Best Wineries in Santorini in 2016

Santorini is not only known for its majestic Caldera and quaint traditional houses but also for the unique taste of their local white wine, Assyrtiko. When traveling to Santorini, one must make sure that they have the guts to explore the roots of an ancient and now a successful industry in Santorini. Why not join our wine tour today? And together, let’s unravel the best wineries with the best tasting wines in Santorini in 2016!

Before we even get to our list, do you have your Santorini accommodation setup already? If you’re having a hard time of selecting one out of many Santorini hotels, we have to say, go for Strogili Apartments in Oia! Affordable and stylish traditional houses are two of the many things Strogili Apartments can offer to you. Strogili is located in the heart of Oia village where you have access to restaurants and bars that serve the tasty Santorini wines!

Here's the refreshing view from one of the apartments in Strogili.

SantoWines

Where is it? Pyrgos
Let’s start with the largest and most popular winery in Santorini, the SantoWines. It is located at the edge of Caldera where the luscious Santorini grapes are grown. At least 400,000 visitors drop by the humongous vineyard of SantoWines. You will learn a lot about the history of wine making not only of SantoWines founded in 1992 but also of the origin of wineries in Santorini. The guided tour inside the vicinity of the vineyard says it all. At the end of the tour, you will have the chance to taste the special collection of wines produced by the locals themselves.

SantoWines offers you a romantic viewing of the Aegean Sea.

Art Space Winery

Where is it? Exo Gonia
Museum and winery in one? It’s possible here at the Art Space Winery! This winery located in Exo Gonia has their own museum and art gallery. Yes, that is really unique. No, you don’t need to spend a fortune to be able to afford this tour. The museum has all the “old stuff” from this ancient yet newly-restored winery. One would see exhibit dated back to 1861! From old kettle pot to the basins and an old wine mangle, this operating winery turned into an artist’s hub is your new favorite place in Santorini.

Inside the Art Space Winery in Santorini, Greece.

Estate Argyros

Where is it? Episkopi Gonia
One of the oldest running wineries in Santorini is Estate Argyros. Can you believe that this wine-loving company has been working on a long run of a century already? You heard it! Also, it is one of the very first company to export Santorini wines in US, Europe, and in other parts of the world! If you don’t have the time to travel to Greece for the weekend, a bottle pop of their wine will surely take you in Santorini in no time!

Estate Argyros maintains the traditional way of processing their world-class wines.

Santorini Food and Wine Tour

One of the best activities to add to your Santorini itinerary is to attend a food and wine tour. You will benefit a lot from this tour as you will be walked through to the different places in Santorini (historical and modern) where you'll find the best set of local food! Some travel companies would offer you a 6-hour-long food trip around the island. This includes your transportation, tour fee, and the appetizing lunch/snack and sometimes even dinner of the day. You may also opt for a cooking class with some tour organizers. If you want to know more about how you can explore and taste Santorini at the same time, join us today in our short food trip in Santorini, Greece!

This lovely lunch setup couldn't wait for you any longer!

Joining a food tour is not just enjoyable because of the perks of tasting the local cuisine but also, you'll get to know more about the culture and history of the place you are visiting. Food is part of everyone's culture. In Santorini, they have an abundant source of raw food/seafood that they turn into tempting dishes thru their passion. Moving forward, a typical food and wine tour would cost you, at least, 150€ per person if you will be joining a small group of 8 persons according to Santorini Wine Adventure. Their offer includes a visit to two popular wineries in Santorini. Now, you can look for other tour coordinators who can provide you a cheaper rate with a super awesome travel deal, really, it's up to you if you want to call for a sole food trip or a wine tour instead.

The 1800 Restaurant in Oia is not that hard to reach and find if you are traveling solo.

Now if you want to go solo, it's okay to ditch the group tour and chase the aroma of Greek cuisine being slain in the kitchen of  various Santorini restaurants. Going after the authentic Santorinian dishes won't fail you. In fact, you can check out a fine dining place located on a mountaintop in Oia called The 1800 Restaurant. Known as one of the best restaurants in Oia and Santorini as a whole, you can't blame why many visitors are glad to have their happy dining here! Aside from the delectable Greek menu they serve, The 1800 Restaurant offers you a magnificent view of Santorini's Caldera. Make sure to grab your seat in their roof garden to secure a sunset spot as well.

