Santorini or Mykonos? – Where To Go

See Also

• Where to Lodge in Santorini
• Where to Stay on Mykonos
• Santorini Travel Guidance
• Guide for Traveling to Mykonos

Mykonos or Santorini – Where to Go?

• Both Mykonos and Santorini offer extraordinarily scenic landscapes. It`s practical to visit both islands together during the same trip as ferry transportation between them takes approximately 3 hours.
• Travel to Mykonos for beaches and nightlife. Travel to Santorini for views, scenery, wineries, tours, and hikes.
• Both are excellent for a honeymoon, but Santorini has a more romantic ambiance.
• Santorini`s peak tourist period: April through early November. Mykonos` busiest months: May to September. (Santorini has more activities during the winter, off-peak months.)
• Tip: If visiting both islands, fly into one, take the ferry to the other, and fly out of the 2nd island to avoid retracing your steps back to the first island to catch your flight home.
• Both Santorini and Mykonos have international airports with direct flights from Athens, Rome, Paris, London, and Amsterdam. Occasional routes are also accessible from Venice, Naples, Berlin, and Frankfurt.

Should I go to Santorini or Mykonos?

Mykonos is a fun island that has a great buzz. Its capital, Mykonos Town, is as enchanting as any town in the Greek islands. Santorini is a stunning island that you’ll never forget. The views and the setting are among the most impressive anywhere.

Short answer:

• If you have 5 days or less then visit Santorini.
• With 6 or more days, visit both islands but spend approximately 2/3 of the time in Santorini.

Longer answer:

It relies on what your interests are and how you want to spend your time. They are very different islands and complement each other nicely – thus a trip that encompasses both islands makes a lot of sense.

• Go to Santorini for sunsets, natural beauty, romance, fine dining, wineries, boutique hotels, sailing trips, and volcano views.
• Travel to Mykonos for spectacular beaches, lively nightclubs, dancing, shopping, and festivities.

Santorini vs Mykonos – Summary

Santorini

• Breathtaking caldera and volcanic scenery.
• Over 40 exceptional upscale hotels
• Pebbly, volcanic beaches but great swimming.
• 20 to 30 flights per day from Athens in summer; many direct flights from western Europe.
• 5 to 8 hours by boat from Athens.
• Many excursions,day trips,wineries, and activities.

Vineyards of Santorini

• Many great dining establishments,several quality bars and 2 dance venues, generally in the capital Fira.
• The remnants of Ancient Akrotiri are remarkably well-preserved and easily accessible.
• An expensive island, but good low-cost food and great affordable hotels are surprisingly easy to find.

Mykonos

• Beautiful island but less dramatic views.
• Luxurious Accommodations.
• Sandy beaches and opportunities for swimming.
• 10 to 15 flights per day from Athens in summer; many direct flights from western Europe.
• 2.5 to 6 hours by boat from Athens.
• Fewer excursions, day trips, wineries, or activities.
• Very family-welcoming but few kid-centric attractions.
• Abundance of evening parties, beach bashes, clubs, and live DJ performances.
• The significantly expansive ruins of historical Delos Island are a 30-45 minute watercraft voyage away.
• An expensive island but good cheap food and great affordable lodging are surprisingly easy to locate.

