Looking for a place to stay in Santorini that isn’t on the busy coast? Mesaria, Santorini (often referred to as Messaria, Santorini) is a village located about 2 miles (3km) southeast of Fira. Mesaria’s location can make it a cheaper destination to stay, but not so far from the coast that you can’t visit easily by bus. But what is it like to actually stay away from the coast of Santorini?
Where is Mesaria, Santorini?
Again, Mesaria is located about 2 miles (3km) southeast of Fira (Thira). Mesaria is only about an 8 minute drive or a short bus ride to the capital of Fira, which will be the main bus hub for getting around the island.
Mesaria has a great central location, allowing you to get to the south end and the north end of the island in about the same amount of time. It is also conveniently located only about 2 miles or a 6 minute drive from the airport and a little less than 4.5 miles (7km) from the Port of Santorini.
How to Get to Mesaria, Santorini
To get to Mesaria from either the airport or the ferry port, you can opt to take a public bus, taxi, private driver or pick up a rental car. Public bus will obviously be the cheapest option, but you will also be reliant on the bus schedule.
Taxis in Santorini are not super cheap nor are they easy to come by. If you don’t want to rent a car but don’t want to take a public bus with all of your luggage, your best bet may be to hire a private driver. First look into your hotel, as many of them offer transportation to and from the hotel (ours did).
- Taxi prices in Santorini are a flat rate rather than based upon meter readings. You can look up taxi prices online, but are approximately $40-50 for the short ride from the airport to Mesaria. We paid about the same price for our private airport transfer from our hotel.
Bus from the Airport: The bus route Fira to/from the airport is direct with a bus stop in the town of Mesaria.
Bus from the Port: To get to Mesaria to/from the ferry port you will take the Fira/Athinios Ferry Port bus route where you will have to switch buses in Fira. From Fira, you can take either the Fira/Airport bus or the Fira/Perissa route, both of which should have a stop in Mesaria!
Bus tickets in Santorini range from about 1.80 euros to 2.50 euros depending on your route
Click here to see the Ktel bus schedule, Santorini’s public bus operator.
Getting Around Mesaria
Once you get to the village of Mesaria, you can access a lot by walking! Mesaria has several restaurants and a supermarket that are in walking distance of many of the hotels centrally located in Mesaria.
- You can walk from one end of the “main section” of Mesaria to the other in about 15 minutes.
- I say “main section” because there is a sliver of coastal property with addresses that are technically “Mesaria,” but this section is about a 5 minute drive or 20 minute walk from the center of Mesaria village.
How to Get from Mesaria, Santorini to the Coastal Towns
Again, Mesaria won’t be within walking distance of the coast of Santorini (or at least not an easy one). Technically you can walk to Fira in about 37 minutes (2 miles or 3.3 km). However, Santorini is hilly, so not only will you have a far walk, but it won’t be a flat one either. So, your best options to get from Mesaria to the coastal towns are public bus, taxi or car/scooter rental.
Car/Scooter Rental in Santorini
Car Rental: The easiest place to rent a car in Santorini is either the port or airport, depending on where you are coming from. You can rent them other places on the island, but you will have to pay for transportation there and taxi and private rides, again, are not super cheap.
- Renting a car from Santorini airport seems to be cheaper than renting from the ferry port.
Rent a Car
Scooter Rental: If you opt to rent a scooter, you can pick them up at the airport. However, if you have luggage this is not a practical option. My recommendation for a scooter rental is to find transportation to your hotel and then find a scooter rental place close to your accommodation!
- Moto Panos is centrally located in downtown Mesaria and is a highly-rated company to rent scooters/ATVs or cars.
Bus from Mesaria to Fira
The bus to and from Mesaria and Fira is quick and pretty direct!
When you are getting on the bus in Mesaria make sure the bus is headed in the right direction. The bus stop near the market will be heading in the southern direction. To go from Mesaria to Fira, the bus will stop on the other side of the road, more north toward the Moto Panos Car and Scooter Rental.
