Santorini is only about 18km at its longest, but the caldera-rim villages are connected by narrow, winding roads that back up badly in high season — so "small island" doesn't always mean "quick to get across." How you get around matters more here than on most Greek islands.
Public buses (KTEL)
The island's green buses run from a central station in Fira out to most villages and beaches, and they're by far the cheapest way to get around. Routes to Oia, Kamari and Perissa run frequently in summer; other routes are less frequent, and schedules thin out considerably off-season. Buses can get very full in July and August — arrive early for popular routes like Fira–Oia around sunset.
Rental car or ATV/quad
A rental car or ATV gives you the freedom to reach smaller villages and beaches on your own schedule, and is popular for exactly that reason. The trade-offs: parking in Fira and Oia is genuinely difficult in peak season, the coastal roads are narrow with sharp drops in places, and ATV accidents are common enough that it's worth taking seriously — go slow, wear the helmet provided, and check your travel insurance covers ATV use before you book one.
Taxis
Convenient but limited — Santorini has a relatively small taxi fleet for the number of visitors, so waits at busy times (ferry arrivals, sunset in Oia) can be long. Ask your hotel to book one in advance rather than expecting to hail one on the spot.
Walking the caldera path
The clifftop path linking Fira, Firostefani, Imerovigli and on to Oia is one of the best things to do on the island and doesn't require any wheels at all — see our things to do guide for the route and how long to allow.
Spotted something out of date, or have a correction? Let us know — we'd rather fix it fast than leave it wrong.