Santorini

Currency

Euro. Santorini is the most expensive place in Greece — expect Oia prices to be double Athens. Book rentals early for any summer date.

ATMs & cards

ATMs cluster in Fira and Oia and run dry in peak August. Withdraw in Fira rather than Oia, and expect a €2-3 foreign card fee. Decline conversion.

ATMs run dry in peak August. Withdraw in Fira rather than Oia.

Wherever you are: if the machine offers to charge you in your home currency, decline. That is dynamic currency conversion and the rate is set by the ATM's operator, not your bank.

Safety

Very safe. The real risks are practical — cliff paths without railings, ATV accidents on gravel, and severe crowding in Oia at sunset. Donkey rides up the cliff are best avoided on welfare grounds.

Our own assessment, not a sourced index.

Entry & visa

Health & emergencies

Required to enter

No vaccinations are required for entry from Europe or North America.

Worth having

• Routine vaccinations up to date

Getting treated

EU/EEA and Swiss visitors are treated on the same terms as residents with an EHIC or GHIC card; UK visitors use a GHIC. Everyone else pays, and travel insurance is worth having for the repatriation cover rather than the treatment. Island clinics handle basics; anything serious means a transfer to Athens or Crete, which is quick but not instant.

Summer heat is the most common reason tourists need help — heatstroke and dehydration, not accidents.

Orientation, not medical advice. Entry rules change and what you need depends on your own history and where you have been — check with a travel clinic or your national health service four to six weeks before you go.

Food tip

Try the island specialities: tomatokeftedes (tomato fritters), fava, and white aubergine. Amoudi Bay below Oia has the best fresh fish, though not the cheapest.

Getting around

• Rental car or ATV — the most practical way to see the island, book weeks ahead in summer
• KTEL bus — cheap and reliable between Fira, Oia, Perissa and the port, €1.80-2.50
• Walking — the Fira to Oia caldera path is 10km and one of Greece’s best walks
• Taxi — only about 30 on the whole island, always pre-book
• Airport: bus to Fira (20 min, €1.80) or taxi (€25-30)

Must-see

Things to do

• Walk the Fira to Oia caldera trail
• Watch sunset from Oia castle
• Boat trip to the volcano and hot springs
• Visit the Akrotiri Bronze Age site
• Swim at Perissa black sand beach
• Taste Assyrtiko at a caldera winery

Nearby day trips

Say a few words

Greek

• HelloΓεια σας — Yia sasyah sas
• PleaseΠαρακαλώ — Parakalópa-ra-ka-LO
• Thank youΕυχαριστώ — Efharistóef-ha-ri-STO
• Yes / NoΝαι / Όχι — Ne / Óhineh / O-hee
• Excuse meΣυγγνώμη — Signómisig-NO-mee
• How much is it?Πόσο κάνει; — Póso káni?PO-so KA-nee
• The bill, pleaseΤον λογαριασμό — Ton logariasmóton lo-gar-yaz-MO
• Cheers!Γεια μας — Yia masyah mas

The trap: "ne" means yes, not no. No is "óhi".

Religion

Greek Orthodox

Orthodoxy is written into the constitution and is closely tied to national identity. Do not enter a church in shorts, and do not photograph during a service.

Do's and don'ts

Do

• Accept offered food or drink — refusing outright reads as a rejection of the host
• Share plates; ordering individually is not how a Greek table works
• Learn efharistó, it goes a long way
• Put toilet paper in the bin, not the bowl — the plumbing genuinely cannot take it

Don't

• Do not show an open palm towards someone — the moutza is a serious insult
• Do not nod up for yes; a single upward head tilt means no
• Do not rush a meal or ask for the bill early; the table is yours for the evening
• Do not photograph inside monasteries without checking, and dress modestly at them