DRESS: ASOS // SUN HAT: Eugenia Kim // SHIRT: EVERLANE // SWIMSUIT: Victoria's Secret
Santorini was unreal! Everyone needs to visit once in their life, it is exactly what I pictured Greece to look like. If you have seen Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants then I'm sure it's been on your bucket list since then;) anyways I wanted to share where we stayed and what we did since we got a lot of emails about it! We have only been to Santorini the one time so we aren't experts but are just sharing what we personally found worked best during our week there! It was AMAZING!
Where we stayed
We stayed in an amazing villa in Oia that we found on HomeAway.com. (You can find our villa here.) If you haven't used it before, you need to! HomeAway is such a great travel resource. It's especially great when traveling with large groups, or with children. It's a vacation rental website that specializes in entire homes, apartments, flats, and villas. This was perfect because our villa in Santorini actually slept 10. There were 6 and a half in our group so we were totally comfortable. It had 2 full kitchens and 4 bathrooms, with a breathtaking view. Atticus even got his own room which was nice for nap times and bed time. Even had his own crib. Honestly the view was so pretty and the weather was so nice, we really didn't have to leave with the exception to go out to eat. But included with the villa is a traditional Greek continental breakfast on one of the 3 terraces every morning. So we really could just relax most of the day. The villa manager came a few times a day to prepare breakfast, put up the canopies and sunbrellas, and clean. I am convinced the villa has the best view in Oia - it's the furthest outward and is also so high up (if that makes sense) but it really is in the most ideal spot!
How we got around
We rented a car in Santorini (I read online that it was recommended) but you could probably do without it. Especially since our rental offered airport pickup. But you could take taxis, buses, and then you can even rent scooters or ATVs if you're looking to cruise around the island. A taxi to Oia from the airport is $40 Euros, which isn't too bad. Santorini is very unique. All of the little towns are accessible by car, but once you get to the towns, you park outside, and go from there on foot throughout the towns. They have the cutest narrow cobblestone streets and walkways with lots of steps, all line with shops, villas and restaurants. So while Santorini is baby friendly, it wasn't exactly stroller friendly. Make sure to bring a carrier if you plan to travel with a baby. So we arranged to meet our rental manager when we arrived outside of Oia, and then walked to our villa. This would be a pain if you were by yourself because the towns can be hard to navigate, especially while lugging all your bags. So it was nice to have someone meet us there, who also carried bags for us. Just remember to ask for help from rental, and remember to tip of course;)
What we did
Like I said before, we would have been completely content with just laying around and enjoying the view, but the island offers some fun activities. There is a little port on the western most tip of the North part of the island in the town of Oia (it's easy to see in google maps) where there is a tinly little island almost connected, which is only accessible by boat or swimming. You can get to the beach where you would swim from by walking straight west through Oia until you get to a staircase which takes you down to the port. Or you can drive to Ammoudi and walk the rest of the way. You'll pass a bunch of cute restaurants with great seafood (according to David, I'm not the biggest fan) and you walk around the island on a foot path. Once you get to the end, you have to swim to the little island. It's so pretty but there isn't much to do there, unless of course you like cliff jumping. I don't, obviously, but David never passes the opportunity.
Another day we went on a fishing tour which you might have read about here. It was so much fun! It was 130 Euros per hour, and they took us around the inside of the island (the island is a giant circle formed by a volcano) and stopped off at the hot springs, let us swim around, and finished off with some fishing. This tour that we went on left out of the old port in Fira. It's about a 20 minute drive from Oia, but then about a 30-40 minute walk from there. If you're adventurous, take the steps down, but you'll probably want to take the gondola back up, which is only 5 Euros. Or if you're even more adventurous you can take a donkey taxi up or down for 5 Euros, but you probably know how I feel about that based on my previous post:)
Go to sunset point for a great end to the day. But get there early, people start getting their spots hours early and it gets crowded. But the sight is amazing. The point is hard to miss, it's the highest point with a view of a sunset in Oia. You'll see all the people on a structure waiting and you'll know you're there.
