Santorini wine tour - Discover Santorini & Santorini wines
See what we got up to on our Santorini wine tour - Discover this beautiful, famous Greek island and its incredible wines and wine history!
The stunning view over the caldera in beautiful Santorini - Photo: Wine Keller
Santorini is a small island in the southern Aegean sea, part of the Cyclades island complex and perhaps the best known of all of the Greek islands. Today it is one of the world’s most famous and stunning tourist destinations, with its white-washed villages perched on the volcano edge, its blue-domed churches and its stunning sunsets.
An island defined by the power of Nature
Santorini is crescent shaped, a result of a volcano eruption in 1630 BC, which blasted half of the island into the sea - creating a ‘caldera’, nearly 400m deep, framed by 300m high cliffs. This volcanic explosion, known as the ‘Minoan eruption’, was one of the largest volcanic eruptions in recorded history and wiped out civilisation on the island as well as on the northern shores of the island of Crete 70km away.
Before the eruption left the whole island buried under lava, Santorini was the centre of Cycladic civilisation and it took centuries before people returned. The Spartans were the first to inhabit Santorini after the eruption and gave the island its classical name ‘Thera’.
More recently, in 1956, tragedy struck the island once more. A massive earthquake led to the destruction of the majority of the island and mass migration of the local population. Reconstruction followed and from the 1970s Santorini has gradually become one of the world’s most famous tourist destinations. Thousands visit to enjoy the breathtaking views, the wonderful climate, the island’s unique history, the culture and the gastronomy - including Santorini wines!
The amazing Santorini landscape - Photo: Wine Keller
Beautiful Oia - Photo: Wine Keller
Why is Santorini a unique destination for wine lovers?
Santorini is not only one of the world's most stunning locations, it's also home to some of the world's finest wines and most Santorinians have winemaking in their family history. Especially over recent years, Santorini wines have been gaining recognition around the World and the island attracts a growing number of winemakers, keen to produce these unique wines. Despite this and the brutal growing conditions - see below - the greatest threat to Santorini wines today is the escalating price of land and the lack of protection against the selling off of the island’s famous vineyards.
An incredible wine history
Archaeological findings show that vines were growing on Santorini as far back as the 17th century BC and after the volcanic eruption, the cultivation of vines started again in about 1200 BC. So the island has an incredible history of grape growing and winemaking - not many other wine growing regions can claim such a long history! Up to about 100 years ago, most of the wine however was a sweet style.
Centuries old vines
Santorini stands apart in that its vines were protected from the Phylloxera louse in the 1860s, by the nature of its unique volcanic soils. Phylloxera decimated vines all around the world, forcing growers to graft and replant their vines on resistant rootstock. Santorini wines are therefore commonly made from grapes which grow on vines which can be hundreds of years old! In fact vines which are 10-60 years old are considered ‘young’ here.
A view over the Santorini vineyards from the village of Pyrgos - Photo: Wine Keller
Challenging farming and growing conditions
After the volcanic eruption the island was very dry, but well-suited to growing vines. Most wineries don’t irrigate their vines today, despite the 300 days a year of sunshine. ‘Dry farming’ is practised, which creates an incredible concentration of flavour in the grapes. The same applies to growing other fruit and vegetables on the island - see later.
Today there is a huge problem with a lack of water on the island. All drinking water is in the form of bottled water that comes in by boat and sea water is used for everything else, once it has been treated and the salt extracted.
Santorini’s barren landscape, volcanic soils and brutal growing conditions, with intense wind and minimal rainfall, result in very low yields and high grape prices. The cost of grapes here is currently on average 3-5 euros/kilo, which is very high compared to other European countries. Additionally, all work in the vineyards is done manually, this results in the price of Santorini wines being comparably high.
However, these conditions do result in incredibly intense, high-alcohol, mineral white wines and full-bodied intense red wines.
Santorini’s unique pruning system
The vines here are pruned in the form of baskets or nests, called ‘kouloura’, lying close to the ground to protect the grapes from wind and sand blasts. This system provides consistent heat to the grapes with the sun’s warmth being retained in the stones during the night. The porous lava or pumice stones around the vines also absorb humidity and provide water to the grapes through evaporation during the day.
