Akrotiri

The Akrotiri peninsula has a series of pebble coves formed from volcanic rock, including the renowned Red Beach, with striking cliffs stained by iron ore. Akrotiri Lighthouse is noted for its sunset views, and the remains at Akrotiri Prehistoric Village date back to Minoan times. Chic hillside guesthouses and beach apartments overlook seafood tavernas, dive centers, and tour-boat operators along the shore.
When is your trip?

Navigate forward to interact with the calendar and select a date. Press the question mark key to get the keyboard shortcuts for changing dates.

Navigate backward to interact with the calendar and select a date. Press the question mark key to get the keyboard shortcuts for changing dates.

Ready to plan your trip to Akrotiri? Organize and map your itinerary with our free trip planner.

Top attractions in Akrotiri

Red beach
1. Red beach
4.1
(10997)
Beach
Outdoor Activities
This small, busy beach on Santorini is surrounded by red hills & volcanic rocks & offers snorkeling.
Slide 1 of 8
Amazing beach! Water is totally transparent and with good temperature. Is a different kind of beach due it has little stones instead of sand, you need to know it. The different colors give you a impressive landscape.
This spot is right next to the Akrotiri archaeological site, with parking available in a nearby dirt lot. The path is short and quite popular, with a small kiosk at the entrance — when we visited, there was even a guitar player along the way. The beach itself is beautiful but not ideal for swimming, and you’ll need to bring your own umbrella for shade. Overall, it’s a pleasant and easy walk with lovely views.
Nice spot to do an adventurous hike to reach to the beach, but mindful it can be very windy and rocky path. Not sure if this would be good idea for elderly or children to go to the beach with the rocky and windy path
Beautiful view point on the right side of the beach. On 28 October the beach itself was closed with a rope line, you can access the beach but not swim. From the viewpoint you can climb down to the beach or take the road on the left of it. All the local busses stop at the archaeological site from which it’s a little 10 minute walk downwards. Before reaching the view point you will see a sign stating: danger no entry. But everyone continues walking to reach the viewpoint.
The Red Beach in Santorini is truly unique — its red sand and surrounding cliffs create an otherworldly landscape that feels almost like being on Mars. It’s definitely worth a visit when exploring the island.
Have you ever walked through small goat trails and climbed up and down across cliffs to access a beach? Red Beach is such a location. The beach is pretty small-scaled and with small pebbles. Quite a strange view is the result of a landslide some time ago on some storage facilities close to the cliff-side. You see bits and pieces of something which looks like a kitchen and sunbeds covered by dirt.
Another unique place on a unique island. There are several beaches on the island, and they are all different, but this one stands out the most, with its otherworldly views. You can get there by car, there is parking available, then walk for about 5 minutes along a rocky path.
We parked right in front of Saint Nicholas Church and followed the short walking path until reaching a yellow sign covered with stickers — the spot that marks the start of the Red Beach viewpoint The striking red cliffs and turquoise waters were stunning, and we were lucky to come across a violinist playing by the sea, adding a beautiful and unexpected touch to the experience
Akrotiri
2. Akrotiri
4.4
(11363)
Archaeological site
Sights & Landmarks
Enclosed archeological site featuring an excavation of a preserved Bronze Age settlement.
Slide 1 of 8
The Archaeological Site of Akrotiri on Santorini is an absolutely amazing and unforgettable experience that we highly recommend to anyone visiting the island. This incredibly well-preserved Bronze Age settlement, often referred to as the "Minoan Pompeii," offers a unique and intimate glimpse into a sophisticated civilization tragically buried by a volcanic eruption around 1627 BC. The scale of the site, which is completely covered by a modern, bioclimatic shelter, is breathtaking. Walking along the suspended wooden pathways, you look down upon multi-story buildings, ancient streets, and massive storage jars (pithoi), all of which convey the complexity and wealth of this ancient port city. The fact that the dig is still ongoing adds an incredible layer of excitement, highlighting that there are still mysteries beneath the earth waiting to be uncovered. What truly elevated our visit was our tour guide, Joanna. She was simply excellent! Her knowledge of the site, the history, the ongoing archaeological work, and the significance of the finds was profound and captivating. Joanna brought the silent ruins to life, painting vivid pictures of daily life in Akrotiri thousands of years ago. Beyond her expertise, her helpfulness and passion made the experience personal and engaging. She was happy to answer every question and clearly loved sharing the history of this remarkable place. In summary: • Site: Truly amazing, incredibly well-preserved, and a monumental piece of history under a modern protective roof. • Guide (Joanna): Highly recommended—knowledgeable, passionate, and very helpful. • Overall Recommendation: We highly recommend a visit to the Archaeological Site of Akrotiri. It is an essential stop on Santorini and an awe-inspiring historical journey.
History in this place is amazing only little bit has been uncovered cause there is no funding for this place. There is so much more under the ash that is still waiting to be discovered Wow was one of my highlights on the excursion I took.
Oh wow!! I was totally amazed at this awesome historic place. Our tour guide showed us a indoor toilet from over 5,000 years ago. Shocking, mind blowing and amazing to see. They understand it to be The Lost City of Atlantis! The pottery and the layers of volcanic ash is over 3 stories deep and archaeologists are working with small instruments including toothbrushes not to harm anything they've only unearthed 5% so far. I'll have to return in about 10 years to see if they have uncovered more and found even more items from 3800 BC. 😲❤️
I like the fact that the site was empty when we visited it. However the experience could be improved by adding more explanations and maybe more visual reconstructions.