Where we ate
There were so many good restaurants that we really loved right by the villa. We went to Terpsi en Oia a couple times and it was so tasty with an incredible view of the caldera. They have authentic Greek cuisine (David recommends the Mousaka) and then also traditional Mediterranean food, but more importantly, they have waffles on their menu all day and an amazing yogurt parfait with seasonal fruit:)
Kyprida is a great restaurant and an alternative to sunset point if you don't want to fight for spots. You can watch it from their terrace as you eat dinner.
By the bus stop they have a lot of quick Greek grill food. Gyros, wraps, sandwiches, salads. All very cheap, quick and delicious. There is a little burger place there called Z's Burgers (they also make delicious pizza, try the Santorinia) and it was soo good! We got in late our first night and everything was closed, and Z's closed the moment we showed up. The owner was so nice and fired the oven back up and made us some light night pizzas. Definitely recommended.
Most of the restaurants have freshly squeezed orange juice which is so delicious but don't assume that if it says orange juice on the menu, that it's freshly squeezed;) Make sure and ask. They also all had high chairs which makes it great if you're traveling with children.
Like I mentioned before, we had 2 kitchens in our HomeAway which was really nice. There was a market by the bus station where we were able to find diapers, wipes, baby cereal, and David also bough some breads, cheeses, meats, and olives so we had the fridge stocked for when we wanted to snack on something authentic but didn't want to leave the villa. Definitely a plus.
Hope this all helps!!! Xox
Love your blog Amber! I am planning a trip to Greece for this fall so I wanted to look band read your recommendations. Looking at your pictures makes me so excited. Baby Atticus was so cute!!! If you have any other tips or must see’s for Santorini please let me know.
Loved the blog post. The pictures are just amazing.If you get time would request you to check my blog too http://www.shoestringtravel.in
Absolutely stunning pictures! I am so excited! We are planning our wedding ceremony in Santorini http://7.agency/destination/santorini/package/light-wedding-4. I guess this is the best destination for such a wonderfull moment. Thanks for sharing your experience!
So amazing. The pictures, the view! All of it! Thank you for all the great information! My husband and I are looking to book our next vacation and santorini is absolutely next on our list. We have a 15 month old baby girl, so all the information you gave about children is so helpful! Thank you so so much!
The most beautiful island….
There are many articles about the uniqueness of Santorini, the beauty of the sunset in Oia and the blue domed churches built along the cliffs of the caldera. Santorini is an island with “many faces” and waits for you to see all of them and discover hidden pahts and flavors…
http://www.santoriniexperts.com
Hi Amber,
These are Great photos. What time of the year did you go?
Thanks so much!! 🙂 We went last summer in June! It was perfect weather!
I’m very jealous – it looks like you had an amazing time. I absolutely love Santorini and can see myself sitting at those breakfast spots. Those views! I can’t wait to go back.
I really enjoyed the photos.
-Liam
Santorini
We loved our time there!! I would love to go back in the future too 🙂 Thanks for reading!! xo
I love that you share!!! I’ve been looking up everything about your trip I was wondering how close was that neat beach with the boat I think it was called ship wreak beach?
Just love love love this post. Mike and I are hopefully going to Santorini for our honeymoon. I have shared your blog with so many people I just love it.
xx Kasey
http://www.kasestyles.com/
This is the most beautiful post of Santorini I have ever seen, which is saying a lot since it is such a popular island! I also love your Zakynthos post. My brother recently moved to Greece for school and I am hoping to visit him next year. These were the two islands I wanted to see most and your pictures reassure me that this is the right decision! What lens do you use for landscapes with a lot of depth like this?
Morgan
Monde-et-mode.com
Morgan, I was reading this & instantly you came to mind. Then I shortly realized it was you that wrote this! LOL, amazing. 🙂
Just found your blog and really love your travel tips since I have one year old twins. I was just wondering, do you travel so much because you’re a model? Also who takes all of the beautiful photos of you and your family?
