Santorini Family Vacation
After a few days in Athens, we were super excited to head to to the island of Santorini. We actually had to fly from Athens to Santorini which was only a 30-40 minute flight. Jadyn couldn’t wait to get to our hotel because it had a pool and the weather was perfect.
Swimsuit top: ASOS (on sale!) | Swimsuit bottoms: ASOS (on sale!)
We stayed at the Canaves Oia Epitome during our trip. The hotel is located on the northern part of Oia in Santorini and hidden above the main town of Ammoudi. You can easily get to Oia by a very quick shuttle ride. I was pretty blown away by how beautiful the hotel was and how stunning the views were from our room. The hotel is new, very modern, luxurious and comfortable. The staff was very friendly and breakfast was complimentary each morning. The hotel would set up a four course breakfast from a different part of Greece at our room each morning, so it was cool to experience a variety of different food. All the rooms face the same view and have pools of varying sizes, while there is also a main infinity pool as well. It was so nice to spend time at the pool and relax before heading into the town.
One morning, we decided to go to have breakfast at Pelekanos. It was one of the restaurants we were told we had to stop at while in Santorini. We sat outside on the terrace because it had an amazing 360 degree, caldera view. It was so breathtaking at sunset! The restaurant is known for their avant-garde Greek cuisine and uses all fresh ingredients. We had a great time and the food/service was great! It was definitely an experience and I highly recommend doing dinner on the terrace at sunset.
We spent most of our time in Santorini exploring the town of Oia. It’s a coastal town on the island known for their whitewashed houses all over the clifftops. Oia is probably one of the most picturesque parts of the island and views during sunset are so beautiful, we were all stunned by how breathtaking the sunsets were each night. While exploring the town, we didn’t really have any destinations in mind, we just walked around, explored and took photos. There are so many pretty buildings and hillsides everywhere you turn.
Dress: & OTHER STORIES | Handbag: CHLOÉ | Shoes: LOUIS VUITTON
Sunglasses: ZARA | Dress: ZIMMERMANN | Shoes: STUART WEITZMAN (on sale!)
The town itself has very little shade, so during the day it was extremely hot to walk around, getting up early before the crowds and before the heat really set in was our best bet. I loved exploring all the small shops which had a mixture of low end and high end stores. It was so fun walking down the marble streets and taking in the breathtaking views. It is a great spot to explore while waiting for the famous sunset.
Dress: CAROLINE CONSTAS (also available in different print here)
On our last night in Santorini, we had a sunset dinner at Kastro Oia Restaurant. The restaurant overlooks the Aegean Sea and of course the beautiful sunset of Oia. They serve Mediterranean food using ingredients from Santorini and the rest of Greece. The food was delicious and the service was great, it was veryyy busy so it’s important to make a reservation prior or get there early and enjoy a leisurely meal. After dinner, we explored the Oia Castle to get a great view of the sunset.
Santorini really does live up to all of the movies filmed there and the incredible images you see online. The breathtaking island is so full of magical and unique adventures that we did not have time to get to them all. Below are some spots that we did not have time to check out, but were highly recommended!
Perissa Black Sand Beach– It’s not every day you get a chance to visit a natural black sand beach, which is why I was bummed we had to skip this spot on our trip. The Perissa Black Sand Beach is always bustling with live music and incredible restaurants. In contrast to the vibrancy of the atmosphere, the incredible juxtaposition of the deep black sand next to the magically clear blue water sends you into a state of beautiful tranquility.
Nectar and Ambrosia– Located on the cliff top village of Oia, Nectar and Ambrosia is one of the most famous restaurants in Santorini. The restaurant offers modern Mediterranean food and is known for it’s amazing service. At night they offer a candlelight dinner on the panorama or you can dine in the indoor salas. Apparently, the baked feta in black sesame and honey crust is amazing!
Amoudi Bay– Amoudi Bay is one of the most beautiful spots in all of Greece. Take a relaxing walk down the picturesque cobbled stone stairs down to the stunning seafront town. The Amoudi Taverna, the main restaurant located at the bay, serves the freshest produce as you sit on a private dinning table inches away from the crashing waves. It will be your own Mamma Mia moment.
1800– The restaurant is located on 200-year-old premises and after two decades is still one of the top restaurants in Oia. The restaurant is now housed under Floga restaurant but offers gourmet Greek dishes and a beautiful sea view. The presentation of the food is extremely unique, each dish is presented like a work of art. 1800 is known to be an unforgettable dining experience!
Boat Trip to the Hot Springs– Due to Greece consisting of many little islands one of the top things to do there is naturally to take a boat trip around all of the islands. It’s truly the only and best way to get a real sense of the entire nation. I recommend taking this trip from the Santorini island as you are able to stop off in the natural hot springs! The warm and reddish toned pool of water is like a free spa treatment as the ‘muddy’ iron and sulfur water detoxifies your skin – no need to spend money at the hotel spa!
Pita Gyros– If you’re craving gyros this is the best local spot to go to. It’s the perfect spot if you want something quick to eat but the place gets very crowded after sunset. By 10-11 PM, the gyros will sometimes even sell out, so it’s best to go there early. It’s a very casual spot!
In case you missed it, check out my recap on Athens and Mykonos as well!