A typical Santorini vineyard
The Santorini ‘basket’ style of vine pruning - the ‘kouloura’
The wines from Santorini
Santorini vineyards
Santorini’s vineyards cover some 1100 hectares and stretch from the sea up to 300 metres plus on the slopes of the ‘caldera’. Most are located around the centre of the island. The depth of the lava stone is inconsistent across the island, but can be many metres in places.
Volcanic soils
The many volcanic eruptions on Santorini have created a uniquely textured soil, with layers of volcanic ash, pumice stone, sand, and basalt. There is no clay content and little organic material and the high levels of essential minerals in the soils helps the grapes to keep their natural acidity. This is what gives Santorini wines their unique character and flavour.
Santorini wines
There are approximately 10 indigenous Santorini grape varieties, but the white Assyrtiko grape makes up about 85% of total wine production. The second most popular Santorini white wine grape is Aidani, which is less acidic and more aromatic compared to Assyrtiko. These 2 white grapes are often blended together. The Assyrtiko grape tends to give the wine body and structure and Aidani the flavour and aromas. The other key Santorini white wine grape is Athiri, which is used mainly in blends.
Under 10% of Santorini wines are red. These are made from the Mandilaria and Mavrotragano grape varieties. Mavro-tragano translates as ‘black-crunchy’, referring to this grape’s tough skin.
The general regional wine classification is ‘PGI (protected geographical indication) Cyclades’.
The incredible Santorini volcanic soils - Photo: Wine Keller
Assyrtiko Santorini
Santorini is the homeland of Greece’s most famous white wine, Assyrtiko, and some of the country’s best examples come from the island.
Typically, Santorini Assyrtiko wines are incredibly crisp, bright, citrusy, mineralic, bone dry, high alcohol and full, with mouth-tingling acidity and mouth-watering saltiness. A very young Assyrtiko can almost create a citrus and mineral explosion in your mouth, the natural acidity being so high in these wines.
Assyrtiko wines are certified as ‘PDO (protected designation of origin) Santorini’ - where the grapes must be from Santorini and the wine be made from more than 85% Assyrtiko grapes. If it just says ‘Santorini’ on the label it will be a PDO Santorini wine. If the label just says ‘Assyrtiko’, then it will be from elsewhere in Greece, or from further afield, with Assyrtiko now being planted in other wine-growing countries, including Australia. Assyrtiko wines can age really well and pair beautifully with fish, shellfish, chicken and salads.
You will often see Assyrtiko wines labelled as Nykteri (or Nychteri). The old Greek word for ‘night labour’, this is effectively a sub PDO, where again the wine needs to be more than 85% Assyrtiko but traditionally the grapes are pressed at night to prevent oxidation. Late harvest grapes are used and the wine must be matured in oak for a minimum of 3 months. Nykteri wines have slightly caramel, creamy, pastry, pineapple, fennel flavours and pair well with more substantial dishes, for example the traditional Santorini lamb in lemon sauce.
Vinsanto wine from Santorini
Sweet wines made Santorini famous in ancient times and today Santorini Vinsanto wines are known the world over. Vinsanto is a historic PDO for the traditional Santorini sun-dried, sweet wine, made with late harvest Assyrtiko, Aidani, and Athiri grapes. A white grape wine but after years of maturing for 4, 8, 12, 16 years or more (always in 4 year blocks), it smells more like a red wine, with raisin, apricots, raspberries and caramel notes. With high acidity, low alcohol and a luscious sweetness this is a fabulous wine for pairing with chocolate and caramel or creamy desserts and for the older vintages stronger flavour desserts for example a treacle tart and strong-flavoured cheeses.
Santorini wineries and Santorini wine tastings
There are approximately 20 wineries in Santorini and they all offer a great Santorini wine tasting and wine tour experience!
Wine tourism is really important on the island with wineries keen to not just promote their own wines, but to educate about Santorini’s wonderful wines, especially Assyrtiko, of which they are immensely proud.
Here is a list of recommended wineries:
-
See review below
-
Artemis Karamolegos Winery is one of the most dynamic wineries on Santorini specialising in Assyrtiko, with a range of wines and styles, including numerous single vineyard wines with seriously (150+ years) old vines as well as Santorini's first Orange wine. The winery also has a popular Aroma Avlis Food & Wine restaurant, and offers a series of cooking classes.
