Santorini

[ninja-tim]

Hi all,

Planning on going to Santorini in early September this year and planning on staying in Oia. It'll be our first time.

We'll be flying from Paris, leaving a group of friends, to Santorini for our honeymoon and just need advice re: flight. We'll be leaving an Airbnb where our friends are still staying so we can leave our luggage there till we leave.

So there's 2 options for flights to Santorini:
Dep CDG @ 1215 and Arr JTR @ 2015 (7hr duration)
Dep CDG @ 1640 and Arr JTR @ 2225 (4hr55m duration)

Just wondering is it worth it leaving Paris early and arrivie into our Santorini Hotel at roughly 9pm? Would there be much to do that late after we check in at Oia?

Or should we savour those extra 4.5 hrs in Paris by leaving at 4.40pm and get to the hotel probably just before midnight?

TIA

 

[Cynicor]

Not much to do at 9pm in Oia. Where are you staying?

Dunno if I'd want to arrive at midnight either, though.

 

[ninja-tim]

Not much to do at 9pm in Oia. Where are you staying?

Dunno if I'd want to arrive at midnight either, though.

Well, haven't booked a place though, but want to stay in Oia somewhere. Want to book something with a view of the sea, and possibly a jacuzzi/plunge pool. Was looking at Katikies/Canaves but their prices are ridiculous for those types of rooms. Still looking around for a hotel that meets the specs.

Yeah midnight arrival isn't fun. Did it a few weeks ago in Hanoi. However, if there's not much to do after 9pm in Oia, then I don't see the point in leaving 4.5hrs early from paris just to get to Santorini and just be stuck in the hotel room for the rest of the night. Then again, a midnight arrival isn't fun.

 

[dajop]

Well, haven't booked a place though, but want to stay in Oia somewhere. Want to book something with a view of the sea, and possibly a jacuzzi/plunge pool. Was looking at Katikies/Canaves but their prices are ridiculous for those types of rooms. Still looking around for a hotel that meets the specs. .

Depending on whether you mind moving or not .... if you don't you could just take the later flight, stay in the Thira for the first night (closer to the airport) in less salubrious accommodation (i.e. without seaview - unless a full moon it will be dark when you arrive anyway). Use the money you save to increase the budget for subsequent nights ...... Not sure if anything is happening there either after 11pm though, although probably livelier than Oia.

 

[Pushka]

Our view in Thira



I would stay here for a couple of nights where nightlife is a little busier then move to Oia later - which seems to really cater for luxury couples but not the booming nightlife.

 

[vetrade]

So there's 2 options for flights to Santorini:
Dep CDG @ 1215 and Arr JTR @ 2015 (7hr duration)
Dep CDG @ 1640 and Arr JTR @ 2225 (4hr55m duration)

Plenty of other flight options I would have thought especially if you're prepared to depart from ORY rather than CDG. There are direct flights ORY - JTR (3.5 hrs) arriving mid afternoon. Or you could get an overnight Aegean flight from CDG with the usual stop in ATH and arriving early morning in JTR - sure you might have to drop your bags at the hotel and wait a few hours to check in but easy to keep yourselves occupied just walking around. I certainly wouldn't want to arrive in JTR as late as you are contemplating - even on the earlier flight I doubt you would get to Oia by 9pm - I'm guessing 10pm might be more realistic.

 

[Cynicor]

Oia is nice, I stayed at Canaves for 4 nights last year. Beautiful suite with private plunge pool.

Use virtuoso for an upgrade.

 

[OATEK]

We are booked in for 6 nights in June and elected the beach front in Kamari. However we are flying direct from VIE, found a nice deal on AB that gets us in during the afternoon. If you are looking at Aegean which we will use for the return leg to CDG - these are indirect with a change in ATH. But as Vetrade says, worth looking at EF/ITA Matrix or similar to see what you can get out of ORY.

 

[ninja-tim]

We are booked in for 6 nights in June and elected the beach front in Kamari. However we are flying direct from VIE, found a nice deal on AB that gets us in during the afternoon. If you are looking at Aegean which we will use for the return leg to CDG - these are indirect with a change in ATH. But as Vetrade says, worth looking at EF/ITA Matrix or similar to see what you can get out of ORY.

We've got the wedding reception , albeit a small one, the night before. So I don't think I'd be looking forward to early morning departure right after the reception

 

[OATEK]

We've got the wedding reception , albeit a small one, the night before. So I don't think I'd be looking forward to early morning departure right after the reception

Totally understand. Happily we had options around 10am out of VIE (with OS or AB), so are more fortunate. You could fly to ATH (presumably a few more options that way) and stay over night in one of the hotels with a view of the Acroppolis, and take a morning flight the next day with A3 to JTR (only 45mins).

