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Santorini is in Greece, not Italy. It is a Greek island in the Aegean Sea, part of the Cyclades group, about 200 km southeast of the Greek mainland. There is no Santorini in Italy — the confusion comes from its Italian-sounding name, given by Venetian sailors who called the island “Santa Irini.”
| Santorini quick facts | Answer |
|---|---|
| Country | Greece (not Italy) |
| Island group | Cyclades, Aegean Sea |
| Distance from the Greek mainland | About 200 km (124 miles) southeast |
| Distance from Italy | Roughly 1,000–1,200 km (620–745 miles) from Italy’s east coast |
| Why the Italian-sounding name | Venetian sailors named it “Santa Irini” (Saint Irene) |
| Currency & language | Euro (€) · Greek |
Last updated 31 July 2026: facts, distances and the travel-connection details on this page were re-checked for the 2026 season.
You might think Santorini is in Italy, but IT IS NOT.
Santorini is in Greece! Here it is on Google Maps.
Santorini is the most famous and popular Greek island, along with Mykonos and Creteisland. Santorini gets millions of tourists every year, and it is one of the most popular destinations in Europe. Even Italians visit it!
BEST HOTEL IN SANTORINI:San Antonio
BUT ALSO CHECK:
No. Santorini is NOT in Italy. Santorini is in Greece and it got its name from the catholic church of Santa Irini in Perissa town.
It was named in the 13th century by the Latin Empire (Venetians) and it was previously named Kallisti (“the most beautiful”) or Thera (in the ancient times). Θήρα or Thera is also its official name since Greece became independent in the 19th century. So, don’t get confused: Santorini is and always Greek!
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Santorini is in Greece. its name sounds very Italian indeed but the island belongs to the Cycladic islands group and it is in the Aegean Sea that belongs to Greece.
Santorini is an island belonging to Greece, which is in Europe. Greece is in the southeastern part of Europe, and it belongs to the European Union. Its currency is the euro (EUR), and its capital is the city of Athens.
People in Santorini are Greeks, and they speak Greek. Modern Greek is what is spoken in Greece nowadays and it is an advanced and more simplified version of the ancient Greek, which is not spoken anymore.
The best month to visit Santorini is either early June or late September and early October. These periods are considered less crowded but with enough warm weather so you would be able to enjoy a swim in the sea. I have written a very detailed guide on when is the best time to visit Santorini.
Santorini is a relatively small Greek island, and you can literally drive from one edge to the other within 35-40 mins. In my opinion, you don’t really need more than 5 days in Santorini, but that really depends on your situation.
Compared to other Greek islands, Santorini is a very diverse destination with lots of things to do, and plenty of different restaurants and unique towns. In general, my advice is always to spend half of your time in Greece in Santorini and you won’t regret it. You can read in more detail how many days you need in Santorini.
Santorini is an island so you can get there by ferry or by plane. If you are visiting Santorini from the US then you have to go through Greece’s capital, Athens and then take a second flight or hop on X96 Athens bus and go to Piraeus or Rafina Port and take a ferry to Santorini. You can find all the available options on Ferryhopper website.
However, if you are visiting Santorini from any country in Europe there are always scheduled direct flights from the major cities of Europe and these usually start around May and end around October, every year. You can read all options in my Athens to Santorini detailed guide where I explain all the options with pictures and videos.
If you don’t really care about nightlife and the beach life then you have literally no reasons to visit Mykonos, in my opinion. I explain everything in detail in my detailed comparison of Mykonos vs Santorini. You can also see a quick comparison of the two most popular Greek islands in the table above.
If this is your first time in Greece, then you should definitely visit Santorini and depending on how many days you have in total, you should spend at least half of your time overall in Santorini. Both islands are very beautiful and unique.
They are also very romantic and ideal for honeymoons but Santorini is much more diverse, with lots of things to do and different villages and towns to visit. Santorini beaches are definitely unique but they are not sandy like the Mykonos beaches which are picture-perfect (and flooded with celebrities and rich people in general).
The place or the hotel you are staying in Santorini can make or break your holidays on this beautiful island. There are lots of options and you might become overwhelmed by reading all these strange names of the island’s towns and villages.
There is though one thing to have in mind and this is: you need to set your priorities first. Do you want the famous Santorini views you see all over Instagram or you need to be close to a beach? Unfortunately you cannot have both in Santorini and as you can see from the picture above, the famous views option with the amazing cave hotels in Santorini is definitely the most expensive but the most premium experience.
So, you can stay in Fira (the island’s capital town), Imerovigli, Firostefani or Oia where the best hotels of the island are….or you can spend less per night by staying close to the beach of Kamari or Perissa for example and just travel to Fira or Oia to check out the famous views where you can definitely have a lunch or a dinner. Here is my complete guide on where to stay in Santorini.
Here are some of my handy lists to help you out pick the best hotels to stay in Santorini:
Santorini is definitely not a party island but there is definitely some serious nightlife and some awesome beach clubs on the island that you should better not miss if you can visit them. The title of the best party island in Greece definitely goes to Mykonos which (along with Ibiza) is considered one of the best locations in Europe to party with famous DJs and celebrities. Santorini on the other hand has a long list of clubs and bars that are more on the chill-out and lounge side of things.
Santorini has a well-established network of local bus routes that are reliable, safe and pretty cheap. The main bus terminal of the island is in Fira town from where you can take a Santorini bus to any location on the island. On the other hand, if you don’t really feel like taking the bus then you can either get a Santorini Taxi or rent a car which will always be more expensive but it will give you more flexibility.
If you are still thinking that Santorini is in Italy then I don’t know what else I can do to educate you! Santorini is in Greece and it is one of the most beautiful holiday destinations in the world famous for its active volcano, picturesque towns and impressive caldera sunsets with some of the most romantic landscapes in the world.
No, Santorini is not in Italy. Santorini is a Greek island located in the Aegean Sea. While Italy and Greece are both popular Mediterranean destinations in Southern Europe, Santorini is entirely governed by Greece and is part of the Cyclades island group.
Santorini is located in the southeastern part of Europe. It sits in the southern Aegean Sea, about 200 km (120 miles) southeast of the Greek mainland (Athens). On a world map, you will find it positioned between the Greek mainland, the island of Crete to the south, and Turkey to the east.
Santorini is roughly 1,000 to 1,200 kilometers (620 to 745 miles) away from the eastern coast of Italy, depending on the exact starting point. Because there are no direct borders, traveling between the two requires a flight or a multi-day ferry journey across the Adriatic and Aegean seas.
The fastest way to get to Santorini from Italy is by flying. During the summer peak season, airlines like Ryanair, Volotea, and easyJet offer direct flights from major Italian cities (Rome, Milan, Venice, Naples) directly to Santorini Airport (JTR). Flight time is typically 2 to 2.5 hours. There are no direct ferries between Italy and Santorini.
Yes, Santorini is in Europe. Because it is part of Greece, it is a member of the European Union. The official currency used on the island is the Euro (€), and it falls under the Schengen Area for visa and travel purposes.
We recommend these trusted resources to compare rates, read reviews, and secure bookings for your upcoming trip to Santorini and Greece:
Best rates on hotels, luxury suites, and traditional caldera villas.
Stay connected with local Greek eSIM data packages starting at just a few dollars.
Compare ferry routes, schedules, and book tickets across all major Greek lines.
Last updated: August 12, 2026
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