Why June is the best month to visit Santorini

The mesmerizing colorful pebbly beaches, the famous caldera with the whitewashed houses and the crimson sunset are only some of the countless reasons to visit Santorini.

However, if you want the whole package while avoiding the hordes of tourists, then the best month to visit Santorini is June. Read below the 5 reasons that will put you on the ferry to Santorini today:

1. Cheaper holidays
2. Fewer crowds
3. Island hopping (minus the Aegean's strong winds)
4. Hiking trails
5. Cultural events

The cobbled Cycladic alleys of Santorini

1. Cheaper holidays

Let's not beat about the bush. Santorini can be quite expensive during the high season. However, you can explore the wild beauty of its volcanic landscape, idyllic beaches, and whitewashed alleys without cleaning yourself out.

Visit Santorini in June and enjoy a cheaper vacation compared to July and August. You can get lower prices on both accommodation and ferry tickets and reduce your vacation budget by up to 20% in relation to the hot month of August.

The same goes for restaurants and beach bars in Santorini. So, if you want to dip your bread in the local goat cheese chlorotyri and enjoy the famous fava of Santorini without worrying about the prices, then the dynamic duo of June and Santorini will save your summer vacation!

Tip: take a look at these deals on ferry tickets for 2024 and visit Santorini on a budget in June.

Fun fact: speaking of food, Santorini is one of the best Greek islands for vegan holidays!

Creamy fava with capers and onion

2. Fewer crowds

If you want to visit Santorini in July or August, we won’t get on your way! However, we should warn you that during the high season, the island’s port is bustling and Santorini can be really crowded. So, let’s be honest here! Do you really picture yourself watching the romantic sunset in Oia cramped into a hill with 1,000 people?

Neither do we! So, visit Santorini in June!  Say goodbye to long queues and crowds and enjoy your summer vacation with a cocktail next to the beach.

The impressive sunset from Oia of Santorini

3. Island hopping (minus the Aegean's strong winds)

Just another reason to strengthen our case here is that there are no strong winds in June. Therefore, you can explore the volcanic island in the first month of summer. The summer winds of the Aegean also known as meltemia appear later in July and August.

So, you can easily jump on a ferry from the port of Athinios for a day trip to the smaller volcanic islands Palea (or Palia) Kameni and Nea Kameni without worrying about the winds. If you want to island hopping, no problem! Take the ferry from Santorini to Mykonos, Milos, or Naxos and enjoy the route! Plus, no nausea effects included.

The red beach with crystal-clear waters in Santorini

4. Hiking trails

At first glance, the island’s geomorphology, born by volcanic eruptions and sculptured by lava, has created some amazing hiking trails. Follow the beautiful path starting from Fira, the capital of Santorini that leads you to Oia on the northern part of the caldera and enjoy one of the most magical sunsets. 

Alternatively, you can hop on a boat at the port of Athinios which will take you to Nea Kameni, the uninhabited island that is located in the center of the caldera. Follow the volcanic trail, pass through St. George’s dome and meet the twin active craters but be careful of the fumaroles emitting hot steam. 

So, if you want to lounge around but you also love exploring, then bingo! Hiking trails and 40 degrees do not mix well together.  So, the mild temperatures of June make it once again the ideal month.

The crater of the volcano in Nea Kameni 

5. Cultural events

June is rich in cultural events in Santorini. From concerts and art exhibitions to theater, the island has something for all tastes.

If you are not into theater that much and you lean towards the movie screen, then go to the open-air cinema "Cine Kamari" for a movie under the summer moon overlooking the magical caldera. Ah! Do not forget to put your cell phone on silent and get some popcorn.

White house of Cycladic architecture in Santorini

The battle between June and the rest of the summer months is over and June has been crowned the winner! And now that you also know that it is the best month to visit Santorini, what is left to do? Book your ferry tickets online at Ferryhopper and enjoy your fava by the lava!

Tip: download the Ferryhopper App for free, book your tickets faster and track your ferry any time in real-time!