This is a truly impressive and unique site. It was once a highly sophisticated village for its time, featuring even toilet seats and an advanced plumbing system. The settlement was completely buried under volcanic ash after the eruption around 2000 BC, yet no human remains were ever found. You can hire a guide at the entrance to learn more about its fascinating history. There’s also a nice kiosk and café on site.
These ruins were buried by the eruption of the Thera volcano and later abandoned after a devastating earthquake. Excavations are still ongoing, and with each discovery, more of this ancient jewel is revealed. Walking through the site, I could almost imagine myself living within the walls of its rich history. It’s truly a cultural must-see!
An excellent and unique experience only Pompey can match it. Well explained and clear insights into a very ancient civilisation.
Absolutely amazing prehistorical geological site. If you love history, you will be in heaven. We learned amazing facts about the artistry and intelligence of the Minoan society while visiting. It was calm and quiet when we were there and so helpful to have it covered. Go early and take your time. Let yourself absorb the energy of the site. Highly recommend.
Parking near Lighthouse Akrotiri
3. Parking near Lighthouse Akrotiri
4.4
(136)
Public parking space
Sights & Landmarks
Slide 1 of 10
Wenige eingezeichnete Parkplätze, jedoch viele vorhanden, wenn man den Platz nutzt. Es ist ziemlich eng, ich hatte Angst, dass wir eingeparkt werden. Auch vom Parkplatz aus, sieht man den Sonnenuntergang. (Translated by Google) Few marked parking spaces, but plenty available if you use the space. It's pretty tight, I was worried we'd get parked. You can also see the sunset from the parking lot.
Parkplatz ist nicht gerade groß aber in der Nebensaison ging es gerade so. Der Ausblick ist überragend und lohnt sich alle mal. (Translated by Google) The parking lot isn't exactly big, but in the off-season it was just fine. The view is outstanding and definitely worth it.
The parking itself it's limited with a small car park closets to the light house and near the cafe, and a slightly larger one further back. Just as I was leaving a quad safari just pulled in and took up a lot of space. I think this could be an issue at some points. The light house you can not gain entry to, but the views are incredible and well worth a visit.
A great place to see the sunset in Santorini. The island of the volcano will not block your view as you are standing at the most southern part of the island, so the sunset will last more! Plenty of places where you can sit and enjoy the view! Well worth a visit.
It was such a windy day out want possible to see the best of the lighth. As far as car parking id concerned, yes, you can park your car here and it's free of charge. I have been to better car parks though!
Lovely view point for the island. Parking easy!
Not much for amenities but you get a nice view of Santorini with less of a crowd. There is a snack bar operating beside the parking lot with a surprisingly good selection of drinks and snacks.
2 parkings. One very small directly at the end of the road. The second one maybe 100m from the end, and bigger. I recommend to use the latest, specially if there is a lot of people, because it may be difficult to turn back if the last parking is full. Nice view on the 2 sides of the island. But this is the only interesting thing to do I guess. It seems there is no way to enter the farol.
Visiting the Light house during sun set is a popular destination and a nice drive/ride there. Tips: there is limited parking below the lighthouse and no public toilets from what we could see. However food is available near by.
It's definitely worth a visit. The views are amazing.
Santorini Sea Kayak
4. Santorini Sea Kayak
5.0
(818)
Temporarily Closed
Canoe & kayak tour agency
Tours
Slide 1 of 8
We had such a great time kayaking today! Lia, Adonis and Jacob were great with our group. We have far more kids than adults and it’s not all that easy to manage a group of our size. They were fantastic! I would highly recommend this company. We were cruising and it was very easy to setup outside of the cruise line. It was a tender port and they were willing to accommodate us getting off in time for our excision. We just needed to show our confirmation. Thanks again for a great day!!
Kirsten and I had an amazing time on this Kayak Tour. Our guides, Adonis and Lia, were extremely helpful and friendly. We visited several locations including some caves, beaches and more. We ate a quick lunch at one of the beaches. The lunch was prepared by Lia - it was superb!!!!! It started raining so we started heading back. Adonis made sure we stayed ahead of the storm as long as we could. At one point, he did not feel it was safe so he made arrangements to get us out of the water and back to base via a boat. When we got back, they surprised us with music and a cake for Kirsten's birthday!! It was an extremely kind and thoughtful gesture that simply added to our adventure!! I highly recommend this tour!!!
Amazing experience with Sea Kayak Santorini! We had an absolutely fantastic day with Sea Kayak Santorini! Everything was well-organized from start to finish. The guides were super friendly, fun, and created a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere. Their instructions and guidance were clear and professional, making everyone feel safe and confident—no matter their experience level. The route was stunning, with beautiful views, interesting stories, and plenty of time to enjoy the surroundings. One of the highlights was the delicious lunch: fresh, flavorful, and served in a lovely spot. All in all, an unforgettable experience. Great organization, wonderful people, and breathtaking scenery. Highly recommended for anyone looking for an active and memorable adventure on Santorini!
Did this on a cruise excursion. It was great! Adonis and Luis made for a fun trip. Would highly recommend. Scenic views, nice equipment, a small picnic lunch and swimming. And their base camp is a cool little spot built into the rock. Definitely the highlight of our short time on the island.
Awesome experience with Adonis and Leah on our kayaking tour on the Aegean Sea. They provided a safe and enjoyable experience we would never be able to replicate here in Canada. Kayaking past active volcanoes, the lime cliffs, different colour beaches and the knowledge and history that went along with the trip. Excellent. We would have given a 10 star rating but it only goes to 5.
