Where to stay in Santorini

The black volcanic beach villages on the east coast: Kamari and Perissa share a 15km stretch of black sand beach, separated by the Mesa Vouno mountain. The sand is black volcanic, heats to extreme temperatures in summer (wear shoes). The villages are the most affordable on the island for accommodation and food - tavernas serve fresh fish and Greek salad at a fraction of the caldera prices. The bus connects both villages to Fira (€2). Perissa is the more local of the two. The Ancient Thira site (free) is on the mountain between them.

The island capital: the most accessible caldera-view town, with the bus station, the cable car to the old port, and the highest concentration of restaurants and bars. The Museum of Prehistoric Thera (€6 - the finest collection of Minoan art outside Crete, including the gold ibex and the wall paintings from Akrotiri) and the Orthodox Cathedral are both in Fira. The caldera-edge path from Fira north toward Imerovigli and Oia is the finest walk on the island (3-4 hours, free). Fira's nightlife (Koo Club, Tithora) is the liveliest on the island.

The southern tip: the Akrotiri archaeological site (€12 - the Minoan Bronze Age city perfectly preserved under 3,600 years of volcanic ash, sometimes called the "Pompeii of the Aegean"; the wall paintings and the pottery give the finest picture of Minoan daily life available anywhere). The Red Beach (free - volcanic red and black cliffs, small pebble beach, 10-minute walk from Akrotiri; the most dramatic beach setting in Greece). The White Beach (accessible only by water taxi or boat, €8 each way from the Red Beach).

The inland villages: Pyrgos is the highest village on the island, a well-preserved medieval settlement with fortress walls and church bell towers. Santo Wines winery (the largest cooperative winery in Santorini, free to visit the shop, tastings €15-30) is on the Fira-Pyrgos road. Megalochori has the most genuine Greek tavernas on the island - the food is better and the prices are lower than the caldera-edge restaurants. The Venetsanos Winery has a caldera view terrace for wine tasting (€15-25).

The northern village and the most famous settlement in Greece: the blue-domed churches, the whitewashed Cycladic houses on the caldera rim, and the sunset that 10,000 people gather to watch every evening (the viewing point gets dangerously crowded in July-August - arrive 90 minutes early for a good spot). Oia is more expensive than anywhere else on the island and more beautiful. The Kastro (the ruined medieval castle) is the best sunset viewpoint. The art galleries and boutiques on the main lane are the finest shopping in Santorini. Worth staying here if the budget allows.

The village between Fira and Oia on the caldera rim: the highest point of the inhabited caldera edge, with the finest unobstructed views of the caldera and the Skaros Rock (the ruined Byzantine-era fort on a promontory above the village - a 20-minute walk from the village, free, the most dramatic natural viewpoint on the island). Imerovigli is quieter than Oia and Fira, with fewer tourists and the most spectacular caldera-view hotels.