Santorini sunset, a magical experience you must see

Seeing the famous Santorini sunset this summer was such a surprise! A last-minute trip to Santorini – another one for the category Covid-19 travel. If there is one destination that is known for mass tourism, it is the beautiful island of Santorini. For us the ultimate moment to take advantage of this and experience the real beauty and serenity of the island.

We will cover the following topics to make sure you do not miss out on anything:

• General information
• What sunset spots did we visit and recommend
• Are there any other places to go?

Stay tuned for more blogs coming up in the near future. We will spoil you with information more and more! Make sure to subscribe to our blog, in the right menu, to not miss any updates.

General information – Santorini

Santorini is a small Greek island in the Mediterranean Sea. Every corner of the island has a unique selling point to fulfil your dreams during your holiday. In the north the well known white Calderas with the Greek blue touches, in the south the black beach in Perissa and in between different adorable towns and roads to discover. Yearly many tourists visit the island as a single trip, day trips from cruise ships or as part of an island-hopping trip between more Greek islands. Are you still in doubt if you should go? Stop, book your ticket already. More information plus itinerary following soon.

Tip: do not forget to wake up for sunrise, just as magical as a Santorini sunset.
See our experience in Perissa: 5 prettiest beaches worldwide, your bucketlist would love to tick off

The best Santorini Sunset spots on the island

During our stay, we visited 3 different locations to admire, yes really admire, the sunset. Each location was a different experience and that is why we would like to provide you with more information to make sure you get what you want, especially if you are short on time.

#1 Galini Cafe in Firostefani

You might have seen this spot on social media already. If not Galini Cafe, you probably heard of the views from the Caldera promenade walk from Firostefani to Thira. You can walk along the Caldera and water from one place to the other with incredible views! If you would like to do so just follow the promenade from the entrance of Galini Cafe towards the south to the cafe ‘Volkan on the Rocks’.

If you prefer to have a relaxing seat with some bites and drinks we strongly advise you to enjoy your sunset from Galini Cafe. Not only because the views or the fresh watermelon juice are great, but they also created a very chilling vibe with perfect music in the background to enjoy the show. Galini Cafe also pays some extra attention for those Instagram shots, they have a table specially dedicated to making photo’s on the roof. Here you will have guaranteed nice shots without people around.

When we came to Santorini it was rather quiet so we were lucky enough to have a front seat show. Make sure that you are on time in “normal seasons” as the cafe and the Caldera walk can get busy very quickly.

#2: Romance in nature with caldera view

Are you looking for a romantic sunset moment, maybe even with a picnic in more natural scenery but with beautiful views over the water? Then this spot is for you! You will find this location in the southern part of the island on the road towards Akrotiri. We actually found this ‘by accident’ as we were supposed to go to the lighthouse, but we would not make it on time. Luckily this stunning location presented itself.

Alright, you can drive endlessly along the coast but it would be great if we could give some directions right? Of course, that is what we are here for! The best point for your navigation would be the restaurant ‘Panorama’. Just a little bit before, if driving from the east to the west, you will pass a company for rental scooters, buggy etc. You will then see a parking area on the right hand and the possibility to walk into the ‘fields’ down. Here you will find a great spot guaranteed.

In the end, we were very happy that we ended up here. We had the place for ourselves and could really enjoy the sunset together without many people or sound around us. It was so peaceful!

#3: Oia Sunset

Sunsets in Oia from the castle viewpoint – the most popular spot to watch the sunset in Santorini and the complete opposite from our second experience. No, this one is not romantic or quiet but definitely worth it as the view is insane. All days in Santorini we nearly did not see any other tourists, until we came here around half an hour before sunset. And we already felt it was PACKED! We did not see so many people together earlier in the week… but still, we were lucky compared to “the usual” where walking around is hard and every tiny spot is taken. So really, come on time and take enough time to find a parking spot.

So why do you still want to go then? Well, it is not for nothing the most popular spot…. the golden hour here is fascinating with the glow slowly coming over one of the prettiest white calderas. Trust us, you will soon forget about everyone around you when you see this. But if crowds or many clicking camera’s isn’t your thing, still don’t skip it but, we recommend you to book a table in one of the restaurants to experience it all more quietly.

Tip: do not leave right away when the sun goes down! We saw it often… people run away the moment the sun disappears behind the water. This is unfortunate, as the sky always changed colour and lighted up so beautifully. And when it finally gets darker bit by bit, Oia will show its romantic vibe with lovely lights all around. Worth waiting for!

Check out Visit Santorini now for these 10 fun activities to plan your memorable trip to Santorini!

Other places to watch the sunset in Santorini

Absolutely! Below is a list of the locations that were recommended most to us by our apartment host.

• Lighthouse Akrotiri: all the way on the Western tip, after an adventurous drive through bumpy roads, you will find the lighthouse with (again) lovely views for sunset.
• Santo Winery: if you would like to combine your sunset experience with a wine tasting, this is the place to be!
• From a catamaran: several companies offer sunset tours to watch the sunset, mostly in Oia, from the water. Romantic, quiet and spectacular!
• Sunset restaurants: many restaurants are available for a sunset dinner. Google and you will find lots! Most of them are in Thira, Firostefani or Oia. Make sure to make a reservation for a table front row.
• EXPLORE AND DISCOVER!

We hope you will visit one of these beautiful Santorini Sunset spots. If you have any questions or would like to share your experience, please do not hesitate to contact us or to leave a comment below.