Hi Amber! Please could you tell me the name of the company that took you on the fishing trip? We are going in a few weeks and that sounds amazing!! xx
Oh my goodness, these photos are absolutely stunning and your dress is so pretty!
xx Kelly
Sparkles and Shoes
Greece is so far up on my bucket list of places I want to go! I’m definitely pinning this in case we’re ever lucky enough to venture to that part of the world!
Paige
http://thehappyflammily.com
How did you get to Smuggler’s Cove?? We are staying on Santorini for our honeymoon, and I can’t figure out how to get a boat to the shipwreck beach. Please help!
Oh, i’m in love with these pictures ! It is simply breathtaking !
I’ve always dreamt of going to Santorini, and now i’m dreaming of it even more !
Since i’m a student, i was wondering if Santorini can be fun with a low budget too?
Thanks so much for sharing, i’m once again so jealous of your adventures 🙂
Love, Julie
Your navy and white striped dress is beyond gorgeous! Looks like you had a marvelous vacation!
-Kate
http://www.katekoutures.blogspot.com/
Sounds amazing!! I’d love to go 🙂
http://en.emoi-emoi.com/
Love the photos and recommendations! Your trip seems like an absolute dream. I’ll be dreaming about Greece even more than usual now. Glad you and the family had fun!
iinmediasres.com
I didn’t ever think of Greece as a country I wanted to visit until now, you make me want to drop everything and travel the world!! Atticus is such a darling baby, I love seeing you travel as a family 🙂
It is so beautiful, it should be on everyone’s “must-see” lists!! I hope you can go someday!! Thanks for your sweet comment! xo
What a great review of your trip. Of course your photos are always amazing. Both review and photos combined – I am now fully inspired to make your trip my own reality. Thank you very much for making family and motherhood look ever so glamorous. Very inspiring. -Nabs
So beautiful pictures! Thank you for sharing & for your suggestions. I can need it…my husband and me will go next year to Santorini!
Congratulations to your baby girl! All the best from Switzerland, Melissa
Hello Amber,
Thank you for sharing with us all your tips and for being so natural!
Unlike most of the bloggers I follow, you are truly natural and very inspiring 🙂
Please stay the same, I wish you all the best for you and your beautiful family.
Hope you’ll come to Paris soon 😉
A French fan 🙂
These pictures of Santorini look absolutely amazing and make me really want to visit! Love the stripe dress too, it is so pretty and exudes a charming nautical appeal! Thanks for sharing these beautiful images!
Prudence
http://www.prudencepetitestyle.com
Amazing pictures in an amazing location! I wish my city was so beautiful too! David must have really good taste in food, I hope you tried out pastitsio, it’s one of my favorite dishes. And souvlaki and tzatziki of course! You can say a lot about my country but you sure can’t admit we don’t have great food! I’m glad you had a good time there!
Santorini looks amazing! As do David’s pictures! I always wanted to go there but since you went I’ve been subtly pushing my parents to go there in the summer! It’s about an hour by plane from Thessaloniki where I live so I hope we can make it! Also I really hoped you would take a stop in my city before going to Zakynthos and I was thinking of camping at the airport, but you didn’t…It doesn’t matter though because finally someone I admire came to my country!
My family, partner and I are going to Santorini in a month! This is super helpful! Thanks very much and your photos are gorgeous!! xxxx
I’ll be in Santorini this time next month – eee!
Have noted some of the restaurants you mentioned, always looking for good food recommendations.
Thanks for the tips!
http://www.alikelylife.co.uk
WOW this photos are amazing *_* ! And your outfit <3 <3 I am actually going to Greece myself this summer so this was perfect timing for some greece inspiration xD!