Great Experience! Gone kayaking a few times. This was the best. Adonis is a great guide and instructor. Couldn’t have been better. Lia’s lunch was delicious. Pattellis were a nice snack. Loved the entire experience. Our BEST excursion!!
Unforgettable fun time. We did the sunset trip and it was amazing. Genuinely good people, quick friends taking you through the beauties of their island. Fully recommended! Adonis was a great and safe guide, and an excellent photographer !
Adonis was absolutely hilarious and Leah was very sweet and funny. They make an excellent team! The instructions were very clear, the kayaks were very nice, and the tour was fantastic! The weather was gorgeous when we went and Adonis was very helpful when it came time for the snorkeling, so glad we went!
Aspri Paralia
5. Aspri Paralia
4.1
(428)
Beach
Outdoor Activities
Slide 1 of 8
I think this is the best beach in Santorini, with extremely smooth sand, even in the water. It's very private, only a limited number of people at any given time. Accessible only by boat, 10 euro ticket available for the whole day unlimited rides. Beware the boat stops near but not at the shore, you will have to go in the 1 meter tall water when going off the boat. It has some big rocks with some mini caves great for photos.
The White Beach, well first of all I took the bus from Fira Bus station to Artoritios (I hope I spelled that right) which takes you to Red Beach Bus stop, then you need to walk about little more than half a mile before the hiking begins. Once you hike for about 400 meters you get to see the beach, Red Beach. I was there for a while before a boat came by and announced that it was going to White Beach and also Black Beach. The ride cost approximately 10 euros and that was go to go to both beaches (White and Black) then it would bring you back to Red Beach. Now, White beach was enjoyable. There are umbrellas there which you need to pay for, or just pick a spot on the beach in front of the chairs. Water was nice and there was a lot of big rocks underneath that was awesome to look at as you snorkel. Also was not as crowded as Red Beach.
Unusual landscape, with tall white rocks. The water is clean, clear and warm but the entry is steep. So, not a good beach for those with small children. To reach it you have to get a small boat from Akrotiri.
Well worth a visit. We took a boat ride to the three beaches and ended up spending a day on this beach. Take your own food and drinks with you. This place has sun chairs and shades. We had great time chilling out, swimming to the rock, the cave, and taking it easy. Very nice day out on the beach.
If you are corrageous and a good swimmer and there is little wind you can reach this beach and an even nicer smaller one by swimming through a cave passage from western nearby beach. Fantastic experience.
This is one of the most pictuersque beaches of Santorini ,which you can access only by a small boat or yacht. An interesting thing about it is that there's a huge gorgeous white rock -limestone- that has a cave you can actually swim inside it. Also the beach is not really organized and is small but it's a spectacular view with pretty clean blue waters that make this entire area a magical place. Not recommended when the wind is coming from South because the sea becomes wavy and swimming then is not an ease
Very nice beach but be CAREFUL WHEN DESCENDING THE BOAT, the water is about a meter deep with waves that wet my shirt! Boat system was very complicated and sun beds were covering the entire beach so we had to sit in a sort of cave with poop and a dead hedgehog Apart from that a very nice beach with clear water a ~underwater- tunnel which was beautiful!
Tourist trap, you can only go to here with boat (10 euro) or maybe kayaking if you rent or have one. It super tiny and sun beds is of course gonna cost you. The boats come every 30 min but be aware that sometime it will be full so there is a risk you can be stuck here for a while. I don’t think it’s really worth it. A good view though. As for swimming you kinda need swimming shoes or something cause there is so many rocks that you might slip when the waves come. The rocks are everywhere so when you jump off the boat you need to carry your bag/belongings over your head since the boat can’t go so close
Caldera Beach
6. Caldera Beach
4.3
(422)
Beach
Outdoor Activities
Slide 1 of 8
It's a very clean and beautiful, small, dark sand beach. There are trees lining the whole length of the beach and you can almost always find a comfortable spot in their shade. We had the best fruit smoothies ever at the beach bar. There is also a small water sports centre, with diving offers (we didn't check it ourselves). The water is super clean, there is lush seagrass at the bottom of the sea, so snorkeling might be fun. There's also a small cliff (approx. 6m) that you can dive from. Accessible by car. Definitely recommend!
No amenities barring shade trees close to the high tide line, and used by locals. Cruise passengers - stay away, you won't be welcome. Anybody else, seeking a quiet place to swim - yes. Black sand beach with small pebbles, easy on soles! Bring food, water, books, and take your trash out when you leave.
It is quite the climb back up after but the beach wasn’t too busy and very beautiful. If you’re not afraid of going a bit further at the buoy there is a big rock with plenty of fish which is for snorkelling if you can handle the waves.
We had a wonderful snorkeling experience here with Dimitris Kampanos from Dive in Action, a local organization championing the protection of the unique, beautiful and important Posidonia meadows. We learned so much about why the Posidonia is important (fish nursery, erosion control, carbon sink) and the threats (high speed ferries, anchoring) putting this magical habitat at risk! Highly recommend a dive or snorkel here with Dimitris!
A bit risky to walk down but very unique location, great view of caldera, but small beach.
Amazing beach to swim from, nice and quiet, great view of caldera, some shade also, clear blue green waters. Like the Grand Canyon with water
More of a wild beach. Cool spot. Careful as choppy waves from bigger passing ships can bring the tide up briefly and wash away your things. Put them farther back or on a high rock. Enjoy!
Black sand, clean beach and beautiful view!
I'll never travel to Akrotiri without this trip planner again
Learn more
What users say about the app

