A santorini cooking class runs three to five hours in a village house, a winery courtyard or a farm, and ends with you eating what you made. It costs roughly 80 to 150 euros a head with wine included, and the menu is built around what this island grows without rain or irrigation: fava, the small dense Santorini tomato, white aubergine, capers and chloro cheese. Almost every venue is inland, and almost none of them is on a bus route.
Santorini is a top tourist destination with beautiful villages, beaches, famous restaurants and a vibrant nightlife. You can take the vacations of your dreams in Santorini in 2025 and experience the magic of the island by taking Santorini Tours.
The contrast of black and red in its landscape, the dazzling white of the settlements, such as Oia and Fira that hang on the edge of the cliff, the archaeological sites and the numerous colors of the beaches that draw their peculiarity from the diverse volcanic rocks and geological activity, create images of a place that could be described as unique in the whole world.
Why visit Santorini in 2025?
Santorini is definitely one of the things you should visit during your trip to Greece. Although it is now under attack from mass tourism, this Cycladic island will excite you. In fact, in Santorini you will find wonderful villages, interesting archaeological sites and evocative vineyards. However, this island is most famous for its Caldera which hosts one of the most spectacular sunsets in the world. Furthermore, for nature and hiking lovers, the island offers beautiful trails and evocative beaches.
1. Oia
During a trip to Santorini, the first thing you should definitely visit is Oia. In fact, this wonderful village is perched on top of the cliff and offers a unique view of the Caldera. Located on the northern tip of the island, Oia is characterized by the typical pastel blue domes and white walls of the Orthodox churches. Furthermore, here you can see one of the most spectacular sunsets in the world. Ultimately, Oia will be the postcard of your trip to Santorini.
2. Fira
The town of Fira is the capital of this fantastic island and is one of the things you should not miss in Santorini. Here, in fact, you will find wonderful cobblestone streets and breathtaking views of the famous Caldera. Perched on a cliff about 260 meters above sea level, Fira will amaze you. In addition, the capital of the island offers many restaurants, boutiques and clubs for nightlife lovers.
3. Pyrgos
Among the most authentic things to visit in Santorini, we find the village of Pyrgos. This traditional village, in fact, is a wonderful tangle of streets with characteristic blue and white houses.
Built by the Venetians in the 15th century, Pyrgos is built around its castle and is filled with fascinating Byzantine churches. Simply put, Pyrgos is a must-see on your trip to Santorini.
4. Ancient Thira
If you are interested in history, the archaeological site of Ancient Thira is one of the things you should not miss in Santorini. In fact, in the Mesa Vouno area, about 400 meters above sea level, you can admire the ancient city of Fira, which was inhabited from the 9th century BC until the medieval era.
Therefore, in the archaeological site you will find evocative remains such as the Temple of Dionysus, the Sanctuary of Apollo and the Agora. Finally, if we can give you some advice, visit Ancient Thira in the morning, avoiding the hottest hours.
5. Akrotiri
For archaeology buffs, Akrotiri is a must-see on your trip to Santorini. In fact, in the small village of Akrotiri you can visit the archaeological excavations where the ruins of a Minoan city were found. You will find yourself in front of an ancient port that was destroyed by the volcanic eruption of 1628 BC.
In short, Akrotiri is the “Pompeii of the Aegean” and is one of the things you must visit in Santorini. You can take a private historical Santorini tour with us!
6. Ammoudi
Ammoudi is one of the most picturesque locations in Santorini and one of the things you must visit in Santorini. Located at the foot of Oia and overlooking the Caldera, this wonderful bay stands out for its characteristic restaurants and colorful boats that tie up in the marina and you can visit it by taking a Santorini private tour.
In addition, at sunset, the colors that Ammoudi offers are unique. Book a table half an hour before sunset and enjoy the show!
Experiences not to be missed in Santorini in 2025
1.Wine tasting
Santorini is the island of the delicious Assyrtiko and a wine tasting is one of the things you can do on this island of Greece. In fact, the soil conditions are ideal for the cultivation and production of this white wine.
Therefore, by taking a private wine tour you can visit some traditional cellars and observe the methods of wine preparation and preservation. All you have to do is taste excellent glasses accompanied by the inevitable cold cuts, cheeses and olives.
2. Sunset view from the caldera
The sunset in Santorini is one of the most breathtaking sights you will see in your life. In fact, the blue domes of the churches and the small white houses blend in a magical way with the reddish hues of the sun falling directly into the sea.
