First question: Is it possible to travel on a budget in Santorini? The island is the 2nd most expensive island in Greece. Did you know that? Despite all that, our answer is yes! It is possible to travel on a budget. If you’d like to learn more, read our Santorini Travel guide.
Santorini might be an expensive island, but there is a difference to Mykonos. Some islands are costly, but only a few fancy parts (like caldera villages).
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Santorini Budget Travel Guide – Helpful Tips
Optimal planning is essential.
First, start early and save the cash. It would help to start planning earlier than in other Greek islands (except for Mykonos). That way you can book a cheaper flight and accommodation.
Before going on the plane.
Avoid the check-in luggage if you can.
When traveling by plane, we can lower the fare if we don’t have a piece of check-in luggage. That’s when packing hacks come in handy. Namely, we must put more into a much smaller suitcase to get it on the plane as hand luggage. Check out here for more info.
Packing Hacks for you
What is the best way to get to Santorini?
The options to get to the island are by plane or by ferry. Regarding arriving by ferry, you should choose the slower ferries, because they are cheaper. It would help if you also decided on more giant ferries. If the weather is terrible, more miniature boat rides will get canceled, and the bigger ones will most likely not.
We usually use Skyscanner when booking a flight, and FerryScanner, when booking a ferry.
Hint: When you find an economical flight on the search engine, try to check the prices on the carrier’s website. The first prices are usually cheaper on search engines, but when you sum up everything, the carrier’s website prices can be even lower. For example, if you find suitable flight fares on Sky Scanner by Ryan Air, visit their site too. You might be pleasantly surprised.
Note: Find the cheapest flights.
How do you move around on a budget?
Renting a car could be expensive, especially in the high season. There are three economical options. The first one is using the local KTEL buses. The prices usually range from 1,80 euros on. The second one is renting a scooter instead of a car.
Additionally, the island has limited parking spaces, and they are usually not free of charge. So, by renting a scooter, you will save some bucks, and most of the time, you can avoid expensive parking lots. We assume you’d like to visit Oia, too.
The third one is to go on hikes. What? Yes, you read correctly. You will do something for your health while enjoying the spectacular views. For instance, hiking from Fira to Oia is one of the TOP things to do on the island.
Note: If you’d like to learn more about how to get to Santorini and How to move around, we suggest reading our related article.
Don’t expect this if you are traveling on a budget.
©theluxurytravelexpert.com
How to find accommodation if you are on a budget?
- Firstly, follow rule number one. That is, start planning early. That way, more accommodations will be available at a more affordable price. Time is money, they say. And this is especially true in Santorini.
- Secondly, know your wishes. For instance, if you like swimming in the sea, look for accommodations near the beach. You will spend a euro more, but constantly driving to your favorite beach can also add to your cost. Usually higher than expected.
- Thirdly, where to stay? Surprisingly, Fira, the island’s capital, tops the list. You will find many affordable accommodations there, plus you will be close to a central bus station, which is the perfect way to move around the island if you are on a budget. You won’t get rooms with excellent views, but you are still on a budget. You should expect that. The other suitable places for picking an economical room are Kamari and Perisa.
Note: Find your best deals.
- Fourth, when to go? It is a vital question you should ask yourself when on a budget. The high season is the most expensive there. Therefore, you should avoid traveling in July, August, the 2nd half of June, and the 1st half of September.
Where to eat on a budget?
In this Santorini Budget Travel Guide, we must stress that this is not a question of where to eat (which restaurants) but what to eat. So, our answer is simple. EAT local Greek food, like souvlaki or gyros! And where else to find the best Greek food, if not in Greece? After all, you are in Greece. So, eat where locals eat!
©greektravel.com
How to book a guided tour?
We recommend booking a locally guided tour there. The locals usually offer more affordable prices, even from those web offers. So go to the local agency and ask there. However, if you are staying on the island for a short time and are afraid that the tour will be fully booked, you can freely book it in advance.
Do the free things.
The first one is swimming on the beaches. There are plenty of them, and yes, there are free of charge unless you’d like to rent a sunbed, which is in most cases necessary, to be honest. The 2nd one is going on a hike to Oia, and the third is climbing up Santorini’s highest mountain and enjoying the panorama.
Other Do-s and Don’t-s
- The first one is, don’t drink and drive.
- Be aware of the rental-car insurance hidden text. Usually, car insurance will only cover if you are driving on dirt roads (and there are some of them on the island. Especially the ones leading to the most appealing beaches). So it would be best if you asked that before hiring a car.
- Get adequate travel insurance.
- Learn a few Greek words.
- Ask locals for advice.
- Drink plenty of water. The summer is namely hot. And you will most likely sweat a lot.
- Don’t go eating in an empty restaurant in a touristy area. Either the food is bad, or it is very costly.
- Trust your instincts. Santorini is a safe island. However, that doesn’t mean you won’t find pickpockets there.
Did we miss something in our Santorini Budget Travel Guide? Of course, we did. Anyhow, in this case, please write your tips in the comments below so that we can update this Santorini Budget Travel Guide in the future.
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Featured photo: ©theluxurytravelexpert.com
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