Best luxury villas in Santorini
Santorini is on many luxury travel bucket-lists for its impossibly deep blue waters, contrasting with the island's whiter than whitewashed Minoan buildings reflecting the Cyclades sun. A romantic and fashionable island for honeymooners, many hotels are adult-only, but renting a luxury villa here makes for an unforgettable family holiday with dazzling panoramic views.
Santorini's crescent shape is the result of violent eruption over three thousand years ago, when the centre of the island collapsed with a tsunami filling the crater forming the island we know today. This explains the midnight blue waters, dotted with the remaining rim of the volcano, black cliffs and volcanic sandy beaches.
A recent trip to Santorini in late 2019 confirms that this is an Instagrammer's heaven where no filter is required and that visiting out of peak season is definitely the best time to experience the island, without the crowds and cruise ships. April, September and October are half as busy and June, July and August, with temperatures still remaining in the high 20s.
We have selected two of the finest luxury villas on the island Ftelari Villa and Astra Private Villa where Holly stayed for 3 nights and decided, after two weeks on the island, it was, literally, Santorini's top spot.
Where to go on Santorini
Oia, Imerovigli, Pyrgos and Ammoudi Bay are all worth visiting, as are the volcanic remains at Akrotiri and the museum of Prehistoric Thera in Firá, which is full of Minoan murals rescued from before the earthquake.
Hiking along the caldera's edge and between Períssa and Kamári in the far south of the island are recommended, whilst the volcanic sand and pebble beaches are unlike most you've ever sunbathed on.
Santorini is, perhaps, the most photogenic of the Greek Islands and one that is easy to fall for.