Where to See the Best Sunset in Santorini

Watching a sunset in Santorini is a truly magical experience. The view is always incredible from the west side of the island and the colors are just out of this world. Read along to know where to see the best sunset in Santorini, including their exact locations and tips about how to escape the crowds!

If you want to know more about Santorini including how to get there, when is the best time to go, where to stay, and what to do, check out my Santorini Travel Guide!

It is jam-packed with useful information about the island and it’s especially helpful if you are a first-timer. And while you’re at it, don’t forget to check my 3 days in Santorini itinerary as well!

*Disclosure: This post contains a few affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through my link.*

Quick Tips for Santorini

If you’re planning to arrive by ferry, make sure to check Ferryscanner for the best offers! For car rentals, we always use Discover Cars, where you can compare prices and choose the best option.

Best Places to Watch the Sunset in Oia

Oia is the first place that comes to mind when talking about the best sunset in Santorini. If you are looking for that postcard-perfect view, that’s the place you need to visit!

Unfortunately, since it is the most popular place it’s always crowded like crazy. I will share the most famous spot but I will also tell you about my favorite secret viewpoint where you can have an amazing sunset view without all the people, so keep reading!

Oia Sunset Spot nr. 1 – Oia Castle

I’ve already told you that Oia is the most popular place for sunset watching and Oia Castle is the most famous sunset spot in town. Based on that I think you can imagine how crowded this place gets around sunset. Now multiply it by three! It is really that crazy!

I would say that you should go early but based on what I saw early won’t help you either. Unless you plan to come 3-4 hours earlier, go to the castle, secure your spot, and not move until the sunset is over. Oh, and expect to share the experience with at least 300 other people. Seriously.

Also, don’t expect a normal castle at this place, unfortunately, it was destroyed in an earthquake. Only a part of the old watchtower survived so there is no castle, in reality, just the ruins of the castle.

I know that the view is super beautiful but I’m not sure it’s worth it. I would recommend either going after the sun has already set (most of the people leave at this point), or go to the next spot on this list which is kind of a hidden gem!

A woman in a white dress sitting on a stone ledge at Oia Castle during sunset, watching the lights of the village start to glow.

Oia Sunset Spot nr. 2 – The Byzantine Castle Ruins

Now that you know how crowded Oia Castle gets around sunset, let me show you another way to experience the sunset in a much calmer place. Most people go to the top of the castle where the old watchtower stood once. Instead of going up, start going down!

Start walking from the city center in the direction of the castle but instead of taking the road on the left side up to the castle, start walking down on the right. You have to take a few turns on the road and you will also pass by the orange-hued Kastro Oia Houses. (It’s one of the most instagrammable places in Santorini, just FYI!)

Soon you will see the old castle walls on the hillside. This is your spot! You can easily climb up there and you will only have to share this place with a handful of people.

We were sitting on that road you can see on the left side of the photo. Since there were almost no other tourists we could take so many amazing photos! If you walk all the way to the door at the end of that road you will find a small cave so you can create a perfect frame for your photos.

Oia Sunset Spot nr. 3 – Go on a sunset cruise

Boat tours are one of the most popular things to do in Oia as they offer an incredible view of the caldera and the surrounding towns. There are tons of different options to choose from, you can’t go wrong with any of them.

The sunset tours are one of the most expensive tours, they usually start from €100-150. Since we had only one night in Oia we didn’t go for a cruise but I’ve heard many positive reviews. If you are staying there for more than one night and you have the budget, definitely go for it!

One great tour to consider is the Santorini Catamaran Red Cruise. It comes with a delicious barbecue dinner and wine. During the cruise, you’ll head past both the Red Beach and White Beach and have the opportunity to jump in and swim a bit!

If the above-mentioned tour is already full or you’re looking for another option for any reason, you could also consider a 5-hour small group Catamaran Cruise that includes a traditional Greek buffet lunch or dinner. 

Best Places to Watch the Sunset in Fira

Fira is the capital city of Santorini and it offers a wide selection of hotels. Chances are pretty high that you will stay there at least for a few nights. Fira isn’t known for its sunsets but trust me you can witness some pretty amazing sunsets there too! And it’s less crowded than Oia so that’s definitely a plus point.

Fira Sunset Spot nr. 1 – Franco’s Bar

We arrived in Fira in the afternoon and I was searching for a place to have a coffee with a nice view. That’s how we ended up in Franco’s Bar. The bar was practically empty and there were no other people around us on the terrace. As the view was just perfect we decided to stay here for sunset. What a great decision we made!

The only downside of the bar is that it’s quite pricy. Coffees, beers, ciders, and wines cost around €6-10 while cocktails are between €15-20.

I know it’s a lot but I think it’s totally worth watching the sunset from there even with prices that high. This is definitely not the place to get drunk but buying one beer wouldn’t break the bank. And it’s so worth it for the view!

When the sun slowly started to set it gave the whole city a warm golden glow. The view was absolutely fantastic! The staff at the bar changed the music to a beautiful classic song which made the experience even more memorable. Half an hour later the whole city was lit up and the sky turned into a soft purple color. What a magical night it was!

