
Near a Beach
Rooms Under $100 per Night
*Prices are based on mid-September
Solo Budget Options
Space for a Family of Four
What to Do in Santorini | 3 Day Itinerary
I hope you now have a plan for what to do in Santorini for 3 days! This itinerary is packed, but you can adjust it to meet your preferences! Santorini is magical from every vantage point, so I highly recommend at least one boat tour during your time in Santorini, but if you want more time to simply relax you can take out portions of this plan to accommodate.
There are places that don’t meet expectations, but I can’t imagine Santorini not meeting them! Though crazy large crowds could put a damper on your trip, so try to avoid high season (July and August) if you don’t like crowds.
I’m so excited for you to experience Santorini! Have the best trip to this magical Greek Island!
