Nothing beats the beauty of Santorini views! It’s one of the best parts of any visit to this magical Greek island.
I can never get enough of those views of sparkling blue sea, picture-perfect sunsets, steep cliffs, white-washed walls, and blue dome churches—they’re simply some of the best in the world.
Luckily, there are plenty of fantastic places where you can capture total Instagram-worthy shots to show off to your friends.
Pssst, heading to Greece? Don’t miss these travel guides to help you plan your trip!
The Best Santorini Views: Top Can’t Miss Spots
Planning a Trip to Greece: Everything You Need to Know
Day Trips from Athens: 8 Ideas
Airbnb Santorini: Iconic Places to Book
I’m sharing some of the top can’t miss spots to get the best Santorini views. Enjoy!
The Best Santorini Views
Sunset views from Oia Castle
Travelers flock from near and far to the Oia Castle just to see the world-famous Oia sunset. It definitely stands out for its unsurpassed view of the sun setting over paradise.
From the top of Oia Castle, look towards Ammoudi Bay and you’ll get a fabulous vista of the steep building-lined cliff and small marina nestled at the bottom. It’s one of the most famous Santorini views, so you’ve probably seen lots of pictures of it!
But nothing beats seeing it for yourself. Loads of people agree, so be prepared to be surrounded by crowds of tourists clamoring to capture the moment! I’d recommend going 1 – 2 hours before sunset to get a spot.
Or, if you want to go true VIP style, get an unobstructed sunset view from a jacuzzi on your own private terrace at one of the best hotels on the island, the Oia Castle Luxury Suites.
Caldera views from Imerovigli
If the label “the balcony to the Aegean” doesn’t convince you of Imerovigli’s prime location for supreme views, I don’t know what will!
Imerovigli is a small village set almost 1,000 feet above sea level, making it the highest point of Santorini’s caldera cliffs. Its unique position provides an unrivaled view of the volcano, the turquoise Aegean Sea below, and a sunset that will blow your mind.
You’ll find Imerovigli towards the northern point of the island, less than 2 miles away from Fira.
3 blue domes from Oia’s main walking street
You’ve no doubt seen a picture of the Santorini Blue domes—the three iconic blue church domes of Oia—it’s the most quintessential cover of every Greek islands travel guide ever made!
You can access some amazing spots to get photos below Oia’s main walking street near the town square. There are two narrow alleys that you can take down to catch two different perspectives of the blue domes.
While you’re there, take in the crazy beautiful views of the caldera and neighboring islands.
This particular staircase is a really popular spot to snap a photo of the three blue domes, so be prepared for there to be a line to get that insta-worthy shot.
Caldera views from an infinity pool
I don’t know about you but enjoying Santorini caldera views while wading in an infinity pool—or lounging beside one with a drink in hand—is my idea of paradise!
Your best bet is to book a hotel that offers this luxury, of which there are a few in Santorini to choose from.
The above photo is from the Mystique, which is absolutely incredible and definitely one of the most luxe hotels we’ve ever stayed at.
Another option is Katikies Karini in Oia which features a communal infinity pool with stunning caldera views. Most of their luxury rooms have private jacuzzis, so you always have that option if you want a completely private experience.
There’s also the gorgeous Athina Luxury Suites on the cliffs of Fira which offers amazing panoramic views from its heated infinity pool that conveniently features a bar inside the pool. How’s that for luxury?
Coast views from a sunset cruise
Oh, I love a good sunset cruise! Especially in a place like Santorini which has some of the most fantastic coastline views ever.
There’s nothing more relaxing than sailing around the caldera to admire the view of the iconic towns Oia, Fira, and Imerovigli. There’s just something so special about seeing them from the water!
If you sign up for a cruise tour that offers dinner, drinks, and live music, you’ll definitely live it up as you get some of the most amazing views of the changing colors as the sun starts to set in the background.
We booked our sunset sail through GetYourGuide here!
Red Beach views from the sea
Santorini’s famous Red Beach is easily one of the most memorable beaches in Greece. The dramatic landscape of massive red volcanic rocks set against a background of deep blue water and sky is one you can’t miss.
To get the best panoramic view of the unique color of this part of Santorini’s coastline, hop on a boat to see it from the sea.
There are quick water taxis that shuttle back and forth, but you can also opt for a more relaxing journey with one of the many boat tours or catamaran, most of which include Red Beach as a destination.
Black sand beach views from Ancient Thera
On the east side of Santorini, you’ll find some fantastic black sand beaches—the most famous being Perissa Beach and Kamari Beach. They’re set against a stunning backdrop of the majestic Mesa Vouno Mountain.
If you make your way up the mountain, you’ll reach the famous ancient ruins of Thera that sit on the edge of steep cliffs that seem to plummet down to the sea.
From Thera, you’ll get some unforgettable birds-eye views of the sprawling black sand coastline that contrasts beautifully against the deep blue, crystal clear waters down below.
Be sure not to miss this one—Thera is such a special place and you’ll want to take plenty of photos of what you see!
So, these are my top picks for not-to-miss spots for the best Santorini views! And don’t be surprised if you find yourself going to the same spots over and over—I know I do and I’m impressed every single time!
Heading to Santorini? Check out my other Greece travel guides here.
Top Beaches in Santorini Greece
Airbnb Santorini: Iconic Places to Book
Day Trips from Athens: 8 Ideas
The Best Spots for Nightlife in Santorini
The Best Santorini Views: Top Can’t Miss Spots
Planning a Trip to Greece: Everything You Need to Know
Megalochori Santorini: Discover This Charming Town
Santorini Sightseeing: Top 20 Things to Do in Santorini
Top 20 Santorini Instagram Spots
The Perfect 5-Day Santorini Itinerary
FAQs
The best Santorini views are:
– Sunset views from Oia Castle
– Red Beach views from the sea
– Volcano views from Imerovigli
The best time to visit Santorini is from September to October or April to May.
You should spend at least 3 to 5 days in Santorini.
Elise Armitage is an entrepreneur and founder of What The Fab, a travel + lifestyle blog based in California. At the beginning of 2019, Elise left her corporate job at Google to chase her dreams: being an entrepreneur and helping women find fabulous in the everyday. Since then, she’s launched her SEO course Six-Figure SEO, where she teaches bloggers how to create a passive revenue stream from their website using SEO. Featured in publications like Forbes, Elle, HerMoney, and Real Simple, Elise is a firm believer that you can be of both substance and style.