Blog: Guide for Ladies
Recent post: 7 questions to make you discover what makes you happy
I am obsessed with these photos! Santorini looks like a dream! <3
StyledByBlondie.com
Beautiful photos Amber!! I would suggest you to visit Mykonos, Skiathos and Parga as well which are all similar islands to Santorini (except Parga which is not an island but looks like one!) . Or even Cyprus(Greek part of course) which is great as well (since I am from there lol). If you try it, give a go to Protaras and Ayia Napa as well as Cavo Greco which is between the two cities. Limassol is absolutely perfect as well. Cyprus is a bigger island but still you are going to love it :*
oh my gosh i am so desperate to go to Santorini (but I would take anywhere in Greece) this definitely gives me itchy feet and your accommodation sounds beyond perfection.
Kelsey x
OMG! This picture are more than awesome! I want now to travel
I cannot wait to go to Greece one day, it looks absolutely stunning! And I’m obsessed with that dress!
xx,
Susie
http://www.SequinsandStrawberries.com
Yup! I need to plan my trip here ASAP!
http://www.tusksandtails.com
@favro
We are planning to go around Greece next year, Santorini is definitely in the list. I feel like fast forward the plan to autumn this year after looking at gorgeous pictures you took. They really are nice.
Mima Isono | http://tiptoeingworld.com | Tokyo Blogger on the roam
Just wanted to drop by and say while I love your blog, I miss the posts you used to do that were more lifestyle based and just the random iphone picture filled posts. they were so real and authentic and that’s a reason I started loving your blog in the first place 🙂 Obviously it’s a business now and your style has developed but just wanted to throw that out there! love your blog and if you have time to do more lifestyle posts that would be so awesome!
Santorini is so gorgeous! It’s definitely high on my list of places to visit.
I love that striped dress on you! You’re looking amazing, Amber! You can’t even tell that you’re pregnant in that first shot.
Kristi | Be Loverly
Hey Amber,love all your pictures from Greece. I just got back from Karpathos-Greece and absolutely loved it. I’ll definitely go back. I was wondering if Santorini has some kind of shopping town. Karpathos has a cute little town with a few designers stores and I want to know if Santorini shopping would be better for my next vacation. Thank you so much!
http://fabuloustorture.blogspot.com
both Fira and Oia (and most villages in Santorini actually) do have local designer stores!
You have me totally craving a vacation to Santorini now (and it has been on my bucket list since sisterhood of the traveling pants haha). I love hay sweet photo of Atticus in the sink, he’s such a cutie.
So beautiful! I am hoping to travel to Santorini next summer so this is so helpful in the planning! Thank you for sharing your trip!
My husband just asked me the other day where I want to travel next and I suggested Greece! I’m glad to know it’s totally worth it. I don’t know where in Greece I particularly want to go, but you are making Santorini sound/look incredible! Haha, Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants—yes! Totally want to go watch that movie now 🙂
Greece is a beautiful country and there are many places/islands you can visit there. Indeed Santorini is the most picturesque but it’s not the only one!! Being from Greece I can happily suggest places you can/should visit in Greece and do have a relevant post on my blog!
Santorini is so beautiful! I can’t get over it! You’re making me wanna go more and more!
Casey
http://thedistrictfox.com
These photos are gorgeous! What a magical looking place <3
Glitter Boots & Champagne Flutes
These photos looks beautiful and calm. I really need a vacation now 😉 Also love the top and skirt you’re wearing! xx
looks like an incredible trip! such a beautiful place- it has been on my list for a long time. hopefully one day i will be able to visit. thanks for the tips!
http://www.giltedgeblog.com
Beautiful images of your family.
What is the airport situation in Santorini?
Did you visit ancient Akrotiri? It’s a Minoan archaeological site that dates to the 16th century BCE, at the time of the Thera eruption, which resulted in a climatic impact that ended up shaping much of the ancient history (and geography) in the region. It’s pretty fascinating and probably the main reason I’d want to travel to Santorini. Anyone who has studied art history would recognize the Akrotirian frescoes immediately – they are some of the most famous works of the Bronze Age. Did you get to see the Prehistoric Thera Museum or Oia Castle? How about the Orthodox Panagia Episkopi Church? It dates to the 12th century and houses some incredible Byzantine icons. There are also a lot of ruins from Venetian Medieval rule. The anthropological richness of the island is incredible.