Before sunset, we advise you to go to Oia or Imerovigli and choose a good place, a terrace or simply a wall to watch one of the most beautiful sunsets in the world. Your eyes and heart will thank you! You can take a private sunset Santorini tour and have a one in a lifetime experience.
3. Hiking in Santorini
In Greece, Santorini is also a perfect island for hiking. In fact, among the things you can do in Santorini, hiking is one of the best ways to discover the most famous island in Greece.
Read more about Santorini Tours:
- Santorini Sightseeing Private Tour
- Exclusive Shore Santorini Private Tour
- Impressive Caldera Santorini Private Tour
- South Part Santorini Private Tour
- North Part Santorini Private Tour
- Santorini Historical Private Tour
- Santorini Sunset Private Tour
Santorini Cooking Class: The Short Answer
A santorini cooking class is three to five hours, usually in a village house, a winery courtyard or a farm, and it ends with you eating what you made. What makes it worth doing here rather than anywhere else in Greece is the produce: an island with no rain in the growing season and no irrigation grows a very specific handful of things, and the class is built around them.
Eight facts cover almost every santorini cooking class on the island.
What you cook. Fava, tomatokeftedes, white aubergine, chloro cheese dishes, dolmades, tzatziki, and usually one baked or grilled main.
How long a santorini cooking class takes. Three to five hours including the meal.
What a santorini cooking class costs. Roughly 80 to 150 euros a head, with wine included at most.
Where a santorini cooking class is held. Megalochori, Pyrgos, Vothonas, Exo Gonia and several wineries. Almost all of it is inland.
When. Late morning for a lunch class, or late afternoon for a dinner class that finishes at sunset.
Group size. Six to twelve on a shared class; private classes are widely available.
The santorini cooking class season. April to October for most, with a few running year-round.
Who a santorini cooking class suits. Anybody with a wet afternoon, a second visit, or an interest in why the food here tastes different from mainland Greek cooking.
What You Actually Cook in a Santorini Cooking Class
The menu at a santorini cooking class is not generic Greek. It is built around what this island can grow on volcanic ash with sea mist instead of rainfall, and the ingredients are worth knowing before you sign up.
Fava. The first dish of almost every santorini cooking class. A yellow split pea cultivated here since the Bronze Age, with protected designation status, boiled slowly to a purée and served warm with olive oil, raw onion and capers.
Santorini tomatoes. Small, dense and intensely concentrated because the plant survives on overnight mist. They become tomatokeftedes — fried fritters with onion, mint and flour — which are the dish most people go home and make again.
White aubergine. A local variety, sweeter and less bitter than the purple kind, usually baked or made into a spread.
Capers and caper leaves. Growing wild off the cliffs and pickled, leaves included, which almost nowhere outside the Cyclades serves.
Chloro. The fresh sharp goat’s cheese, folded into fritters or served with honey.
Katsouni. The local cucumber, which is eaten as a fruit when young.
Dolmades and stuffed vegetables. Vine leaves from the same ungrafted assyrtiko vines that make the wine.
The main. Usually lamb or pork, slow-cooked, or fish depending on the class and the day.
Dessert. Melitinia, the sweet cheese pastries made at Easter, or something with Vinsanto in it.
The wine. Assyrtiko and Vinsanto, poured throughout, and frequently the reason the second half of a santorini cooking class is livelier than the first.
The Kinds of Santorini Cooking Class
“Cooking class” covers several quite different half-days here, and the price differences reflect the format rather than the food.
The village house class. Six to twelve people in a family kitchen or courtyard in Megalochori, Pyrgos or Vothonas. Hands-on, informal, and usually the best value santorini cooking class available.
The winery class. The most polished santorini cooking class format. Held in an estate’s courtyard or kitchen, with the tasting built in and the vineyard outside. More expensive, and the wine is the point as much as the cooking.
The farm-to-table class. The most interesting santorini cooking class for anybody curious about the agriculture. It starts in a garden or a greenhouse, picking what you will cook, and then moves to the kitchen.
The market class. Begins with a shop in Fira or a village bakery and butcher before the cooking. Less common here than in mainland cities, because the island has no large market.
The private santorini cooking class. A chef in your own villa or a booked kitchen, for a family or a group. Priced per group and worth it from about six people.
The short workshop. Ninety minutes on one thing — usually tomatokeftedes or fava — often attached to a winery visit.
