Santorini just might be the most picturesque place in the world. From the beautiful blue domes to the white washed buildings. Every corner is a perfect backdrop for the next viral photo.
Although all the photos you see may look perfect, there are actually quite a few things that Instagram photos don’t tell you.
PRO TIP #1 – It Will Be Crowded
If you thought you were going to get photos with no one in the background, you’re in for a real treat. By around 9AM, Oia is filled with locals and tourists. If you want a photo with no one in the background, I recommend waking up early. For us, we woke up at around 6AM and we were out the door 7AM.
PRO TIP #2 – Be Respectful Of The Locals
A lot of people don’t realize that the majority of these photo spots are actually private property. So before you trespass, make sure that you have permission to do so. Luckily for us, the places we stayed at encompassed the “private area” that we wanted to get the majority of our shots. So, we had no issues. However with that said, do be respectful of the locals.
PRO TIP #3 – Some of These Locations Below Will Take You Some Time to Find
When we first got to Santorini, I didn’t know that it would be kind of difficult to find some of these places. Sometimes google maps only takes you to the nearest road but you’ll have to do some exploring to find the actual location. Therefore for some of these spots below, I have included coordinates instead of the location so it will be more precise.
#1 STAIRCASE TO BLUE DOME AND PINK CHURCH (ANASTASIS CHURCH)
Location: 36.461333, 25.375250
Best Time To Go:Â Morning
If you go past 10AM, a line will start forming at the top of the staircase behind the gate. In order to get the best photo, I’d recommend getting here at sunrise. That will ensure you get the perfect shot!
General Tips:Â This area is Private Property
This photo is probably the most iconic Santorini photo. If you have ever searched up #santorini or #oia on Instagram, you have definitely seen this location pop up. However, what a lot of people don’t tell you is that this location is actually PRIVATE! That’s correct, this staircase is a walkway to get to the private residences around the area. At the top of the staircase is a gate that says “Private Property”.
Lucky for us, the cave home we were staying at was part of the private property that this staircase led to. So we had no issues accessing this area. However, you can tell some of the locals and tourists staying in this area were not pleased with random people trespassing.
#2 VILLA CASTRO OIA HOUSES
Location: 36.460620, 25.373242
Best Time To Go:Â Sunrise or mid-afternoon
The best time to go is right as the sun comes out or in the mid-afternoon time. I made the mistake of going in the mid-morning (10AM-12PM) and all my photos were back lit.
General Tips:Â This area is actually a hotel
I recommend going early to get shots without people. Since this is a public walkway, there are a lot of people going up and down the later it gets in the day.
#3 AMMOUDI BAY
Location: Ammoudi Bay, Santorini, Oia, Ammoudi 847 02, Greece
Best Time To Go:Â Mid-afternoon
The best time to visit the Ammoudi Bay is around mid-afternoon. If you go too early, the Bay will be shadowed the cliff and your photos will turn out very dark.
General Tips:Â If you’re like me and wanted to see the hanging octopus, you have to wait until the Ammoudi Tavern opens at around 10:30AM. While you’re taking photos of the octopus, I also recommend getting a bite at the tavern because the seafood is super fresh and delicious!
Another tip for visiting Ammoudi Bay is wear good walking shoes! From the top of Oia, to the bottom of Ammoudi Bay, there’s around 300 steps. You do have the option of riding a donkey but we weren’t that adventurous and decided to descend the 300 steps foot.
#4 SUNSET AT OIA CASTLE
Location: 36.460171, 25.373010
The only time to get this shot is right around sunset
General Tips:Â Beware of crowds! There is no way of getting around this one. Everyone gathers around Oia Castle to get this iconic shot. My only advise is try to go earlier to get a good spot.
#5 THREE DOMES OF SANTORINI
Location: 36.461253, 25.375640
Best Time To Go:Â Right after sunrise
If you go at sunrise, this area will still be a bit dark. I recommend going right after sunrise so there will be more more natural lighting.
General Tips:Â This place is located in a private area. There are ropes that try to prevent people from entering. However if you’re respectful and don’t take too long, the locals usually don’t have an issue.
#6 WINDMILLS OF OIA
Location: Oia, Oia, Santorini 847 02, Greece
Best Time To Go:Â Mid afternoon – Sunset
In my opinion, the best time to go would be in mid afternoon or right before sunset.
General Tips:Â This place is a beautiful spot for sunset. If you want to avoid the crowds at Oia Castle, I recommend checking out Charisma Suites. You can even drab a drink while enjoying the sunset!
#7 CALDERA VIEW
Location: Various spots along Santorini
Best Time To Go:Â Anytime
General Tips:Â Sometimes we get too caught up trying to get the perfect Instagram shots that we forget to simply look up and enjoy the view. If you walk along the cliffsides of Oia, every corner is more photographic than the next. I highly recommend walking around and discovering some of your own unique photo spots!
#8 TOP OF BLUE DOMES
Location: 36.461333, 25.375250
Best Time To Go:Â Morning
General Tips:Â I saved this photo for last because it’s a bit controversial. While you see all these Instagram photos of brides and influencers on top of these domes, it’s actually frowned upon to be on these domes. When I took this photo in the early morning, I had no idea. But, its actually disrespectful to be on top of churches and you may get locals screaming at you.
