Imerovigli

Imerovigli village is probably the best place to stay in Santorini. For one – it’s way less crowded than the more famous Oia. It also sits on a great vantage point atop a cliff overlooking the caldera! Besides the picturesque white alleys, staircases, bougainvillaeas and restaurants with amazing views, I found two additional photo spots that were simply incredible:

1. Anastasi orthodox church

This blue-domed, whitewashed church is quite photogenic by itself but also offers one of the best sunset views of the caldera. It can get quite crowded at sunset so the best time to have your photoshoot would be from dawn to early afternoon.

2. Skaros rock and the hidden Theoskapasti church

The special thing about Imerovigli is that it not only offers a great view over the sea but also to the Skaros Rock, the most iconic rock formation in Santorini. You can go on the Ekklisia Theoskepasti hiking trail, which leads all the way up to a peak overlooking Skaros.  Another option is to circle around the rock to reach the lovely Theoskepasti church, hidden behind Skaros rock. It lies quite vacant most of the time and has an amazing view of Oia.

Oia

Oia (pronounced “ia” in Greek) is Santorini’s most famous village and for good reason. I can confirm that it really is as beautiful as the photographs you may have come across! Every corner is postcard-worthy and it’s here that I got some wonderful pictures, at spots that were nothing short of magical!

Not surprisingly, Oia locals are a bit tired of all the attention and tourist crowds that the place now receives – they’ve erected “private property” or “no entry” signs almost everywhere. But one can circumvent this problem by photographing at smart angles that avoid trespassing and even asking their consent for a quick click. And of course, there are hotels and restaurants with great views that one can photograph while dining there.

3. The Byzantine castle ruins

This is the highest point of Oia offering an amazing view over the village – especially during sunset. Of course, this makes it very crowded and it gets difficult to capture just oneself in a photo. But most tourists leave as soon as the sun dips and one could then get a snap flanked by the post-sunset glow. Regardless of photography, it is also a great place to just enjoy one of the best sunset views from Santorini.

4. Secret view point

On this trip, we also found a well-kept secret – a sunset viewpoint that not only offers the same panorama as the castle ruins but, which is also devoid of people! It’s on the hill right under the ruins. To reach here, start your climb up the hill from the Old Castle Oia Hotel until you see a little “platform”. The climb is quite steep and rugged with thorny bushes lining the way – you should only attempt this if you have on the proper shoes and are not in the company of children or elderly people.

5. Kastro house

While at the ruins, your gaze will also fall on another famous Santorini photo spot – the orange Kastro house. Its colour makes for a great contrasting background against the otherwise monochrome white structures of the island.

You could even stay at this beautiful place, which is in fact a hotel.

6. Anastasis church

This might be Santorini’s most famous photo spot yet: The white Anastasis church with the blue domes and its little pink bell tower. Some people walk right up to the roof of the church for photographs but as it’s a private residential area that entails walking by other people’s roofs too. Make sure to ask for permission before you become shutter-happy!

The walkway in front of the church (where most photos are clicked) is sectioned off by a gate marked as private property. But as this is open most of the time, you can go down a few steps. Again, this should be done with permission and even if there isn’t anyone around in the early morning hours, carry on very quietly.

7. Three domes view

On the other side of the Anastasis Church, there is another photo spot overlooking its three blue domes.

8. Bougainvillaea

Along the shopping street, you will pass by some very picturesque doors – one of them is framed by a huge bougainvillaea and makes for a lovely picture indeed!

8. The three bells of Oia

This photo spot offers an incredible view overlooking the architecture of Oia, capturing three different church bells at different heights and also the blue sea at its far left corner. It’s also one of the very few Oia photo spots that escape the ubiquitous “private property” signs. To reach here, simply walk all the way to the Aspaki Hotel from where you can spot the roof of the bell tower that you have to climb up to.

The view on the other side of the bell tower is equally amazing – especially so in the wee hours of sunrise when the first morning rays shine upon the hill.

9. Bougainvillaea view

We found one of my favorite Santorini photo spots by accident while walking through its tiny alleys. It has everything you could ask for: a wall overlooking Oia one can sit on, a pretty church in the background and a white and pink bougainvillaea to frame it all!

10. Windmill view

Your sunset views of Oia wouldn’t be complete without the one overlooking the windmill on top of the hill! This famous windmill is actually part of the Charisma Suites Hotel! 

Even if you’re not a guest here, you can still capture the windmill in your photo background: from the little bar located right in front of it, or by the little gate of Charisma Suites hotel.

11. Amoudi Bay

Amoudi Bay is a lovely fisherman’s harbour below Oia village. It’s a nice place to devour fresh fish or to savour authentic Greek vibes. To reach, you could either drive down the road to this area and park at the bay or else walk down 290 steps. Be careful if in a car, as the way down is steep and may require the use of the hand brake.

Donkey rides are also available for the way back up but I wouldn’t recommend this – for the harsh time the animals have in the scorching sun.

The South

If you have planned your trip for at least a few days, I would recommend heading to the other parts of Santorini too.

With a rental car, one can easily cover Santorini island in a couple of days. My favourite spots were at the south of the island: the lighthouse located at its southernmost tip and the Kambia Beach. Like all Santorini beaches, Kambia is quite rocky but due to which it has crystal clear water. This is an amazing place to soak in some calm, away from crowds.