-
Boutari Winery is a pioneer in winemaking and Greece’s most historical wine company, dating back to 1879. In the early 1980s, Boutari brought its experience and innovative winemaking strategies to Santorini and in 1990 was the first winery in Greece to open its doors to the public for organised wine tasting and tours
-
Gaia Wines is known for their top quality wines and their charming beachfront winery, located directly on the water in Perivolia, between Kamari and Monolithos. We loved their 2020 Assyrtiko Wild Fermented wine!
-
Gavalas Winery is a family-run quality winery offering wine tours & tastings in a centuries-old stone complex with a courtyard
-
See review below
-
Kutsoyanopuylos Winery and Wine Museum is not only a boutique winery, but also a winding, 300m-long cave-style museum nestled 8m underground. The museum covers the history of winemaking on the island through photographs and artefacts, depicting life in the 1600’s wine trade
-
Santo Wines is the local cooperative winery offering walking tours, tastings & nibbles, plus an ample terrace with fabulous, scenic caldera views
-
See review below
-
See review below
We visited 4 wineries whilst in Santorini, read all about our visits below!
Domaine Sigalas
Domaine Sigalas is situated in the north of Santorini, on the plains below the beautiful and popular town of Oia. They practise ‘sustainable’ farming and farm approximately 40 hectares of grapes, producing on average 3.5 tonnes of grapes/hectare and 200-250k bottles/year. They export somewhere between 40 and 50% of their wines, with the USA being the largest market. Japan is also an important market.
The Domaine was established in 1995 after Paris Sigalas took over the reins of his grandfather’s vineyards. A trained mathematician with a passion for both science and winemaking tradition, he has earned a reputation for being a real leading force in Santorini wines.
A good example of this is that he single-handedly rescued the red Santorini Mavrotragano grape from extinction, when he began experimenting with using linear trellises for growing these vines back in 2002. All wine growing decisions at Domaine Sigalas are based on the guiding principle of founder Paris, which is best phrased as a “dynamic evolution of tradition”.
Domaine Sigalas is known for its elegant wines, which age well, reflecting the slightly more gentle environment in the north of the island, but also Paris’s winemaking skills and training.
Arriving at Domaine Sigalas - Photo: Wine Keller
Domaine Sigalas and wine tourism:
The Domaine is situated amongst the vineyards just a short distance from Oia and welcomes visitors to enjoy a glass of wine, wine tastings or a meal in its fabulous restaurant. The winery is also located here, in the cool, underground and all wine tastings include a wine tour of the vineyards.
Wine tourism is important to Domaine Sigalas, representing approximately 25% of the business and they have invested significantly in it, especially the restaurant.
Domaine Sigalas, with its vineyards and restaurant - Photo: Wine Keller
Our visit to Domaine Sigalas:
After a short taxi ride from Oia to Domaine Sigalas, we spent a couple of wonderful hours hosted by Hospitality Manager, Spyros Lemanis.
Spyros took us into the vineyards to explain all about the vines and unique pruning techniques and we then went back to the outdoor tasting area where we tasted a range of Sigalas wines, including a classic Assyrtiko, a single vineyard Assyrtiko called ‘Kavalieros’ which ages on the lees for 18 months, a Nikteri Assyrtiko, an Aidani, 2 red wines and finally 2 sweet wines, the sun-dried Vinsanto and a red dessert wines called ‘Apiliotis’.
Wow! We were impressed with these wines, especially as this was our first experience of a Santorini wine tasting. If we had to choose one favourite, it was the Aidani, which we went on to enjoy with lunch! Special mention though to the Vinsanto, which was incredible!
After our tasting we enjoyed a really excellent lunch in the Sigalas restaurant, of Greek Salad and the island speciality ‘Fava’ (see later).
Whilst we were there we remarked on how busy it was, with couples, families and groups all coming to either just enjoy a wine tasting or lunch. A great place to spend a couple of hours and we would really recommend you stay for lunch! You won’t regret it!