Santorini vs Mykonos

• The scenery, views, sunsets, and natural beauty of Santorini are unmatched by Mykonos or any other Greek island. While Mykonos has its own beautiful spots, for scenes that are truly breathtaking, Santorini comes out on top.
• Santorini is more suited for romance and considerably better for a honeymoon or couple`s vacation.
• The beaches of Mykonos are gorgeous with golden sand and turquoise waters. In contrast, the beaches of Santorini do not have typical white or golden sand. Their sands are instead composed of black or red volcanic rocks, pebbles, and grains. As the beaches are darker, they get extremely hot during the day – water shoes or sandals are nearly indispensable. But some visitors adore the beaches of Santorini and cherish their uniqueness.
• Mykonos has more of a festive atmosphere and party scene. While there are definitely places to drink and celebrate in Santorini, if partying at clubs and dancing is a priority of your Greece trip, then Mykonos is the island for that.
• . Stores and eateries are tucked into the traditional white stone structures that the Greek islands are famous for. At night, when guests flock to the clubs, the paths are jammed with partygoers. It’s a fun atmosphere and never too crazy, but it can be overwhelming for some.
• Both Santorini and Mykonos are very welcoming of the gay community, though Mykonos has more of a gay “scene” with many gay bars, a handful of drag shows, and the famous Elysium Hotel. Not to stereotype but Santorini might be described as the wine-drinking gay scene and Mykonos the club-going gay scene.
• Santorini has more tours, sights, and activities available: archaeological sites to explore, day trips to traditional villages around the island, winery tours, and boat excursions around the volcano. Mykonos has some fine scenery, beautiful walks, and picturesque windmills – but generally, Santorini has more to see and do. Mykonos does have the nearby island of Delos (one of the most important mythological, historic, and archaeological sites in the Greek islands) to explore by day trip.
• Both islands experience very low visitation in winter. The beach towns slow down operations, and many hotels and restaurants close even in major towns. That said, Santorini welcomes more off-peak guests and never gets as secluded as Mykonos. Additionally, Mykonos has less to offer without beaches and nightlife. On Santorini, the cliffs, panoramic views, and caldera basin remain top attractions during the quieter season.
• Both Santorini and Mykonos have airports which only a handful of Greek islands possess. Both islands have nonstop flights from Athens and northern and western Europe – they’re the only islands in the Cyclades that offer international flights.
• Neither Santorini nor Mykonos have direct flights from the USA (nor anywhere outside of Europe). All visitors originating outside of Europe will need to stop somewhere in Europe to catch a flight bound for the Greek islands.
• Mykonos is a couple of hours closer to Athens when traveling by ferry. Ferry from Athens to Mykonos takes around 3.5 hours (high-speed ferry) or 5.5 hours (cheaper car ferry). Ferry from Athens to Santorini takes around 5 hours (high-speed) and 8 hours (car ferry).

The weather in Santorini and Mykonos

There are no discernible differences regarding climate between Santorini and Mykonos. The best season for weather on both islands ranges from late May to early October.

Since Santorini is more of a sightseeing island than Mykonos, visits in spring and fall still offer plenty to see and do (the views don’t disappear with the hot weather). The tourist season on Santorini is from April to early November.

Since most people visit Mykonos for the beaches, a trip outside of the warmest months has less attractions. The tourist season on Mykonos is from late May to early October.

Visiting Both Santorini and Mykonos

Santorini and Mykonos are so differing that touring both is a good choice. The two islands complement one another very well. They are 3 hours apart by ferry so getting between Mykonos and Santorini is relatively simple.

Some summers feature direct flights between Santorini and Mykonos. And some summers don’t. Flights take about 30 minutes and cost between €30 and €80. There are more regular flights (operating throughout the year) via Athens but these cost 3 times as much and consume 2 to 5 hours (so if there’s no direct option, it’s best to take the ferry).

Ferry transport is a popular means of travel between Santorini and Mykonos islands.

During the summer months, there are multiple daily high-speed ferry options connecting Santorini to Mykonos and returning from Mykonos to Santorini. Departures from Santorini for Mykonos generally occur around midday, while trips back from Mykonos to Santorini typically leave in the mid-afternoon. The voyage takes around 2.5 hours, with stops in Paros and Ios to and from. One can also opt to take a larger, more stable Blue Star Ferry between Santorini and Naxos, and then a high-speed ferry for the brief trip between Naxos and Mykonos.

Ferryhopper.com provides a straightforward way to search for and purchase ferry tickets for travel between Mykonos and Santorini. Advance bookings are generally unnecessary outside July and August, but booking online in advance is straightforward. If already in Greece, tickets can be purchased from travel agencies a few days before the ferry trip.

Day Trip to Santorini or Mykonos

We do not advise making a day trip from Mykonos to Santorini or Santorini to Mykonos. Depending on the ferry schedule, occasionally in July and August it may simply be possible to get 5 to 7 hours at the destination island. However, this is after dedicating 3 hours each way on a high-speed ferry. The high-speed ferries can be rough and unpleasant rides on windy days – so you could find yourself “recovering” from a turbulent journey for the better part of your visit, only to have to get on it again in a few hours for the return ride.

Visiting either island for just a few hours in the afternoon would not provide sufficient time to appreciate all that each location has to offer its visitors. To get the most out of a trip, travelers should plan to spend at least several nights on each island..

Santorini and Mykonos in Photos

Mykonos:The best hotels are generally those situated near beaches in Mykonos. ( SantaMarinaResort)Santorini: The best hotels have amazing views over the caldera in Santorini. ( Katikies Hotel in Oia.)

Santorini: A Photo Guide

Mykonos: A Photo Guide