Here are few essential things to know if you are thinking to visit Santorini

1. Santorini is in Greece, Europe.

2. Currency: Euro.

3. Languages: Greek, English. As its tourist place, English is commonly spoken here.

4. Best time to visit – June to September as water is perfect for swimming, island hopping. This is peak season so you will find lot of tourists with various nationalities.

5. Ideal for – Honeymoon, Luxury & exotic trip.

6. Suited for – Couples or families (preferably not with infants).

7. Ideal time to plan and book – at least 3-4 months before the departure to get best deals for accommodation and flights.

8. Visa (For non-EU residents/passports): Schengen tourist visa or the Greek tourist visa. Check with your local greek embassy. They promote tourism so visa generally doesn’t get rejected.

If you are in UK you can get the visa from VFS , the turnaround is usually 10-15 working days

9. Security – You will feel relaxed and totally at home. Like any other place please take care of your valuables

To know more about Santorini as tourist destination, do visit What Santorini has to offer the tourist?

Below are the essential things to know before departing to Santorini 

1. Driving license If you fancy driving quad bikes/car in Santorini please carry internationally accepted driving license. If you are travelling from UK or Europe your local driving license will be sufficient. Contact any dealer (by mail or call) & check if your driving licence is accepted here.

2. Cloakroom (Luggage storage) – One Cloakroom is available in Fira named “J & K left luggage service“, very easy to locate as its next to Euro bank in Fira.

The other option is  keeping your luggage at the travel agency from where you will be booking your bus/sea excursion. They are generous and give the option to keep your luggage free of cost or sometimes they charge little less than the cloak room.

3. Currency  – The local currency is euros. I recommend you to have cash of atleast 200-300 euros before departing

If you are in UK or in US and want to exchange to Euros, I recommend using Revolut card. The card can be ordered for free, top-up can be done through app, Free ATM withdrawals, No fees.

4. ATMs – You can find cash points /ATMs at many places which are generally of Alpha Bank or Piraeus Bank. Visa, American Express and Mastercard are accepted here.

5. CASH – Generally Debit or Credit cards are accepted at most hotels, Taverna, shops etc however local transport, small Taverna etc do not accept cards. Before using the service you can ask if they accept card or only cash.

6. Traveler’s cheques – No one accepts it!! But you can convert them into cash at the Euro bank located in Fira. Do not forget to carry your identification documents (eg passports) to the bank.

7. Dresses – If you are traveling in the peak season remember it will be HOT!. Carry hats/caps, sunglasses. A scarf can also be very useful, Santorini can sometimes be windy. Shorts/ T-shirts will do for most of the places however have atleast 1 party / formal dress for your night outs

8. Beachwear – Don’t forget to get your swimwear! Plenty of opportunities to swim.Also don’t forget to carry beach towels as hotels generally charge for it

9. Shoes – As the villages consist of narrow walking paths and many do not have any access for vehicles, you’ll do a lot of walking. Roads in Santorini have uneven paths and you are also likely to encounter a lot of stairs and slopes in the villages. Make sure you wear comfortable shoes so your feet can endure it. Walking shoes with thick sole is a must if you want to avoid unnecessary hassle. And believe me, you have to walk a LOT!

10. Sunscreen with high SPF – Sunscreens are expensive here so carry them with you from your home country.

11. European adapter – If you are a non-EU tourist then don’t forget to carry European adapter to charge your mobile phones, tablets, laptops etc

12. Good camera – This is MUST. Forget everything but not this as Santorini is picturesque. You will regret not having a good camera or good camera phone.

All set to for Santorini? Visit Itinerary to plan your trip