Hatzidakis Winery
Hatzidakis Winery is located in the centre of Santorini, near the lovely village of Pyrgos and not far from the highest point on the island, the monastery of “Profiti Ilias-Santorini”. They cultivate 10 hectares of vineyards, all certified organic - and also buy in grapes. Hatzidakis produces about 60,000 bottles per year and some 40% is exported. The USA is the most important export market, followed by the UK, Germany and France.
Hatzidakis Winery was founded in 1997 by the late Haridimos Hatzidakis and his wife Konstantina Chryssou, who met when they were both working at the Boutari Winery in Santorini. They had a dream of creating their own wines and started by taking over Konstantina’s grandfather's dormant vineyard and cave, ideal for storing wines. They soon outgrew this and purchased a new vineyard outside of Pyrgos with its own cave underneath, carved out of the hillside. After much hard work, the new winery opened here in 2016.
Hatzidakis winery built into the rocks - Photo: Wine Keller
The absolute focus at Hatzidakis is the production of great quality wines. All of their own grapes are certified organic and neither irrigation nor pesticides are used. All wines are also classified as vegan as they are naturally unfiltered.
In addition to the focus on ‘quality’ and producing wines which are defined totally by Nature, this is above all else, a ‘family’ business. After the sudden and tragic death of Haridimos, his passion, vision and legacy continues through his wife, his 3 children and those who worked by his side and decided to stay on to fulfil his dreams for his wines.
Hatzidakis Winery and wine tourism:
Visitors are welcomed all year round to Hatzidakis Winery where they can enjoy wine tastings and a tour of the winery and cellars in the incredibly impressive natural cave under the vineyard. It is always advisable to book a wine tasting in advance.
Wine tourism is very important to Hatzidakis as it enables them to share their wines, their story and their philosophy, so visitors can go home and remember about these fabulous quality wines from Santorini.
The terrain and vineyards surrounding Hatzidakis Winery - Photo: Wine Keller
Our visit to Hatzidakis Winery:
After a lovely hour or so exploring the inland village of Pyrgos, also the highest village on the island, we checked out Google Maps and decided to walk to Hatzidakis. It was a 30 minute walk to the winery along a national road, but it was fairly quiet and we really enjoyed it! Arriving at Hatzidakis is a surprise in itself, because apart from the roadside sign there is no evidence you have arrived, the winery being located in a cave underground!
We met with the lovely Konstantina who graciously shared her wonderful story with us, about how she and her husband created the winery and their vision for their wines. After a tour around the winery and the cellars, we settled down to taste a range of wines, enjoying the cool temperature inside the cave!
We started with an Aidani wine, then went on to an Assyrtiko, followed by their late harvest Nikteri Assyrtiko, from vines over 100 years old. We then tried a special wine called ‘Skitali’, which translates as ‘Baton’, symbolising the handing of the baton to the new generation. This wine matures on the lees for 12 months and then a further 12 months in the bottle. We then went on to try a lovely rosé, a Mavrotragano red, a 16 year matured Vinsanto and finally a 2004 sweet red wine called ‘Nama’.
They were all delicious. Konstantina shared with us that her favourite wine is probably the Nikteri Assyrtiko as it is such a traditional Santorini wine, always from the same vineyard and always perfectly balanced -and we had to agree! Konstantina likes to pair this with roast chicken and potatoes on a Sunday - a great recommendation! We also loved the Skitali wine - for the wine itself which was amazing, but also for the story behind the label.
Estate Argyros
Estate Argyros is located just outside Kamari on the east of the island, at the foot of the island’s highest peaks of Profítis Illías and Mésa Vounó. Estate Argyros is a 4th generation family winery and the largest, privately owned winery on Santorini. They cultivate some 120 hectares of organic certified vineyards and also buy in grapes, to produce about 325,000 bottles of wine in an average year.
About 40% of production is exported, the main markets including the USA, the UK, Canada and Central Europe.
Estate Argyros is also renowned for having some of the oldest vines on the island, with the average vine being over 70 years old! They work almost exclusively with old vines to ensure the depth and concentration required to produce the desired style of wine. Estate Argyros considers itself an artisan wine producer crafting small quantities of top quality wines. Yields are low with such aged vines, but the output is worth it! The philosophy at Estate Argyros is that a great wine can only be produced if you put the work and effort into the vineyard.