Other notable attractions

Experience Horse Riding
Horseback riding service
Nature & Parks
Faros Santorini
Restaurant
Shopping
Rent me Love me , ATV - Scooter - Buggy - Car Rentals in Santorini
Car rental agency
Outdoor Activities
Castle of Akrotiri
Castle
Sights & Landmarks
Villa Nidito
Indoor lodging
Tours
Best-of categories in Akrotiri

Looking for day-by-day itineraries in Akrotiri?

Get inspired for your trip to Akrotiri with our curated itineraries that are jam-packed with popular attractions everyday! Check them out here:

Weather in Akrotiri

Here's the historical average temperature in Akrotiri over a full year based on data compiled by NASA: for more details by month, see the weather in Akrotiri in January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, or December
Monthly temperature highs and lows in Akrotiri
Ready to plan your trip to Akrotiri?
Use our free trip planner for the easiest way to plan your vacation. No more switching between different apps, tabs, and tools to keep track of your travel plans.

Add places from guides with 1 click

We crawled the web so you don’t have to. Easily save mentioned places.

Collaborate with friends in real time

Plan along with your friends with live syncing and collaborative editing.

Import flight and hotel reservations

Connect or forward your emails to get them magically added into your trip plan.

Expense tracking and splitting

Keep track of your budget and split the cost between your tripmates.

Checklists for anything

Stay organized with a packing list, to-do list, shopping list, any kind of list.

Get personalized suggestions

Find the best places to visit with smart recommendations based on your itinerary.
Plan on the go with our free travel app
With Wanderlog's mobile travel planner on Android and iOS, access and edit your trips wherever you go — even while offline.
Access and edit your trips wherever you go — even without a connection.
Get the iOS app from the App StoreGet the Android app from Google Play

4.9 on App Store, 4.7 on Google Play

Get the iOS app from the App StoreGet the Android app from Google Play
0 places saved to your trip to Akrotiri