Last Updated on March 3, 2022 by
Surrounded by shining black volcanic beaches and stunning mountain views, Perissa is one of the nicest coastal villages of Santorini. Less crowded than the neighbouring Fira and Oia, Perissa offers a great nightlife, stunning clear waters and cheaper accommodations. Discover the best things to do in Perissa and plan your relaxing stay in Santorini!
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Why visit Perissa in Santorini
Maybe it’s not as famous as Oia or Fira but Perissa has its own je ne sais quoi. Far from the crowded and most popular Santorini spots, Perissa has its own unique universe made of local warm hospitality, serene beach promenade and delicious Greek food. Indeed, this little coastal village has everything you need for a relaxing vacation. This includes a very vibrant nightlife with a great choice of restaurants and beach clubs, photogenic corners and nice beaches.
When I booked our 5-days stay in Perissa, I honestly didn’t know what to expect. Nevertheless, I remained pleasantly surprised by our time in this little coastal town. Perissa is well-connected with the rest of the island thanks to its bus system and the nicely maintained roads. Moreover, there is a big supermarket where you can find all you need and the beach at less than 5 minutes from the town centre. We used it as a base to explore different parts of Santorini and it was an excellent choice.
This is is the ideal location to relax away from the main Santorini’s popular locations without loosing the charm of strolling out on an exclusive Greek island.
Perissa turbulent past
Perissa (in Greek Περίσσα ) is located at 13 km southeast of Fira. Although most people head to Perissa for its incredible volcanic black beaches, the villages lies on, what are believed, the ruins of the ancient city of Elefsina at the south east base of the Mesa Vouno mountain. Once you arrive, you will be immediately welcomed by its rocky landscape and volcanic black beaches. This is a remembrance of its turbulent past. Indeed, historical records name Perissa as the site of Santorini’s massive volcanic activity. This include the famous Minoan eruption that destroyed the ancient city of Akrotiri.
Moreover, Perissa is a location of great historical importance. In fact, not too far from the village centre, you can still visit the famous ruins of the ancient Basilica of Saint Irene. Indeed, this is known as one of the most important churches of the islands as well as the reasons why the Venetians gave the island the name Santorini (which is a distorted name for Saint Irene).
Things to do in Perissa
Relax at the Perissa Beach
One of the main purpose of a visit to Perissa is relaxing at the Perissa Beach. This beach is made of 7 km of volcanic sands shining against the most crystalline of the waters. Perissa beach is one of the best beaches of Santorini. Moreover, is fully equipped with everything you need. There are showers, beach services, bars and restaurants. One of the things I loved more is the a long promenade where to walk (or run if you go at early morning). Here you can find also many nice restaurants and Greek Tavernas where to listen live music and have a tasty Greek gyros.
Tip: Most lidos and bars on the Perissa Beach let you use their sunbeds for free (also for the whole day. You just need to purchase food or drinks from a restaurant that has a reserved beach part to use this service. Just ask one of the waiters to reserve a sunbed for you while you are having lunch. Otherwise, you can just ask for a sunbed and order your food directly on the beach.
Visit the ruins of the ancient Thera
If you are up for a nice hike, visiting the ruins of the ancient city of Thera should be on the top of your list! Situated at 360 m high on the Messavouno mountain, the ruins of Thera amazes visitors with their long history and incredible views.
Ancient Thera was inhabited from the 9th century BC until 726 AD. It took the name from the ruler of the island of Santorini, Theras. The settlement of Thera enjoyed a discrete success until the Ptolemaic period. The decline arrived during the Roman times starting in the middle of the 1st century BCE. The city progressively lost its importance and was definitively abandoned after an eruption that covered it in pumice.
Visit the Mineral Museum
One of the nicest attractions in Perissa is the Museum of The Minerals and Fossils. The museum is open since 2006. This includes a wide collection of minerals and fossil from Santorini and different parts of Greece.
Night Market
During summer, in the main square of the village there is a little night market! In fact, there are various stalls selling shoes, beach accessories and souvenirs. It’s very nice and great if you are searching something cheap to buy. Moreover, most local shops are open till late night so you can have a look around after a day spent at the beach.
Where to stay in Perissa
We stayed in Perissa for 5 nights. One of the advantages of staying in this little village is that is much cheaper than Oia or Fira. At the same time, it allows you to have a great Santorini experience anyway. For our stay in Perissa we chose to rent an apartment with a private outdoor hydromassage pool at Roula Villa Studios & Apartments. We booked a big apartment because initially we were supposed to be in 4 people for this trip. However, the other two couldn’t come the very last moment, so we decided to keep the apartment anyway!
Honestly, I loved our time at Roula Villa (Alessio relaxing on the swimming pool in the photo above is a proof!) We had everything we needed like a little kitchen, a private terrace and also a little rooftop spot where to watch the sunset! Moreover, Perissa has many services, including a local cheap supermarket where to do your grocery.
Roula Villa is just at 10 mins walk from the beach and main street of Perissa and at 5 mins walk from a very furnished bakery (who had also some delicious fresh french fries!!). Moreover, Roula Villa has a very convenient agreement with local rental scooter. If you book with them, ask at the reception and they will provide you with a nice discount! We rented a scooter for five days via Roula Villa and paid just € 80.
Where to eat in Perissa
Did I say I love Greek food? Maybe not but, I FREAKING LOVE GREEK FOOD!!! Perissa is full of places where to eat and I guess they are all amazing. However, during our stay we found our two favourite ones!
Pepito Restaurant
For traditional Greek food, our favourite choice was Pepito! Pepito is the typical Greek Taverna on the beach. It’s cheap, they provide you with complimentary sunbeds when you dine with them and the food is delicious!! My favourite dish was the feta with honey (that sound strange but, believe me, it’s a joy for the mouth!!). Pepito is located at Beach road, Perissa 847. You don’t need to book at lunchtime (but check during the high season). However, if you want a sunbed, ask the personnel to reserve one for you. You can dine also on the beach! In fact, each sunbed has also an umbrella with a table!
Sirocco
Sirocco was our second favourite place! We liked so much that we keep returning there! As tradition, we tried pizza also in Santorini and Sirocco is definitely the best place for this. In fact, the pizza is cooked in a wood fire oven and all the ingredients are super fresh! This is probably one of the best pizza we tasted outside Italy! Sirocco offers also a wide selection of Greek traditional dishes like my beloved Souvlaki! Sirocco is located in Perissa Main Road. Check their menu for more info.
Distances from Perissa
- Pyrgos : 9 km
- Fira: 12 km
- Oia: 23 km
- Imerovigli: 14 km
- Akrotiri: 8 km
- Kamari: 2 km
- Airport 5 km
How to reach Perissa
From the airport, you can reach Perissa via bus or taxi. However, remember that taxis can be quite expensive. Nevertheless, the journey is is much faster than the bus (15 mins circa). The bus from the airport is cheap (not more than 5 euro). However, is not direct and it will take around 48 minutes to reach Perissa. In fact, the bus stops first at the main bus station in Fira. Here you will have to change and take another bus going to Perissa. You have to change bus every time you want to reach a place that is not Fira.
If you have a scooter or a car, Perissa is at about 20 minutes drive from Fira (12 km) and 40 mins drive from Oia (26 km).
Read other Santorini guides
Want to discover more about Santorini? Read these other guides below! Click on the pictures to discover these amazing villages!
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