At the helm currently is Matthaios (Matthew) Argyros, who has been the driving force behind the establishment of the new winery and who constantly strives to ensure that Argyros Santorini wines are amongst the best wines in the world.
Estate Argyros have 4 ranges of wines:
The ‘Atlantis’ range - entry level, non-estate white, rosé and red wines - excellent value - made to be enjoyed young
‘Estate’ Argyros range - expressive, pure, characterful wines - Assyrtiko, Aidani and Mavrotragano grapes - the backbone of the portfolio
Estate Argyros Cuvée range - 3 special cuvées, low production, aged, very concentrated and complex: ‘Monsignori Santorini’ - ‘Evdemon Santorini’ - ‘Nykteri Santorini’
Vinsanto range - first release and second release aged Vinsanto wines - minimum 200 year old vines
Beautiful Estate Argyros
Estate Argyros and wine tourism:
Wine tourism is very important to Estate Argyros, representing approximately 40% of their business. It provides the opportunity to educate visitors about Santorini wines, in particular the Assyrtiko grape and to experience wines from some of the oldest vineyards on the planet!
The Estate Argyros winery, tasting room and production facilities are very modern and impressive and provide a superb visitor impression and experience for a wine tour. There is lots of space inside and outside to enjoy a varied range of wine tastings, which always includes some cheeses and cold meats and tastings always include time in the vineyard and the winery.
With Hospitality Manager XXX in the fabulous tasting room at Estate Argyros
Our visit to Estate Argyros:
We travelled to Kamari by local bus and were kindly dropped off right outside the entrance to Estate Argyros. The first impression of the modern winery buildings is excellent, with wonderful views across the vineyards to the sea one way, mountains another way and a beautiful hilltop village the other way!
We were greeted by Dimitrios Kekas from Argyros, in the beautiful, airy tasting room, who then proceeded to guide us out into the vineyard for a thorough explanation about the estate, the vineyards and the precious, old vines.
Dimitrios then provided an excellent tutored tasting of wines across each of the 4 Argyros wine ranges.
Firstly the Atlantis Assyrtiko, then the Estate Argyros Assyrtiko, which had 10 years ageing and was made from 120 year old vines! Then onto two cuvées, the Monsignori and the Nikteri, both delicious, then the two Vinsantos - one aged for 4 years, then one aged for 16 years - both made with grapes from vines over 200 years old!
We loved all of the wines, but if pushed to choose a favourite, it would probably be the ‘Monsignori Santorini’ cuvée, 2017 - absolutely delicious!
Everything about our wine tour at Estate Argyros was professional, thorough, interesting and highly enjoyable. We’d thoroughly recommend spending time here, if only for the experience of tasting such special wines in such a wonderful environment!
Vassaltis Winery & Vineyards
Vassaltis Vineyards are relative newcomers to the Santorini wine scene. Founder, Yannis Valambous, left a career in London at the time of the Greek financial crash in 2010, to return to Santorini to develop his father’s vineyards. His dream was to create a boutique winery and showcase to the world how Santorini winemakers and Santorini grapes could produce world-class wines.
Vassaltis now cultivate 16 hectares of vineyards on Santorini and a state-of-the-art, contemporary winery and hospitality centre opened in 2015, close to the island’s capital, Fira. Yannis and oenologists Elias Roussakis and Yannis Papaeconomou make wines from top-quality Santorini grapes, with a focus on the Assyrtiko grape variety, which represents 80% of their wine production.
It is early days for Vassaltis, but they are already producing some excellent and varied wines and export to the UK (Flint wines and Wanderlust), the USA (Diamond Wine Importers) and Germany.
Vassaltis Winery
Vassaltis and wine tourism:
Wine tourism is a core and original component of the Vassaltis offering.
When Yannis returned to Santorini, in addition to building his wine dream, he set about converting his childhood home into stunning accommodation. Called The Vasilicos, the house was converted into a property with 15 rooms in total, including 7 luxury suites, located in one of the best spots on the island, right on the edge of the caldera, just outside the capital, Fira, in Imerovigli. Guests at The Vasilicos are offered the opportunity to visit the sister Vassaltis winery and sample the wines.