What to check before booking a santorini cooking class. Whether it is hands-on or a demonstration, how many people, whether wine and the full meal are included, whether transfers are provided, and whether the venue is inland or on the rim.
Santorini Cooking Class Practical Notes
Where the santorini cooking class venues are. Almost all inland: Megalochori, Pyrgos, Emporio, Exo Gonia, Vothonas and the wineries between them. That is fifteen to twenty-five minutes from Fira and thirty to forty from Oia.
Transfers. Some classes include hotel pickup and many do not. Check, because there is no useful bus to any of these villages and about thirty taxis serve the whole island.
Timing. A midday santorini cooking class finishes around four; an afternoon one finishes at or after sunset, which is a good use of an evening you were going to spend in a queue at Oia.
Booking a santorini cooking class. A week or two ahead for July and August, a couple of days in the shoulder months.
Dietary requirements. Greek cooking accommodates vegetarians easily and the Lenten tradition means vegan menus are entirely normal here. Say so at booking rather than on the day.
Children. Most classes take them, and the fritters and dolmades are genuinely good for small hands.
Alcohol. Included almost everywhere, which is a reason to have someone else drive.
What to wear. Something you do not mind getting oil on, and closed shoes.
What you take home. Recipes, usually by email, and in several classes a jar of something.
Wet weather. A santorini cooking class is the single best answer to a rainy afternoon here, along with the two museums in Fira.
Santorini Cooking Class: Frequently Asked Questions
How long is a santorini cooking class? Three to five hours including the meal you cook.
What does a santorini cooking class cost? Roughly 80 to 150 euros a head, usually with wine and the full meal included.
What do you cook in a santorini cooking class? Fava, tomatokeftedes, white aubergine, dolmades, a slow-cooked main and a local dessert, using the island’s own produce.
Where is a santorini cooking class held? Mostly inland, in village houses and winery courtyards at Megalochori, Pyrgos, Vothonas and Exo Gonia.
Does a santorini cooking class include transport? Some do and many do not. Check before booking, because there is no bus to the villages where they are held.
Is it hands-on or a demonstration? Most are hands-on. Confirm at booking if it matters to you.
Can vegetarians and vegans do a santorini cooking class? Yes. The Greek Lenten tradition means fully plant-based menus are normal here rather than a special request.
Are children welcome at a santorini cooking class? Usually yes, and the frying and rolling suit them.
When should I book a santorini cooking class? A week or two ahead in July and August, and a couple of days in the shoulder season.
Does a santorini cooking class run in winter? A few do. Most operate April to October.
Is a santorini cooking class worth it? If you want to understand why the food here differs from mainland Greek cooking, yes. It is also the best wet-afternoon booking on the island.
Morning or afternoon? Afternoon, ending at sunset, unless you have a boat or a walk planned for later.
We Will Get You There
We are a local operator running private tours and transfers in our own vehicles, and every venue worth cooking in on this island is in a village with no bus service.
Tell us where your class is and what time, and we will handle both ends — including the drive home afterwards, which matters if the wine has been flowing.
Prices are per vehicle rather than per person, hotel pickup anywhere on the island is included, we guide in twelve languages, and an 80 EUR deposit confirms a date.
See the food experience tour, the private transfers, or contact us.
Every Village and Site on the Island
Any of these can be built into a private day. Each has its own page with what to see and how long to allow.
Caldera villages: Fira · Firostefani · Imerovigli · Oia · Finikia · Baxedes
Inland villages: Pyrgos · Megalochori · Emporio · Mesaria · Karterados · Vothonas · Vourvoulos · Exo Gonia · Mesa Gonia · Pigadia
Beaches: Perissa · Perivolos · Kamari · Vlychada · Monolithos · Red Beach · White Beach · Agios Georgios · Agia Paraskevi
Sites and landmarks: Akrotiri · Ancient Thira · Akrotiri Lighthouse · Nea Kameni · Palia Kameni · Thirasia · Athinios Port
All our tours: All Santorini tours · Full day tour · Sightseeing tour · Personalised tour · North part tour · Horse riding · South part tour · Sunset tour · Shore excursion · Caldera tour · Food experience · Wine tour · Historical tour · Small group tour
Planning and services: Famous sights tour · Private transfers · Transfers to Oia and Finikia · Transfers to other villages · Villages of Santorini · History of Santorini · Tours near you · Languages we guide in · Food and fun tours · Gay friendly tours · Our tour buses · Daily tours · Day tours · FAQ · Gallery · Tour photo gallery · About us · Contact · Blog
