Santorini sunsets are legendary – the caldera views, the domed churches and belltowers, the curved cave-like houses and the distant islands on the horizon make it one of the best places to watch a sunset on the planet.
In my Santorini sunset guide we show you the best sunset spots in Santorini, and also suggest some Santorini sunset cruises, a magical way to experience the sunset down on the caldera.
I mainly stick to viewpoints on the caldera in Oia and Fira, as these are where you’ll get the best sunsets in Santorini, and mention another couple of places to watch the sunset in Santorini that you could explore if you’re staying for a week or so.
Why Is The Santorini Sunset Famous?
Santorini is a unique volcanic island, its villages perched atop 200-metre-high cliffs with outstanding views over the caldera below and the surrounding Cyclades islands.
Add in the spectacular Santorini architecture – whitewashed churches with blue domes, the simple white cave-like houses and centuries-old windmills and you have an astounding place to watch the sunset on your hands.
Santorini sunsets regularly rate among the world’s best in online polls, and I’d go so far as to say that seeing a Santorini caldera sunset is the best thing to do on the island.
Santorini Sunset Planner
I’d look to spend one evening in Oia to see the sunset from the Byzantine Castle (also known as Fort Londsa). It is ridiculously overcrowded, but it is stunning.
I would also look to spend two evenings watching the sunset from Fira. Allow one evening to savour the view from above the Three Bells of Fira church in Firostefani, and another to enjoy the sunset at the southern end of the village, around St John the Theologian’s Church and the beautiful white Agios Minas church.
If you’re staying longer in Santorini and want to catch more sunsets, I’d consider an evening in the hill village of Pyrgos and possibly Akrotiri lighthouse.
If you’re only spending one day in Santorini, I’d look to visit the Three Bells of Fira for your Santorini sunset.
Photographing Santorini Sunset Tips
Santorini caldera is such a great place to watch the sunset because the elements are there to photograph so much more than ‘just’ the sunset.
The sunset is obviously top of the list when it comes to making photos of Santorini, but the churches and distinctive houses make great subjects in the late light of the day – there’s more scope for this in Fira than Oia, where you don’t have space to move if you want to keep your sunset spot.
You’ll find that many people leave after the sun sets, but they’re often missing the best part of the show – the afterglow. The fiery dusky sky can be even more spectacular as the sunset itself, so it pays to stick around until the lights are turned on, and indeed afterwards. Count on being there an hour after sunset, when only a few hardcore enthusiasts and photographers will be left.
Best Sunsets In Santorini – Our Top 9
1. Oia Sunset
Oia (pronounced EE-a) is the most famous Santorini sunset location. Just off the main street (Nik. Nomikou) an alleyway leads left down the hill to the Byzantine Castle, which commands a superb view over the curved rooftops of the village and its two windmills.
It’s the vantage point for one of the best sunsets in Europe, indeed the world, but there’s one drawback – everyone knows it, and congregates there every time there’s a hint of something special.
The small castle ruin draws hundreds of people every night, so logistically the only way to get a front row spot is to arrive up to TWO HOURS early. It is what it is. By the time the sun is ready to sink over the horizon, you’ll have several hundred fellow visitors for company.
My tip is to wait it out at the front, then stay on for dusk and the gorgeous afterglow in the sky. By the time you leave the place will be nearly empty once again, your fellow sunset watchers will have headed back to their hotels and you can head back to your hotel, car or the bus to Fira.
Where To Stay In Oia – Santo Mine Oia Suites – exceptional location overlooking the caldera, close to the best sunset spots too
2. Three Bells of Fira
The other contender for the best Santorini sunset is the tiny Three Bells of Fira church in Firostefani, just to the north of Fira. Just a few minutes’ walk from the main square in Firostefani, the viewpoint is directly above the iconic church with its white bellcote and blue dome.
It’s one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever had the privilege to visit. The church is on the rim of the caldera, so the islands of Nea Kameni and Thirassia form the backdrop, while cruise ships float through the waters of the caldera.
On balance I’m tempted to say that this is the best place to watch the sunset in Santorini. The view is breathtaking and, unlike in Fira, even in peak season there are very few people there to savour the scene. I went for two sunsets there, and there were only 15-20 people there both times. A staggering Santorini sunset spot.
Where To Stay Near The Three Bells Of Fira – Three Bells Suites, Firostefani – only a few metres to walk to one of the best sunset spots in Europe
3. Agios Minas Church Fira
Agios Minas is a simple, stunning white-domed church at the southern end of Fira, easily reached by footpaths along the caldera rim or from the Metropolitan Cathedral just up the hill.
The view from the church over the caldera is fantastic, but there’s an even better one a short walk away which we’ll tell you about in the next section. I suggest heading visiting Agios Minas 15-20 minutes before the last light of the day to see the astonishing late light on this beautiful church, rich against the deep blue evening sky.
4. St John The Theologian Church Fira
St John’s Church is one of my favourite places to watch a Santorini caldera sunset, and one of the most beautiful churches in Santorini. The domed church is just down the hill from Agios Minas and the Metropolitan Cathedral, and you can view it from above (as in the shot with the walls and swimming pools around it) or close to dome level – just wander and explore.
The view of the cross on the dome is especially beautiful, with the backdrop of the island in the distance. As I finished shooting there, some kids climbed up onto the church roof to shoot their own pictures on their phones. Just find where I went and don’t go where they did.
