you have been to this island and it probably let you down
(Santorini, the quiet side)
I was looking for cheap flights to Greece when this destination came up. I almost didn't book it cause I was convinced it'd be overpriced and packed.
in short — the south-west of Santorini: a flat with a kitchen five minutes from a village, wild near-empty beaches, and the inland tavernas everyone skips.
Then I spent weeks looking for a guide that matched the slow, quiet trip I had in mind, and nothing came close. So I built my own.
It ended up way cheaper than I expected. We rented a car but kept everything close on purpose, nothing more than 15 or 20 minutes away. That way we could take it slow, go at our own pace, and still see a lot without spending the whole day driving.
Where we stayed
We stayed on the quiet side, away from the busy towns. Five minutes from a village, ten to twenty from the beaches we loved most. We picked a little flat with a kitchen to have slow breakfasts with the sea in front of us, and sunset aperitivo on the terrace.
Best dinner we had: Faros, right in front of the accommodation.
The beaches
In this side of the island the beaches are wilder, near-empty (even in late July) and overall more beautiful than the most famous ones. There are few beach clubs which are well curated and cheaper than you'd think.
The cliffs of Eros beach were our favourite place we visited. The drive there alone is worth it. Eros has a gorgeous beach club but it's often private, so it's hard to get in outside low season (you can still stay in the free-access beach). If it's full, go to Vlychada next door: same cliffs, and a great club where we had big double sunbeds and lovely service. After 5pm the beds are free if you order something at the bar.
Beach clubs
Where we ate
Best lunch we had was at Mesa Pigadia Tavern (they also give free sunbeds to customers).
Don't skip the inland villages, even a quick stop is worth it, in the morning before the beach or on the way back before sunset. If you can visit them by night and have dinner, they're full of proper family-run tavernas.
stay
- a The Lighthouse Sunset View (highly recommend) akrotiri A little flat with a kitchen: slow breakfasts with the sea in front, sunset aperitivo on the terrace.
eat
- b Faros (highly recommend) akrotiri Best dinner we had. Right in front of the accommodation.
- c Mesa Pigadia Tavern (highly recommend) mesa pigadia Best lunch we had. Free sunbeds for customers.
- d Temeteron by the sea Taverna by the sea.
- e The Cave of Nikolas akrotiri Taverna by the sea.
- f Giorgaros akrotiri Taverna by the sea.
- g Geromanolis megalochori Inland, family-run.
- h Zafora akrotiri Inland, family-run.
- i To Kafenedaki Tou Emporiou emporio Inland, family-run.
- j Traditional kafeneio megalochori
- k Theros vlychada Beach club.
- l White Beach akrotiri Beach club.
- m Vlychada beach bar (highly recommend) vlychada Big double sunbeds, lovely service. After 5pm the beds are free if you order something.
see
- n Mesa Pigadia akrotiri Beach we loved.
- o Kambia akrotiri Beach we loved.
- p Aspri Pigalia akrotiri Beach we loved.
- q Eros beach (highly recommend) vlychada Our favourite place on the island. The drive there alone is worth it.
- r Vlychada beach vlychada Same cliffs as Eros, next door.
- s Megalochori inland Inland village. Go by night and have dinner.
- t Emporio inland Inland village.
- u Akrotiri lighthouse akrotiri Sunset.
the map
21 places · a–ustay eat see double ring · highly recommend all places on the map →
practical
- getting there
We rented a car but kept everything close on purpose: nothing more than 15 or 20 minutes away.
- when
Late July, and the beaches on this side were still near-empty.
filed 23 aug 2026 · last checked 5 sep 2026 · photos: iphone