Fira Sunset Spot nr. 2 – Along the wall

If you want to experience the same view for totally free – you can do it as well! You can simply stop anywhere along the low walls in Fira (even around Franco’s Bar) and you will get the exact same view.

The downside is that the walls will be crowded so try to be there as early as you can to secure a good spot for yourself. A little tip: the lower you go along the walls the fewer the crowds!

A woman in a white off-shoulder dress and white sneakers sits on a low wall, watching the sunset in Fira, Santorini.

Best Places to Watch the Sunset in Akrotiri

Akrotiri lies in the southwest corner of Santorini. Since it is quite far from the main touristy area it’s not so popular amongst visitors and only a handful of people go there. The Akrotiri peninsula is famous for the ruins from the Minoan period so if you’re a fan of archeological sites I can totally recommend checking it out!

What got me really excited was that I accidentally found out that there was a lighthouse on the southwest edge of the island. I don’t know why but I’m obsessed with lighthouses! So I instantly knew I had to go there.

While the view is pretty epic I only recommend going there if you have your own car and you saw the sunsets in Oia and Fira. It takes like a 50-minute drive from Oia or a 25-minute drive from Fira to get there. You can park your car along the road close to the lighthouse and since it’s not so popular it’s easy to find a parking spot.

Most people who go there walk all the way to the lighthouse but there is a hill behind the lighthouse where you can easily climb up (there are even stairs on the hillside).

I think the view from the hill is far better because this way you can have a view of the lighthouse and the sunset as well! You can find some little caves in the hillside that make a perfect framing for the photos but the smell is really awful inside so I only recommend going there if you are truly passionate about photography!

Important Info

Unfortunately access to the hill was restricted in the recent years, so it’s not possible to climb up anymore. That being said, I still think it’s worth seeing the sunset from the lighthouse, just the view will be a bit different!

A woman in a floral dress standing on a rocky path, gazing at the Akrotiri Lighthouse at sunset. The lighthouse glows softly as the sun dips below the horizon.

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35 Comments

  1. Wow those are lovely pictures, love them .hope to visit Santorini someday .thanks for sharing

  2. Thank you for sharing all the best spots for sunset! I have heard that it can get very busy with tourists, so the day I will visit here I will be happy to get the best views with less people! Looks really beautiful!

    1. Aw thank you Ophélie! Yeah, Santorini is quite tricky when it comes to sunsets because it’s SO busy all the time, that’s why we were aiming to find some lesser known spots as well 🙂

  3. What an incredible post this is. And such amazing pictures of the sunsets and you. Santorini has long been on my bucket list. Hope to be able to see it sometime soon after this current situation is over.

  4. Oh all your photos are so beautiful! I loved watching the sunset in Oia, it was one of the most amazing ones I’ve ever seen.

  5. your pictures are magical! I must say I was a bit disappointed at Santorini, I thought it was sooooo touristic. But I must admit the sunset and the views of the caldera were spectacular. <3

    1. I totally agree with you, I was a bit disappointed too. But we visited in the middle of September so the tourist crowds were already thinner and yeah all the struggle was so worth it for the sunsets! 🙂

      1. We are at Santorini now, in september. Not too crowdy. The caldera and sunset are beautiful, but besides that, I would skip Santorini. The island is quite barren and feels like a tourist trap everywhere. I would recommend Naxos for it’s beaches and the island as a whole.

  6. Thanks for the heads up about Oia Castle at sunset. So many times I follow recommendations for sunset or sunrise spots but no one tells you how overcrowded they are. Now I know to avoid 🙂

    1. Ah yeah the Oia Castle is a real nightmare, I’ve never seen so many people in such a small place. But luckily there were basically no one at the other viewpoint so we were lucky with that 🙂

  7. Island hopping in Greece was one of my most memorable experiences! It was a couple of years ago – but your photos really make me want to visit again. Greece has its own charm that truly unmatched.

  8. Some of the best sunsets I’ve ever seen were in Greece. I totally need to go back and spend more time in Santorini. Your photos are absolutely beautiful and this is an amazing guide. 🙂

  9. Wow! Such stunning photos! I got married in Santorini almost 4 years ago in Imerovigli and it still is one of the most beautiful places on Earth! 🙂

    1. Wow that could have been such a dream wedding! Imerovigli is really beautiful and luckily it’s not so crowded like Oia or Fira. I would love to go back and spend more time in there 🙂

    2. Wow! I just got back from Santorini and we stayed in Imerovigli. The first thing that greeted us was a wedding ceremony at the hotel‘s balcony. I can just imagine yours was so romantic & magical. Btw, Imerovigli is a charming village and a best spot for sunset viewing minus the crowd.

  10. These sunset photos look so magical! I was supposed to be in Greece last week but obviously I couldn’t go. I loved looking at all your photos and felt like I was there in spirit at least!

    1. Thank you, I’m so happy to hear that! It was such a great spot and not many people know about it so I thought it’s worth sharing it 🙂

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