Fun Things to Do on Santorini

This list of fun things to do on Santorini include visiting an old tomato canning factory, listening to Greek bagpipes, and enjoying some local beers.

Oia on Santorini in the Cyclades Islands of GreeceOia on Santorini

Some of Santorini's attractions are obvious, and you can read our other page on the main things to do on Santorini. However, some things are less obvious so we've rounded up a few suggestions for some of the other fun things to do on the island.

Visit a Fruity Museum

The Santorini Arts Factory

The Santorini Arts Factory is a cultural centre which took over an old tomato canning works. Part of the centre is a museum telling the surprisingly interesting story of the factory's history. The arts factory is also an events venue, so check the program on their website for the music, arts exhibitions, and other events being held while you're on Santorini. There's also a pretty neat gift shop with some creative ideas for souvenir shopping.

Santorini Tomato Industrial Museum

Listen to the Greek Bagpipes

Symposion

One of the world's leading players of the Greek equivalent of the bagpipes, the tsabouna, lives on Santorini. In the summer Yannis Pantazis gives concerts in Symposion, a place which combines a live music venue, a bagpipe museum, and a workshop where Yannis can be seen making various Greek musical instruments. There's also a wine café, a botanical garden, and a shop where you can buy Greek music and Greek musical instruments.

Down a Donkey Beer

Santorini Brewing Company

You'll come across local brews from the Santorini Brewing Company, like White Donkey and Red Donkey, not to mention Lazy Ass, on many bar and restaurant menus. You can also find the whole range at the brewery itself, where you can also buy a neat 'donkey' t-shirt. The brewery has an interesting story, too, as it was founded by a Serbian brewer, an American, a Greek winemaker, and an English brewer.

Some Cool Santorini Gifts

santorini-shower-curtain.jpg

Shower Curtain

santorini-personalised-iphone-14-cover.jpg

Personalised IPhone 14 Cover

santorini-wireless-charger.jpg

Wireless Charger

Santorini-luggage-tag.jpg

Luggage Tag

Hike to a Venetian Fortress

Skaros Rock

Santorini's medieval fortresses are a little-known aspect of the island, and one of the most dramatic is Skaros Rock. Not much remains of the fortress that was built here in the 16th century by the Venetian rulers, but the views are worth hauling yourself up the last 300 steps for.

Find a Quiet(ish) Beach

Vlychada Beach

Very few beaches on Santorini are totally quiet, but while the crowds flock for the novelty value of the Red Beach and the Black Beach (and they are worth seeing), you'll find fewer people at Vlychada Beach, where the sand is a greyish-white colour and there are dramatic cliffs backing the beach.

Visit a Unique Bookshop

Atlantis Books

The vast Atlantis Bookshop is the kind of place you might expect to find in Athens, but not in little Oia. There are books in several languages, and it's worth buying one to be able to hear the story of how the founders came to Santorini in 2002, fell in love with the island, and as they noticed there wasn't a bookshop they decided on a whim to settle there and open one.

Atlantis Books

See Our YouTube Video of Santorini

Our Pick of Greek Islands Guides

Rough-Guide-Greek-Islands-2022.png

Other Santorini Pages

  • Hotels on Santorini, Greece, in the Cyclades, range from luxury choices to good cheap accommodation in Fira, with caldera views.

    Hotels on Santorini

    Hotels on Santorini, Greece, in the Cyclades, range from luxury choices to good cheap accommodation in Fira, with caldera views.

  • Luxury Weddings in Greece, including venues such as a boutique hotel with deluxe spa on Santorini, can be booked through Ionian Weddings.

    Luxury Weddings in Greece

    Luxury Weddings in Greece, including venues such as a boutique hotel with deluxe spa on Santorini, can be booked through Ionian Weddings.

  • Weddings in Greece and the Greek islands can be luxury or cheap, are easy to arrange from the UK or USA in Santorini, Mykonos, and Rhodes.

    Weddings in Greece

    Weddings in Greece and the Greek islands can be luxury or cheap, are easy to arrange from the UK or USA in Santorini, Mykonos, and Rhodes.

  • Santorini car rental companies include Budget, Hermes, VIP Rent a Car and Euro Dollar, with Santorini car hire at the airport, and around Santorini.

    Santorini Car Rental

    Santorini car rental companies include Budget, Hermes, VIP Rent a Car and Euro Dollar, with Santorini car hire at the airport, and around Santorini.

  • Some of the best things to do on Santorini, as well as seeing the caldera, include wine tasting, beaches, and visiting the sites of ancient Thira and Akrotiri.

    Things to Do on Santorini

    Some of the best things to do on Santorini, as well as seeing the caldera, include wine tasting, beaches, and visiting the sites of ancient Thira and Akrotiri.