 

[ninja-tim]

Oia is nice, I stayed at Canaves for 4 nights last year. Beautiful suite with private plunge pool.

Use virtuoso for an upgrade.

I've got amex plat, so FHR/Amex plat travel or even SLH, should be able to allow for upgrade, albeit subject to availability. From what I've read on tripadvisor and FT, I've read that it can get quite full, esp. in September?

Did you manage an upgrade at Canaves?

Our view in Thira
View attachment 67014


I would stay here for a couple of nights where nightlife is a little busier then move to Oia later - which seems to really cater for luxury couples but not the booming nightlife.

That sunset looks amazing.
Is Thira and Fira the same place or different?
Heard Fira is the party centre and loud compared to Oia?

Plenty of other flight options I would have thought especially if you're prepared to depart from ORY rather than CDG. There are direct flights ORY - JTR (3.5 hrs) arriving mid afternoon. Or you could get an overnight Aegean flight from CDG with the usual stop in ATH and arriving early morning in JTR - sure you might have to drop your bags at the hotel and wait a few hours to check in but easy to keep yourselves occupied just walking around. I certainly wouldn't want to arrive in JTR as late as you are contemplating - even on the earlier flight I doubt you would get to Oia by 9pm - I'm guessing 10pm might be more realistic.

Yeah, had a look at ORY for the day we are flying. Could only find early morning (6am) or late night (6pm+) so those options don't suit us.

 

[Pushka]

That sunset looks amazing.
Is Thira and Fira the same place or different?
Heard Fira is the party centre and loud compared to Oia?


Yeah, had a look at ORY for the day we are flying. Could only find early morning (6am) or late night (6pm+) so those options don't suit us.

Yes, Thira = Fira. Oia is the place to go for sunsets without any 'infrastructure' in the view. There are some fabulous villas there also. Fira/Thera is at the top of the cable car - and it is really busy at night time, lots of restaurants and bars. Didnt see too many at Oia, but we werent there at night time. It seems a more 'exclusive enclave' kind of place. But we loved where we stayed.

 

[ninja-tim]

Depending on whether you mind moving or not .... if you don't you could just take the later flight, stay in the Thira for the first night (closer to the airport) in less salubrious accommodation (i.e. without seaview - unless a full moon it will be dark when you arrive anyway). Use the money you save to increase the budget for subsequent nights ...... Not sure if anything is happening there either after 11pm though, although probably livelier than Oia.

That does sound like a good idea. Better than wasting a lot of money on a luxury hotel just to arrive at midnight and just go straight to sleep. Did that with my Hanoi hotel, stayed at Sofitel Metropole, awesome hotel btw. Could have arrived anytime of the day, but chose 8pm flight and arrived just before midnight. Felt like a waste of a good day/nights stay.

Doing the same with our stay in Venice before going to Paris then onto Santorini. Arrive in LHR at 5pm, so won't arrive to Venice to late.

 

[Cynicor]

Virtuoso gets better treatment than those various other rate deals (FHR etc). I went from a base room in the hotels to a private plunge pool suite for free.

Gets busy from June.

 

[ninja-tim]

Virtuoso gets better treatment than those various other rate deals (FHR etc). I went from a base room in the hotels to a private plunge pool suite for free.

Gets busy from June.

Do you have to hold a certain card or anything to use Virtuoso?

 

[dmitri]

I have stayed at Oia castles twice now, best view of the sunset on the Island and you don't have to line up on the steps or up the top on the old castle site with a million other people. Definitely my pick.

Direct Sunset View

 

[Edge]

I've stayed in both Thira and Oia and I prefer Oia. Like Cynicor I stayed at Canaves a couple of years ago and loved it. Booked a package via luxurylink.com but doesn't look like it's still available on there. Weather was perfect even in early October - private plunge pool the way to go.

 

[dodgeyhack]

We didn't really go to Oia much so I can't comment on that, but Imerovigli was a great spot.
Walking distance to Thera, but far enough away that it wasn't crowded or crazy.
Stayed at White Santorini, with a room that had a little private pool out the front and a table where we had some brilliant room service dinners delivered.
Would highly recommend it.

 

[samh004]

If you can, take a boat back instead of a plane because JTR is really not an airport you want to fly out of. Having had the experience in 2014 I want to go back to the island, but find a different way home!

 

[Cynicor]

If you can, take a boat back instead of a plane because JTR is really not an airport you want to fly out of. Having had the experience in 2014 I want to go back to the island, but find a different way home!

Had no issues on the way out. What was your problem with it? It's not luxurious though!