5. Around St Stylianos Church Fira
One of the best things to do in Santorini is to wander along the caldera rim, particularly in Fira (you could always follow it the 10 km or so to Oia the next day). The area around the domed St Stylianos Church gets very interesting at sunset, as the church glows warm colours as the light gets lower.
Take a look up the hill to St John’s Roman Catholic Cathedral, its richly coloured dome and tower magnificent in the late light.
You could easily reach the viewpoint for the Three Bells of Fira from here (10-15 minutes’ walk maximum), then head back for the afterglow around St Stylianos church. At the Art of the Loom Gallery, a path leads past the Volkan on the Rocks café, where you could stop by for dinner or a drink with a superb view over Nea Kameni island in the caldera. It also looks great at dusk as the last of the glow fills the sky.
Where To Stay In Fira – Panorama Boutique Hotel – great central location near bus station, and stunning caldera and sunset views
6. Sunset In Imerovigli
The village of Imerovigli begins just to the north of the Three Bells of Fira church, and the sunsets there are pretty spectacular too.
Imerovigli is on the northern curve of the caldera, and this is where the landmark Skaros rock comes into play as you watch sunset over the caldera from there. It’s another great Santorini sunset spot, perhaps not quite in same league as those in Oia and Fira, but to be honest, where in the world is?
Where To Stay In Imerovigli – Santorini Princess Spa Hotel – 5-star luxury, caldera and sunset views, everything you could want
7. On Board A Santorini Sunset Cruise
A sunset cruise in Santorini is another amazing experience, drifting along the waters of the caldera between the volcanic islands. As well as watching the sun set over the Cyclades Islands and Aegean, you also get to enjoy the superb views back to the villages on the rim of the caldera, the whitewashed buildings almost orange in the dramatic late light.
There are many different Santorini sunset cruises to choose from. Some last up to 5 hours, taking you to the striking Santorini Red Beach and the remote White Beach before turning into the caldera for sunset.
Many include a full Greek meal with drinks, some offering an unlimited bar, a great way to end the day.
8. Pyrgos Village
Pyrgos Santorini – sometimes called Pyrgos Kallistis – is the highest of the villages in Santorini, with superb views west over the island to the caldera and neighbouring islands.
I spent a wonderful afternoon in Pyrgos but didn’t stay for a Pyrgos sunset. That said, I reconnoitred the village, and in the quieter upper part of the village there are a couple of small traditional churches with typical bellcotes that would look great silhouetted at sunset.
The whitewashed churches and houses of the village would also look stunning in the low light before sunset. Once you’ve seen a sunset in Oia and at least one in Fira I suggest spending an evening in Pyrgos. The village is so much quieter than Oia and Fira, making for a very different Santorini experience.
9. Akrotiri Lighthouse
The Santorini lighthouse is at the end of the Akrotiri peninsula in the south-western corner of the island. On many other Greek islands it would be the first place to go to watch the sunset, with a great view over the Aegean Sea and, depending on which angle you’re looking at it, some distant islets.
But this is Santorini and, to be honest, the sunset here wouldn’t be a patch on one in Oia or Fira. It’s a pleasant spot, worth dropping by to see if you visit nearby Mesa Pigadia – also known as Black Beach Santorini. But for sunset, it won’t take your breath away like the Santorini caldera sunsets.
Santorini Sunset – Final Words
If you visit Santorini, even for one day, do all within your powers to stay overnight and enjoy a Santorini sunset.
Even after 40 years of travelling, seeing a sunset in Santorini for the first time had me tingling with anticipation, like the first time I saw the Eiffel Tower, Venice or Sydney Harbour.
Santorini is overtouristed at the height of summer, but you don’t have to venture far to avoid the crowds and soak in one of the most magical experiences you’ll have anywhere in Europe or, for that matter, the world.
I hope you’ve enjoyed my Santorini sunset guide. Seeing a Santorini sunset is one of the most beautiful things you can do in Europe. You may enjoy these other Santorini travel guides and resources:
- Emporio Santorini Village Guide – a hidden gem in the east of the island
- Three Bells of Fira – one of the most beautiful churches on Santorini
- Churches in Santorini – 15 of the best churches to see on Santorini
- Perissa Beach Santorini – Everything You Need To Know
- Vlychada Beach Santorini – great volcanic beach on the island’s south coast
- Caldera Beach Santorini – the only Santorini beach on the caldera
- The 7 Best Beaches In Santorini – black and red sand beauties on the volcanic isle
And take a look at more of our Europe sunset guides here:
- Best Sunsets In Europe – 25 of the best places to experience a magical sunset in Europe
- Sunset in Venice – the 10 best places to watch a sunset in La Serenissima
- Sunset in Paris – the 15 best places to see one
- Sunsets In Prague – the 11 best places to see them in the Czech capital
- Sunsets In London – the 20 best places to see them
- Sunsets In Wales – 18 Amazing Places To See One
- 7 Best Sunsets In Lisbon
David Angel is a British photographer, writer and historian. He is a European travel expert with over 30 years’ experience exploring Europe. He has a degree in History from Manchester University, and his work is regularly featured in global media including the BBC, Condé Nast Traveler, The Guardian, The Times, and The Sunday Times. David is fluent in French and Welsh, and can also converse in Italian, German, Portuguese, Spanish, Czech and Polish.