Granted I’m a history, art, and archaeology geek but these sites would have been non-negotiable destinations if I was traveling to Santorini. Just think about the cultural impact the Minoans had on the world as we know it; seeing some of the remnants of their civilization is a once in a lifetime opportunity.
For anyone trying Greek food – Spanakopita (spinach and feta pie) and Tiropita (cheese and egg filled phyllo) are delicious staples and if you’re feeling more adventurous, Moussaka and Dolmades are winners. Pickier eaters would probably enjoy Chicken Souvlaki doused in Tzatziki. And you get to eat almost everything with your hands without seemingly lacking table manners.
If you’re thinking about breaking into the travel blog space, I think you could but bear in mind many of us with wanderlust would not be content at all with just laying around and enjoying the view, especially when spending precious vacation hours away from work and paying full price for accommodation etc.
Your photography is top-notch and makes for a really graphically appealing website. If you’re ever looking for a content editor, let me know 🙂
Happy travels and congratulations on your baby girl.
http://katieheartsdc.blogspot.com/
Santorini does have an airport that has direct flights to Athens and many European destinations. In the summer there are seasonal flights as well. Akrotiri is an archaeological site worth visiting as it is very well preserved! You can literally understand how the city was built back then! I hope you manage to visit Santorini (and Greece in general) soon.
I went to Santorini and it was amazing, your pictures are so beautiful!!!
Kisses
Tiff
http://www.mabulledepensees.com
Thank you for all of these amazing photos and tips for Santorini! Me and my husband are SO going there end of this Summer, this is pure heaven on Earth!
http://lartoffashion.com
These photos are just the most beautiful! <3
The Quirky Queer
The first outfit is absolutely fabulous! I love all the pictures, I am dying to visit Greece it looks beautiful!
xoxo, Ivette
Glamour State Of Mind
Santorini is in my top 3 places that I want to go and after seeing your pictures, I want to go there even more!! Ah I love the scenery and your adorable family <3
xo,
Bri
http://www.cityfashiongirl.com
Your trip sounds amazing and your tips are so helpful! I’m still swooning over your pictures. Greece looks AMAZING! Def, on my bucket list!
Stay Styled,
Lindsey
Instagram: stay_styled
Blog: http://staystyledblog.com/
Oh my goodness, it looks so wonderful. I can’t wait to go there someday soon! Thanks so much for such a great blog! And ps I was just wondering how old you and your husband are? Cause you both look so young yet you’re married with kids and have this properly grown up life haha! <3 xoxo
These photos are a dream! What a beautiful place! For some reason, that orange juice looks way better than the orange juice we have over here! Haha! 😉 So many great suggestions! Thanks for sharing, girly!
http://sometimesgracefully.com
Every time I see your pictures of Greece, I just want to book a trip there immediately! It looks amazing and it’s been my dream to visit! Definitely, making note of renting a whole house or villa!
xo Adri
http://www.adrilately.blogspot.com
Santorini looks absolutely gorgeous! I can’t wait to visit for myself one day!!
https://thecourtneydiaries.wordpress.com
It was breathtaking!! I hope you can visit too!! Thanks for reading Courtney!! xo
These photos are unreal! You all look stunning. Baby A’s little striped shirt is to die for 🙂
http://www.qustomquinns.com/blog
Thanks so much!! I am so glad you liked them 🙂 I was dying at all the cute Greek clothing, I wish I could have bought it all!!
Gorgeous photos, as usual. I now want to turn my NY apartment into a blue and white Greek temple! How gorgeous!
Our Brooklyn landlords are from Santorini and every month when we go to pay the rent they yell at us to GO! “Go before you have kids,” they say. Looks like it can be done, with ease, with kids 😉 Baby A is such a darling world traveler.
Thanks so much Sam!! I know what you mean!! I am suddenly obsessed with blue and white decor!! So gorgeous!! I hope you can visit someday!! Definitely worth it!! xo