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TL;DR:
Santorini is a volcanic island shaped as much by geology as by human adaptation, something that got forgotten in the new age of visuals-only.
Its dramatic caldera cliffs, whitewashed villages and layered history are the result of living with scarcity, wind and lava for centuries.
Beyond the postcard views, Santorini is an unlikely agricultural island with deep-rooted traditions, from dry-farmed tomatoes and fava to distinctive wines grown in basket-shaped vines that protect grapes from the elements.
Life here moves according to daylight conditions, weather and season. Mornings belong to locals and quiet walks, afternoons slow down and evenings gather people around food, views and conversation.
The island carries traces of Ancient Thera, Akrotiri’s Bronze Age city, Venetian rule and modern tourism, all coexisting in a surprisingly compact space.
Santorini rewards visitors who pace themselves. When approached calmly and with local context, it reveals a grounded, human island beneath the global icon and an inspiring story of resilience and grit.
💸 Currency
EUR (€)
😋 Local dish & where
Santorini fava at Metaxi Mas
Tomatokeftedes at The Good Heart
White eggplant at Anogi
💬 Languages
Greek & English is widely spoken
☀️ Best season
During the shoulder seasons, late April to early June and September to October. Without peak-season pressure or crowds.
🚌 Getting around
Public buses connect key towns like Fira, Oia, Kamari and Perissa, with most routes passing through Fira. Tickets are bought in cash onboard. Renting a car, ATV or scooter is popular if you want more freedom. Taxis (Aegean Taxi) and private transfers are available but limited and best booked ahead.
📍Megalochori
Megalochori is a different type of Santorini settlement from the caldera-facing ones, built inland to withstand rain floods and pirate raids in the past.
That’s why its main street is actually called ‘Potamos’ (a ‘river’) and its grid flows with the landscape instead of defying it. Its oldest cave houses go back to 1700s or even late 1600s.
It feels lived-in rather than staged, with everyday life unfolding between churches, cafés and vineyards.
👄 Musts:
Yannis & his wife will bring you in the wonderful world of Homeric-era instruments & medical herb garden inside a revived old winery.
👟 Walk the alleyways
Don’t be afraid to take a wrong turn, take all of them, repeatedly! That’s where the village finally reveals itself.
Authentic Cycladic cuisine, a beloved local spot with a mix of local and Cretan cuisine, real farmer’s pie and sausages, fresh farm to table veggies supporting the local produce and outdoor seating inside centuries-old wine barrels.
Tomato fritters, Santorini fava, white eggplant
Slow village exploration, lava stone sculpting, Nomikos Farm
🍷 Wine tasting with a local host
Skip the walk-in tasting bar. Arrange a guided visit with a local host who explains volcanic soils, basket vines and why Santorini wines taste the way they do. Context changes everything.
🌾 Local food history, in season
Visit Nomikos Farm in summer, or the Tomato Industrial Museum of Santorini to understand how volcanic farming shaped the island.
👟 Slow village exploration by foot or car
Explore inland villages and hidden lanes with someone who understands timing and access. This is where Santorini feels human again.
🎨 Hands-on art workshop
Try lava stone sculpting at Melina’s Tavern, where local materials and stories turn into something you actually make and take home.
⛵ Catamaran or boat tour that fits your vibe
Choose smaller groups and timing over “luxury labels.” Morning sails are calmer, sunset sails are social. Match the boat to your energy, not the hype.
🍇 #Culture 1: Vines grow in baskets, not on trellises. Santorini’s famous wines come from kouloura vines, woven low to the ground to protect grapes from wind and sun and to trap night humidity. It’s farming adapted to survival, not aesthetics.
🏠 #Culture 2: Most villages face inward, not toward the view. Inland settlements were designed to hide from pirates and weather, not to admire sunsets. Privacy, protection and community mattered more than panoramas. My own neighbourhood is literally called Ambush for that reason.
💧#Culture 3: The island was built around scarcity, not abundance.
From dry-farmed tomatoes to underground water cisterns, everyday life evolved around lack of water and soil. That restraint still shapes local rhythms and explains why excess tourism feels so out of place here.
Santorini makes more sense once you see it as an island of adaptation, not performance.
We’ve pinned all the spots mentioned in this guide so you can spend less time searching and more time exploring. Access the pre-pinned Google Map and wander Santorini like a local 👇🏻
Love this mini guide?
Mini guide curated by:
Maria is a Santorini experience curator focused on calm, thoughtful travel in one of the world’s most over-stimulating destinations. Santorini is part of her family story, her grandmother was born on the island and that heritage shapes the way she curates. She help travellers see the island beyond checklists and crowds, through local timing, cultural context and human-scale experiences.
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Back to regular programming next week!
xoxo
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