Bus from Mesaria to Oia
To get to Oia from Mesaria, you will take the direct bus from Mesaria to Fira. At the Fira bus stop, you will switch buses to the line that takes you directly to Oia.
What to Do in Mesaria
Santorini is so small, that anywhere you stay, the list of things to do are about the same! You should visit the coastal towns of Oia, Imerovigili (my favorite) and Fira, visit the red volcanic beach, take a catamaran ride to the caldera, visit the lesser known villages of Pygros, Emporio or Perissa, etc. However, here are a few things to do that are closer to the village of Mesaria!
- Agyros Mansion– This mansion was once home to George Agyros, a wine maker, built in 1888 and restored in the 1980’s after an earthquake damaged much of the building in 1956. You can now visit the mansion on your own or through a guided tour. The mansion is located in central Mesaria, just a 2 minute walk from the city center.
- Visit the Saint Dimitrios Church– This Greek Orthodox church is home to an iconic blue dome as well as a beautiful bell tower. It is located in the heart of Mesaria, only a 3 minute walk from the center of the village, just across the street from Agyros Mansion.
- Visit Saint Paisios of Mount Athos– Another beautiful Greek Orthodox church located in the center of Mesaria, about a 3 minute walk from Saint Dimitrios Church. If this church looks newer, it is because it is. It was built in 2019, but built with the traditional architecture in mind. Located just down the road from Saint Dimitrios Church.
- Santorini Wine Museum– The Santorini Wine museum is a winery owned by the Koutsogiannopoulos family for 5 generations. You can also do wine tastings with the tour where you can learn more about the history of the wine making while getting to sample the local wines. You can opt for 60 or 90 minute tours for 25 and 45 euros, respectively. The museum is an 8 minute drive or 16 minute walk from Mesaria.
- Canava Santorini Distillery– This distillery was established in 1974 and is now a museum and distillery where you can see the whole distellery process. The distillery is a 5 minute drive or a 15 minute walk from ventral Mesaria.
Where to Stay in Mesaria
In addition to the local feel of Mesaria, a perk of staying in Mesaria is that you can find more affordable accommodations. Especially during shoulder season, you can find beautiful boutique hotels that would cost probably double the price if located on the coast of Santorini. Here are a few good hotel options in Mesaria!
| Hotel Recommendations | Photo from Website |
|---|---|
| Alluvial Santorini Suites– A 4 star suite hotel with traditional white washed interiors located just southwest of the city center. |  |
| Kallos Imar Boutique Hotel– A 4 star, centrally located boutique hotel. |  |
| Hotel Kalisperis– A 3 star, budget-friendly hotel option. |  |
Where to Eat in Mesaria
If you prefer not to fight the crowds on the coast of Santorini, you can definitely find good food in Mesaria! Honestly, you will probably find better and more traditional food here than on the coast. Here are a few options for dinner:
- Ta Postalia tou Aigaiou– A restaurant that offers traditional Greek food, outdoor seating and live music on Thursday and Saturday. A 5 minute walk from Mesaria’s center.
- Pentozali– A traditional Greek restaurant located just 5 minutes from the city center; also offers outdoor seating.
- Mike Grill House– An affordable restaurant located on the north side of Mesaria, just a 4 minute walk from the center. Traditional Greek food is offered as well as pastas and pizzas.
A good break fast option is Antama Cafe! It has a great outdoor seating area and good coffee. They also serve lunch and a less-traditional dinner, but we visited for breakfast.
Overall experience of Staying in Mesaria, Santorini
In truth, as a first-time visitor to Santorini with only two days on the island, it was a hassle to be away from the coastline. As a first-timer, we were really in Santorini for the immaculate views. However, we had to rely on the bus to get to the coast, and it limited how much we could see and do while we were on the island.
- Therefore, if you are a first-time visitor to Santorini with only a couple of days on the island who wants to focus your time on exploring the iconic coastline, I don’t recommend staying in Mesaria.
However, overall, Mesaria has a great, traditional Greek vibe away from the crowds and hustle and bustle of the coastline. So, if this is not your first time to Santorini and want to explore other parts of the island, Mesaria can be a quiet and practical option as a home base!
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