DAY ONE

MORNING

Begin with breakfast at your hostel in Fira before heading to Perissa Beach, the famous black sand beach in the south. Aside from Oia, Perissa is a main tourist draw in Santorini. The fine black sand sparkles under the sun and makes for a perfect place to lay down your towel and ignore your earthly problems. Perissa is a highly organised beach with plenty of restaurants, bars, shops, and even convenience stores to service your needs.

Afternoon

Make sure to grab a filling and nutritious lunch for your afternoon hike. This hike is a 10.5km trek with unbelievable views of Santorini’s calderas for the 4-hour duration from Fira to Oia. The hike is fairly gentle however, under the sun during the early afternoon it can be quite taxing (bring lots of snacks and water). Once you are sufficiently sweaty after the hike, head down to the coast from Oia to reach the beautiful Ammoundi Bay. Ammoundi is the most picturesque beach on the entire island. The crystal blue water is flanked by some of the most authentic seafood restaurants (if your budget allows, these restaurants are well worth the money).

EVENING

Watching the sunset over Oia is a bucket list item for every traveller. An amazing and uncrowded vantage point to watch the sun illuminate the white houses and blue-domed churches is from the ruins of the Castle of Oia. After the sun sets you can easily catch the local bus back to Fira with the rest of the crowd.

DAY TWO

MORNING

Pyrgos is an attraction overlooked by most tourists, the white-washed picture-perfect town is between Fira and Perissa. Pyrgos is a laidback hilltop town that provides a local and authentic feel that is otherwise hard to come by on the busiest island in the Cyclades. Visit the historic centre and be transported into the island lifestyle, sit at one of the family-run tavernas and order a glass of local wine with your brunch (or lunch). Head to the remains of the Venetian castle after your meal for panoramic views of the island and some well-worthy photos.

AFTERNOON

As the sun rises higher in the sky it is time to visit another of Santorini’s infamous beaches. The volcanic landscape resulted in the formation of Red Beach, here the soil and sand combined to form, you guessed it, red sand. The steep and uneven red cliffs flanking the beach transport you to the planet Mars for a unique beach experience.

If you fancy a slice of Greek history next door to Red Beach is the prehistoric town of Akrotiri. The remains of the city date back as far as 4000 BC. This architectural site is well-preserved due to the volcanic ash that settled over the city (think Pompeii). Akrotiri is open to visit from 8.30 am – 3.30 pm Wednesday – Monday and admission costs 6 – 12 euros.

EVENING

Arguably the best vantage point to watch the sunset on Santorini is from the old lighthouse. Take a bottle of local wine or ouzo to the lighthouse and watch in awe as the colours change from orange to pink. To celebrate your final night on the island take your hostel group to Fira town for some more drinking and dancing! Murphy’s Bar and Old Town Club are guaranteed to have good music, good people, and unbeatable energy. Conveniently, these two bars are located next door to each other and within walking distance from any fast food joint you could crave.