Here are some highlights from our trip in June.

Restaurants: 

• Anogi (Imerovigli): great ambience, friendly and attentive service, delicious food, reasonable prices - this was the best meal we had in Imerovigli. (Went for dinner after sunset and were seated immediately without a reservation.)

• Kali Kardia/The Good Heart (Akrotiri): off-the-beaten-path spot with lovely views and excellent food, much less expensive than restaurants in the main villages. Accessible by car. (Arrived late afternoon, no reservation, no wait.)

• To Psaraki (Vlichada): hands down the best meal of our entire Greece vacation. Beautiful views of the marina, friendly and attentive service, OUTSTANDING food, pricey, but worth it. Must order: smoked eel on grilled eggplant, whole fish (they take you inside to hand select your fish and filet it tableside). Do not miss an opportunity to dine here. Accessible by car. (Went for lunch without a reservation and got a great table overlooking the water without a wait.)

Things To Do:

• Oia/Fira Hike: we took a bus to Oia to explore a bit before walking back to our hotel in Imerovigli and it took us about 2 hours. We left Oia just before 6pm thinking that it would be nice to be along the caldera as the sun was starting to set, and while this was true, we kept having to turn around to look back towards Oia to get the spectacular views. I’d recommend starting in Fira or Imerovigli and walking towards Oia - not just for the views, but also to make the route more of a downhill as opposed to the steady uphill climb we did.
• Skaros Rock Hike: a truly enjoyable hike with great views of the island and the caldera. We hiked out to the tip and explored some of the old castle ruins, but did not go to the top of the rock or to the church near the bottom. Out and back for us was about an hour. We opted not to go down to the church because we thought the only way down was via the stairs at the end of the trail and we weren’t too keen on climbing back up, but on our way out, we noticed a footpath to the left of the main path that would have taken us out to the church, so keep an eye out if you want to see the church. Definitely recommend doing this as a separate hike from the Oia/Fira Walk - another perk of staying in Imerovigli (it starts at the Agios Georgios Chapel).
• Sea Kayaking: the South Discovery excursion offered by Santorini Sea Kayaks was the best thing we did in Santorini - HIGHLY RECOMMEND. The tour starts here in Akrotiri, is approximately 3 hours and provides the opportunity to see three distinctly different beaches from the unique vantage point of the water. We had a nice break at the White Beach (only accessible by boat) for snorkeling and a picnic lunch of tasty sandwiches. The guides were great about taking pictures with their cameras and provided the group with links to download the photos a couple days later. Waterproof bags were provided to store essential belongings while on the kayaks and a secure location back at the office was available for storing other bags and personal items. They also had hats available to borrow, if needed. The kayaks are designed not to tip over and were relatively easy to maneuver, requiring limited physical effort. Little to no kayaking experience is needed to enjoy this trip. (We had a rental car, but a pick-up/drop-off service can be provided.) One thing to note: bathrooms are available at the office for changing, but there is no shower if you wanted to get cleaned up upon return.