Off the beaten track suggestions for Santorini?

[cubrinj]

I've been completely mesmerized by the postcard photos of Santorini, but beyond the blue domes and the sunsets of Oia, I'm looking to uncover some of the island's best-kept secrets. What do you suggest?

Have you stumbled upon any villages, beaches, or local haunts here that you loved? Or maybe historical sites too? I am just looking to do something different that what is typical.

Views like this wouldn't hurt!

 

[k_tsoukalas]

When I just went to Santorini, I craved something different, as well. So, we found a local tour company where we booked a private tour. Together, we customized an itinerary. We were there on a cruise stop - but it was a smaller ship so we were able to stay on Santorini the entire day - we were there from the morning until well after sunset.

I recommend doing something like this. We found the company while we were shopping/ walking through the streets of Fira after we got off the tender.

We went to Red Beach, Akrotiri, to a Taverna they recommended, saw some great photo spots off the beaten track, and we found a great sunset spot afterwards.

 

[Deborah]

Not much has been “undiscovered” in Santorini, but some suggestions (other than the must-see archeological digs) would be the hilltop village of Pyrgos, lunch and a swim off the rocks in Ammoudi, a walk along the upper village of Therasia on the other side of the Caldera, and a very early morning cliffside walk from Fira to Imerovigli.