Planning the Perfect Family Trip to Santorini!!

Santorini is a lovely travel destination to visit all year round. The island is very charming on its own, the villages and cities are welcoming, and there are plenty of things to do on your visit to Santorini. Santorini is also an island that suits different types of travelers. You can have a relaxing holiday as easily as you can hop from one wild party to the next in the evening.

Santorini offers a holiday experience for everyone, including those who want to have a pleasant family vacation. If you are thinking about a trip to Santorini with the family, these next several tips and tricks will help you plan the perfect trip in no time.

Timing the Trip

Timing is everything when you’re visiting Santorini, especially if you’re traveling with the whole family. You want to avoid June, July and August. Santorini tends to be very crowded during these months and may remain so until the end of September. The average occupancy rate during the high season is at 90%, so finding a good hotel is difficult and there aren’t many Santorini villas available at this time.

The low season on the island starts in November and goes all the way to March or early April. If you really want to have a relaxing time, February and March are the best months to visit the island. You can expect less crowds and better prices in general. The weather is always nice in Santorini, so a February or March trip to the island should not be a problem.

Journey to the Island

There is no direct flight to Santorini, so you will have to plan ahead for the trip in order to have a pleasant one. Depending on your travel budget, you can choose to fly from London or Dublin to start your journey to the island. There are a lot of flights to Athens from these two international hubs, including budget flights from the likes of EasyJet and Ryanair.

It is worth noting that some airlines fly to Santorini directly, but only in the summer. EasyJet, for instance, has a flight to Santorini from London Gatwick airport at select times. Flying in direct does make the trip more convenient, which may be worth considering if you’re traveling with younger children.

Otherwise, you can choose any flight to Athens to continue your journey. From Athens airport, there are flights to Santorini all year long. Both Olympic Airways and Aegean Airlines have regular flights to and from Santorini.

There is another alternative, and that is taking the ferry from Pireaus to Santorini. You have to make your way from Athens to the port, and then board a ferry to get to Santorini. Most ferries take an average of 8 to 9 hours to reach the islands, but they are the most affordable way of reaching Santorini. Once you are on the island, you can rent a car, have a driver pick you up, or use a taxi to explore the island; the latter is the most expensive option of the three.

Staying in Santorini

When traveling with your family, villas are the accommodation option to look into. Santorini villas are not only luxurious, but also affordable and offer much more space than the hotels and resorts available on the island. That extra space, along with the added amenities you get with a villa (i.e. a working kitchen), will make your trip much more enjoyable.

Searching for Santorini Villas and booking one that suits you best is now easy thanks to the internet and sites like bluevillas.com, as they allow you to filter the search for specific prices, locations, and sizes. You can even compare villas based on their prices, the amenities they offer and other details before choosing one that meets your requirements. Don’t forget to consider the location of the villa based on the places you want to visit.

Things to Do in Santorini

Santorini may not be famous for child-friendly holiday attractions, but there are still a lot of things to do on the island if you’re traveling with kids. At the top of that list is seeing a Santorini sunset. It is an experience that your children will never forget. Sunsets in Santorini are among the best in the world.

You can visit the Byzantine Castle ruins and explore the historic site with your children. Time your visit to the castle correctly and you’ll find yourself on the best spot to enjoy a Santorini sunset by the time the sky turns orange. The Akrotiri lighthouse is another great spot to visit.

There are many other attractions to try in Santorini such as the open-air cinema in Kamari Village, island hopping, a boat tour around the volcanic sites in Santorini and a lovely walk from the capital city of Fira to Oia. Santorini even has a waterpark at the Perissa beach, complete with the landscape of the beach to enjoy. In Santorini, the entire family can have a fantastic holiday experience.