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And then there’s what to do once you’ve arrived in Santorini, Greece. It may seem as though most of the interesting parts of any vacation are costly, but that’s simply not true. One of the best parts of visiting Santorini is relaxing on the beach, which costs nothing at all. Santorini has glorious black sand beaches along with the traditional white sand beaches. Monolithos Beach with its quirky rock formations is a favorite for families, while Kamari and Perissa are excellent beaches for young tourists looking for a party or a day of water sports and volleyball. You may have to pay for a bus trip to the beach and food while you’re there, but the beach itself is free.

There are also many hiking trails throughout the island. One of the most popular hiking trails is the walk from Fira to Oia. It moves along the caldera, so there will be many photo opportunities as you pass through Firostefani and Imerovigli before finally coming to the northern portion of the caldera in Oia. It’s a three-hour hike, but the walking path is generally smooth. For a more invigorating walk, you can take the 587 steps to or from the Old Port in Fira.

And of course, the sunset costs nothing. Santorini, Greece is known to have one of the most beautiful sunsets in the world, and it can be seen best in Oia or Fira. Most tourists agree that the best perch to watch the sunset in Oia is Oia Castle, perched highly enough to get the full view. It can become a little crowded, so it’s best to get there a few hours before the sun goes down. The sunset can also be seen spectacularly from Fira or Firostefani.

Santorini Budget Hotels

One of the trickiest elements to traveling on a budget is finding affordable accommodation. Fortunately, there are cheap hotels in Santorini to be found. It’s best not to stay in Fira or Oia, which are swamped with tourists and will charge significantly more. However, just a short distance from Fira is Firostefani, Santorini.  Firostefani is quieter and more laid back but within close range to all the action of Fira and on the walking path to Oia. In Firostefani, you can find Santorini hotels for much less than you would pay in its neighbor, Fira.

Some of these Santorini budget hotels will even offer budget rooms, like Afrodete Hotel in Firostefani, Santorini. Afrodete Hotel’s budget double rooms offer all the traditional amenities to enjoy your stay in Santorini, Greece: beautiful views of classic cobblestoned streets of Firostefani, maid service, private bathrooms, and complimentary wifi. In addition to being one of Firostefani’s Santorini budget hotels is family run and very friendly and hospitable.

So don’t worry that Santorini might be off limits if you have a tighter budget. You simply have to know where to look for affordable options.