Roof Garden, 1800 Restaurant in Oia, Santorini

Whether you'll join a group food and wine tour or will go solo to chase the delicious traditional foods in Santorini, you will have the best time of your life here! Be sure to make a lot of room for food as Santorini will prep and serve you only tasty, fresh, and healthy dishes!

Santorini Island Greece

Santorini, Greece

A trip to the town of Oia while in Santorini, Greece is a must. This is a small town with many traditional Greek white-washed houses and it was formerly the commercial and economic heart of the island. With a number of shops and museums it is not difficult to find something to do here and hundreds of tourists visit each day during the summer. 

Oia Santorini

Most of Oia Santorini hotels are built according to the traditional Cycladic architecture and have kept the “Cave House Style”. The Strogili Traditional Houses Hotel in Oia is a complex of apartments and studios, built in different levels and sharing a large swimming pool with sun loungers, umbrellas and a sun terrace with magnificent sea views. 

Strogili Hotel Apartments & Studios Santorini (Oia)

The Strogili hotel in Oia offers elegant accommodation at very reasonable prices and is highly recommended for tourists who are seeking for this type of Santorini accommodation. 

Strogili Hotel Studios Santorini (Oia)

The island of Santorini, Greece has a long and interesting history. Over the years volcanic activity has created the islands that we would recognize today and the main island is known as Thira, although the collective name of Santorini is often used to refer to the main island.

A tribe known as the Dorians invaded the island in the 10th century BC and created seven settlements there. It was the Dorians that chose the name of Thira. Over the years other cultures have taken over the island including the Venetians, who settled on the name of Santorini, derived from ‘Saint Irene’ the island’s patron saint. After that, the island was occupied by the Turks until the early part of the 19th century.

The aforementioned volcanic activity has shaped the civilization on the island. In 1625 BC there was an eruption that caused the island to be uninhabited for around 300 years after it destroyed the Minoans. The tidal wave that was also caused by the eruption managed to reach Crete. There were also earthquakes around the same time which changed the islands’ shapes.

Now the island of Thira is the largest of the islands of Santorini, Greece. There is only one other inhabited island, that of Thirasia. The smaller islands can be visited but there is no accommodation there. It is estimated that of the 10,000 people who live on the main island, more than 1000 can be found in the town of Oia. Despite the relatively small population of the island there are at least 550 churches here.

Those who want to experience life at a slower pace will appreciate some of the quirks of living in towns such as Oia. While in other countries the cars need to be registered, here it is the donkeys. Visitors staying in places such as Oia can take trips to some of the island’s best features which include the highest point of Profitis Ilias which is 565 metres high and where there is an 18th century monastery and which is now home to just five monks. 

Traditional features of Greek island life can be seen clearly in towns such as Oia and villages such as Pyrgos where there are few contemporary touches. Pyrgos is home to the ruins of a Venetian castle dating from the 13th century.

It is hard to visit Santorini, Greece and avoid the legend of Atlantis. There are those who say that these islands are the former mythical Atlantis, which is reported to have a very advanced civilization and which is claimed to have disappeared under the sea. Given the volcanic activity and how the island has changed in size and shape over the years then this is a possibility.  

Santorini Greece

Oia Santorini

Those who are choosing to take their holidays in Santorini Greece will find the town of Oia a great place to visit. This is a fairly small town in terms of population but this rises sharply during the summer months when the tourists come to the island. One of the main features of this part of the island of Santorini is the architecture. 

Oia Santorini Greece

The cliffs of Oia feature houses that have been carved into the rock, which is volcanic and porous. These houses can be clearly seen and gives the town a very unique look. The architecture in other parts of the town is also considered to be particularly beautiful. There are some large Venetian houses which date back to the medieval period which are a must for anyone interested in art and architecture. 

Ianthe Apartments & Villa, Oia Santorini

For those who are interested to stay in Oia, the Ianthe Apartments and Villas is a perfect choice which combines an elegant ambience along with very reasonable prices. Rightfully these apartments are considered as one of the best Oia Santorini apartments. 

Ianthe Villa Oia Santorini

Santorini, Greece is very popular with tourists. The town of Oia attracts many visitors each year and the sunset is considered to be particularly beautiful from here with uninterrupted views across the sea. The castle is a great vantage point in the town. Hundreds of tourists will make their way to the town at the end of each day to view the sunset and you need to get there early to get a good viewing point.  Alternatively while on the island you can opt to watch the sunset from one of the many tour boats. The evening cruises are very popular as the boat is taken out around a mile from the land so that tourists are in the best position to see as the sun goes down. 