  • Santorini or Thira in the Cyclades islands has cheap and luxury hotels, car rental, ferries from Athens, Crete and other islands, and flights from Athens.

    Santorini

    Santorini or Thira in the Cyclades islands has cheap and luxury hotels, car rental, ferries from Athens, Crete and other islands, and flights from Athens.

  • Visiting Santorini wineries is a popular activity on this Greek island in the Cyclades, whose volcanic soil provides a distinctive terroir.

    Santorini Wineries

    Visiting Santorini wineries is a popular activity on this Greek island in the Cyclades, whose volcanic soil provides a distinctive terroir.

  • Greece Travel Secrets brings together some outstanding pictures of Santorini in the Cyclades islands of Greece.

    Pictures of Santorini

    Greece Travel Secrets brings together some outstanding pictures of Santorini in the Cyclades islands of Greece.

  • Greece Travel Secrets picks the best time to visit Santorini, with a monthly summary of the weather, plus hotel prices and special events to help plan a visit.

    Best Time to Visit Santorini

    Greece Travel Secrets picks the best time to visit Santorini, with a monthly summary of the weather, plus hotel prices and special events to help plan a visit.

  • Greece Travel Secrets picks the best restaurants on Santorini, choosing the top gourmet and fine-dining eating places with some exclusive dining experiences.

    Best Restaurants on Santorini

    Greece Travel Secrets picks the best restaurants on Santorini, choosing the top gourmet and fine-dining eating places with some exclusive dining experiences.

  • There are lots of flights from Athens to Santorini as well as a ferry service from Piraeus, with flights to Santorini leaving from Athens International Airport.

    Athens to Santorini

    There are lots of flights from Athens to Santorini as well as a ferry service from Piraeus, with flights to Santorini leaving from Athens International Airport.

Enjoy this page? Please pay it forward. Here's how...

Would you prefer to share this page with others by linking to it?

  1. Click on the HTML link code below.
  2. Copy and paste it, adding a note of your own, into your blog, a Web page, forums, a blog comment, your Facebook account, or anywhere that someone would find this page valuable.

Latest Posts

RSS

  1. Birdwatching on Lesbos

    golden-eagle-pixabay.jpg
    For keen birdwatchers, birdwatching on Lesbos offers a chance to see over 300 species in diverse habitats on a key migratory route between Europe and Africa.

    Read More

  2. Athens City Festival this Week Features Music Events, Treasure Hunts, Museum Visits

    The Greek capital continues to celebrate spring with the 3rd This is Athens – City Festival, presenting a diverse program of events and activities, all with free admission. Throughout the weekend, the…

    Read More

  3. Survey: Athens a Bargain Destination for UK Travelers this Year

    British travelers seeking value for money in Europe this year will find it in Athens, according to the annual Post Office Travel Money City Costs Barometer. The Greek capital is once again among the T…

    Read More

  4. Report: 4 Greek Islands Among Most Cheapest Holiday Destinations for Brits

    Kalymnos, Thassos, Lefkada and Skopelos have been identified as some of the most affordable destinations for British travelers booking package holidays this summer, according to a recent analysis by W…

    Read More

  5. Zakynthos’ Famous Shipwreck Beach Closed Again for the Summer

    Greek authorities have once again decided to keep one of the country’s most-visited beaches, Navagio on the island of Zakynthos, closed to the public due to safety risk.

    Read More

  6. Athens City Festival Continues with Free Events for All

    The 3rd This is Athens – City Festival is currently underway, showcasing a diverse array of entertainment events and creative activities suitable for families and adults. An initiative of the Athens D…

    Read More

  7. Jet2: Additional Capacity to Skiathos and Lesvos for Summer 2025

    UK tour operator Jet2holidays and leisure airline Jet2.com have expanded their summer 2025 program by adding 35,000 seats to various destinations, including two Greek islands.

    Read More

  8. Study: Athens Among Best Cities for Family Science Trips

    Athens is ranked as one of the top European cities for family science trips, according to a report by Ubuy, a global e-commerce platform. Ubuy’s new report reveals Europe’s top 20 cities where familie…

    Read More

  9. May 1: Greece Labor Day Strikes to Halt Public Transport, Ferries

    Transportation and travel in Greece will be disrupted on Wednesday, May 1, as public transport and ferry employees have announced their participation in strike mobilizations to mark May Day. According…

    Read More

  10. Technopolis: New 3-day Beer Festival Coming to Athens in May

    A new beer festival is coming to Athens and for three days will quench the thirst of beer lovers with well-known and rare labels from around the world as well as from Greek microbreweries. Lager? Pils…

    Read More