A range of different wine tasting flights are offered as well as a tour of the vineyards and the winery. There is also a shop where you can buy wines or gifts.
In addition to enjoying a glass of wine in the bar or on the patio overlooking the vineyards and the sea, visitors to the Vassaltis Winery can enjoy a relaxed lunch of local delicacies and meze style food. Or if you love your food and wine, you can indulge in the fabulous 5 course degustation tasting menu!
The Vasilicos with stunning views over the Santorini caldera
Our visit to Vassaltis:
We took a short taxi ride from Fira to the Vassaltis Winery and were really impressed on arrival by the beautiful, modern building with magical views across the vineyards to the sea. They weren’t actually due to open for the season until the following week, but kindly offered us a wine tasting sitting in the lovely bar area.
Artemis Kardoula, the Hospitality Manager, gave us over an hour of her time to introduce the range of Vassaltis wines, which started with a surprise - a sparkling Pet Nat wine made with grapes from around Athens on the Greek mainland - delicious!
We then went on to a superb Santorini Assyrtiko, a fresh and aromatic Aidani and a blend of Assyrtiko, Aidani and Athiri, which had a fabulous structure and balance - Summer in a bottle! These were followed by a single vineyard Assyrtiko called ‘Gramina’, a barrel-aged Assyrtiko and finally a special barrel-aged late harvest Assyrtiko which is aged in 60 year old vinsanto barrels, called ‘Plethora’.
We were most impressed by the Vassalti wines - the stand-out for us was the classic Santorini Assyrtiko, it was superb.
We are also really impressed by the overall wine tourism concept, offering the wine, the food, the tours and the accommodation. Vassaltis claims to offer an experience which ‘combines modern luxury with traditional Greek hospitality’ and we think they deliver this in spades!
The best time to visit Santorini
May - September is the main season in Santorini, but it gets extremely crowded - and hot - in July and August, so perhaps avoid these times. Late September to early October is supposed to be a great time because the crowds have gone, the days and evenings are still warm and so is the temperature of the sea!
We went in early April which was lovely, but not all of the restaurants and shops had opened and it did get quite chilly in the evenings! Being a small island in can also get quite windy!
Where to stay in Santorini and how to get there
Santorini has its own airport. If there are no direct flights from near you, you can always get a connection via Athens. We travelled direct from London Gatwick in the UK, with Easyjet.
Greek island hopping is very popular and the port in Santorini is always busy with ferries coming and going.
We stayed just outside the capita, Fira, in a hotel called The Astro Palace, arranged through Easyjet Holidays. It worked well for us and we would highly recommend the hotel. Its central location in the capital and just 5 minutes from the bus station meant everywhere on the island was within easy reach.
Most popular is to stay in the traditional white ‘cave’ style accommodation, overlooking the caldera in Fira, Imerovigli or Oia. We can see the special attraction of this and there are lots of options available!
If you prefer to stay at sea level close to the beach, perhaps head for Kamari or Perissa on the east of the island.
See here for help with where to stay and different accommodation options!
What to see and what to do in Santorini
Santorini is an explosion to the senses, it’s really like landing in a fairytale when you get your first experience of those incredible views!
There are lots of sources for advice on what to see and do in Santorini - here are our top tips and personal recommendations:
Visit the island’s main locations using the local bus - taxis are expensive so take care - the buses were superb and great value for money. We paid about 1.6 euros for a 1 way trip.
Stroll along the caldera in Fira, Imerovigli and Oia - the views are simply spectacular and unbeatable - In fact you can walk along the caldera edge from Fira to Oia - an amazing 4 hour walk
Go down to the port in Fira - either on foot by way of some 300 steps, or by cable car, or mule! (The mules here seemed to be healthy and well looked after)
Visit the archeological site of Akroteri - a coastal city and major port at the time of the 2nd millennium BC and the centre of the Cycladic civilisation. These excavations of Europe’s oldest city are well worth seeing, even if you’re not into ancient remains!
If you take a trip to the Akroteri remains, walk round to the islands famous ‘Red Beach’, which is good for sunbathing and swimming and also Akroteri Beach - not good for swimming but great for fabulous fish restaurants (see Cave of Nikolas below)
If you enjoy ancient remains, also visit Ancient Thera, founded in 1000 BC on the stunning Mésa Vounó headland, in between the resorts of Kamari and Perissa
Visit the volcanic beaches around Perissa and Kamari
Take time to visit the inland village of Pyrgos and climb up the steps to the old castle - amazing views all over the island - enjoy refreshments in the village square when you come down!