The docks at Oia are also of interest to the tourist. It is reported that they have been in use for at least 3000 years and this makes them the oldest continually used docks anywhere in the world. It is not clear how true this story is but the island of Santorini has a very long and varied history, so it is not beyond the realms of possibility that the stories are true. Many cruise ships dock at Santorini for passengers to spend the day exploring the island, but in years gone by it was mainly traders.

The town of Oia in Santorini, Greece is also home to a Naval Maritime Museum. This is housed in a 19th century mansion and covers the maritime history of the region. Artifacts on display include old figureheads from ships, chests, maritime equipment and rare photographs. Anyone interested in this type of history will be able to spend all day here quite happily. The maritime history of the island is strong and during the latter part of the 19th century and the early 20th century was at its peak. Traders sailed from here to all parts of the Mediterranean and even to Russia.

Oia has also featured heavily in a number of books and films, so visitors to Santorini, Greece may spot a few locations that are already familiar. Films such as ‘The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants’  and ‘Lara Croft’ used the town as a location and this is thanks largely to the beauty of the area.

What Makes Santorini So Attractive?

Is it because of the uniqueness of Santorini luxury hotels?
Is it because of the impressive landscapes?
Or is it because of the magnificent Santorini sunsets?

Santorini Island is part of the chain of Greek islands known as the Cyclades and is situated on the southern part of Cyclades Islands cluster, near the islands of Ios and Anafi. Usually referred to by the Greeks by its official name of Thira (or Thera) the name Santorini comes from the combination of Santa and Irini (means Peace in Greek). The island itself is quite small with a total area of only ninety six square kilometers but has an extensive coastline that stretches for almost seventy kilometers. As a result the island has a large number of different beaches some of which are sandy and other which are pebble.

This variety of beaches combined with the large number of Santorini luxury hotels that can offer beach side accommodation or up on the cliffs, makes it a very popular destination for many of the sun seeking tourists. This however, is not what makes the island so unique. As part of the island itself and submerged within a large basin in the centre of the island is a largely dormant volcano (caldera) that was instrumental in both the formation of the island and the subsequent geographical and geological qualities that make it so breathtaking.

Thirea Suites - in Santorini, Oia

Several hundred years ago (1500 BC) a major eruption from the submerged volcano cause the destruction of much of the centre of the island and created sheer faced cliffs that are both inward and outward facing. For Santorini luxury hotels this created a golden opportunity to build on top of these high cliffs and create the Santorini hotels unique selling point, a breathtaking view of the famous Santorini sunset that can be viewed from the comfort of Santorini luxury hotels balcony from on top of a three hundred meter high cliff. This once in a lifetime view of the sunset is something enjoyed by the thousands of tourists who flock to the island each and every year.

Strogili Traditional Houses in Oia Santorini

Ianthe Apartments & Villa in Oia Santorini

On the west part of the island – which faces the caldera – is the Fira Town (capital of Santorini) and the villages of Oia, Imerovigli, Megalochori and Akrotiri, from where the famous Santorini sunset can be admired by the thousands of visitors each evening. A great number of Santorini luxury hotels are built right on the cliffs of these villages, at a height of 300 meters above the sea. Most of these Santorini luxury hotels are built in levels, according to the traditional Cycladic Architecture and feature luxury suites or apartments, with high class amenities and a private balcony where guests can enjoy the sea view and the sunset. All Santorini luxury hotels feature an outdoor swimming pool with a pool bar and a sun terrace for sunbathing and lounge. Also they have a gourmet restaurant serving local and Mediterranean cuisine delicacies and of course the famous Santorini wines.
In this part of the island are some of the most famous and popular beaches, such as the Red beach, the White beach, Vourvoulos and Ammoudi.

Perissa beach, Santorini

The east part of the island is without cliffs and here are some of the best sandy beaches of Santorini, such as Agios Georgios, Perivolos Black beach, Perissa Black beach, Kamari Black beach and Monolithos.
The east part villages of Santorini are more family oriented destinations and of course there are a lot of accommodation units here as well, varying from luxury hotels and apartments to rooms for rent category. Veggera Hotel, one of the most preferred Santorini luxury hotels is situated right on the beach in Perissa.


Suggested Santorini Luxury Hotels
Strogili Traditional Houses in Oia
Ianthe Apartments & Villa in Oia
Maison Des Lys Luxury Suites in Akrotiri
Thirea Suires in Oia
Veggera Santorini Luxury Hotel in Perissa


More Luxury Hotels in Santorini