Santorini Airport: where to stay, areas and recommended hotels

Santorini Airport is on the eastern side of the island, closer to the beaches of Kamari and Monolithos than to Fira: the caldera-view rooms that most visitors have in mind are 5 km away, a 10-15 minute taxi ride, in the opposite direction. The choice is therefore between the scenic towns on the rim of the caldera, built for the sunset and the restaurants, and a base on the beach just minutes from the terminal.

Fira and the caldera

City centre · 5 km from the airport, 10-15 minutes by taxi (about 15-20 euros); the KTEL bus station is in the centre of Fira, with lines to almost every beach on the island.

Best for: Travellers who want the sunset over the caldera, Fira's restaurants and the buses to the rest of the island within walking distance.

Pros

KTEL bus station in the centre, handy for getting to Oia or the beaches without a car
Restaurants, shops and the scenic path along the caldera within walking distance

Cons

Rooms with a genuine caldera view cost noticeably more than those one block back
Fira's lanes get very crowded at sunset in high season

Recommended hotels in this area

Adamant Suites: 9 suites on the rim of the caldera, in the heart of Fira; each one named after a precious stone, and some have a hot tub on the balcony.
Abasa Suites: In Kontochori, in the upper part of Fira, about 7 km from the airport; an alternative to the suites perched over the caldera, with the same walking distances from the centre of Fira.

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Kamari, the beach near the airport

Airport area · About 5.5 km from the airport, 10 minutes by taxi; Fira is then another 20-25 minutes by bus or taxi.

Best for: Travellers who want the black-sand beach just minutes from the airport, without giving up a high-level resort.

Pros

The closest beach to the airport among those in this guide, handy for evening or morning flights
Kamari's seafront with restaurants and promenade, quieter than the lanes of Fira

Cons

No caldera view: the sunset is seen better from Fira or Oia
The evening life is that of the local seafront, not Fira's

Recommended hotels in this area

Radisson Blu Zaffron Resort, Santorini: The island's first Radisson Blu resort, on the black-sand beach of Kamari, about 10 minutes from the airport; 103 rooms, suites and villas with a pool.

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