Walk from Pyrgos up to the highest point on the island, the Monastery of Profítis Illías, then descend down to Perissa
We didn’t do this as it was too early in the year, but take a boat cruise and visit the volcano and swim in the hot springs
What to eat in Santorini
You are in for a treat as Santorini typifies the best of Greek food, but with an added twist!
Try the island’s traditional dishes, many of which use locally grown vegetables that are ‘dry-farmed’, similar to the vines. The lack of water and the rich volcanic soils, as for the wines, means the produce is all the more flavoursome and concentrated.
Traditional Greek dips and sharing ‘meze’ platters are on all menus, with tzatziki, taramasalata, and white eggplants, which are grown on the island, accompanied by wonderful pitta breads. You’ll find traditional moussaka everywhere, along with lots of chicken and lamb dishes, served with rice or potatoes and often in a lemon sauce - and of course local fresh fish and octopus, simply cooked, served with a drizzle of lemon olive oil.
Santorini salad is a staple meal or side dish, similar to a traditional Greek salad, but often with the wonderful local cherry tomatoes and capers grown on the island. The main dessert is Baklava - a very rich cake with lots of honey!
Two other very traditional and delicious things to look out for:
Tomatokeftedes - wonderful tomato fritters, made with the local tomatoes, onions and courgettes
Fava - an amazing purée made from locally-grown split yellow peas, mixed with onions, lemon juice and olive oil
Where to eat in Santorini
Again, there are too many options to list here, but here are a few we loved:
Naoussa-Fira
Naoussa offers excellent value for money and right on the caldera in Fira, so the views are great! Excellent food and service - a traditional taverna and wonderful, relaxed atmosphere. We actually ate here 3 times!
We would recommend the mixed dips to start, and all the mains were great but we totally loved the traditional Moussaka. Go for the local red/white wine in a carafe - great value.
Ammoudi Fish Tavern - Oia
To get to the Ammoudi Fish Tavern, located in Ammoudi Bay, Oia, you have to climb down about 300 steps to get to the bay, but it’s so worth it! You can also reach it by car from Oia.
This is a very well-known restaurant and we would really recommend it, especially if you are celebrating or want a special meal. It has an incredible water-front setting, which is perfect for the sunsets.The view and the sunsets take centre stage and the fresh fish and seafood are superb. However, it is expensive, so check it out first, especially when choosing the fresh fish! We had a fresh fish platter including red mullet and tiger prawns in a lemon olive oil. It was pricey - but a real treat!
The Cave of Nikolas - Akroteri
The Cave of Nikolas is located not far from the famous Red Beach in Akrotiri in the southern part of the island.
The location is incredible, right on Akrotiri beach with the waves literally lapping your feet!
All of the produce is really fresh - direct from the sea or the owner’s farm - in fact you can see the fresh produce all laid out in the cave.
We had sea bream, fries and salad and a fabulous mixed starter with the best tomato fritters, fava and onion relish - and found it to deliver real value for money. Less flash than the Ammoudi fish Tavern in Oia, but a lot cheaper and super friendly and relaxed!
We chose the owner's own wine to have with our meal and it was excellent!
Niki Restaurant - Fira
Niki Restaurant is located in the centre of Fira at a top spot right on the caldera, offering amazing views!
Great food and service, very accommodating. Not overly pricey for Santorini considering the setting/location.
We enjoyed a lunch of fresh calamari and sea bass and it was all superb. Great choice of local wines. We only discovered Niki on our last day, but we would have definitely returned!
For more information and ideas about visiting the beautiful island of Santorini, see:
Conclusion
We had the most amazing time in Santorini - now well and truly ticked off our wish-list! In terms of scenery, culture, gastronomy and wines, it’s hard to beat! Nature has provided the most incredible soils and climate to help create some amazing wines, even though Nature throws tough challenges to today’s Santorini winemakers! If you get the opportunity, please visit this very special island for the an unbeatable wine and travel experience!
