Pyrgos is a hidden gem in Santorini that is not only the former capital but also one of the best preserved medieval settlements on the island.
Here you have some of the most beautiful traditional whitewashed houses on the island, as well as cute alleys, and one of the most magical restaurants in Santorini. And the best part; most tourists do not know about this place!
In Pyrgos, the prices are a little bit cheaper, and life, way more relaxed. Down below you can read more about the magical village of Pyrgos:
Table of Contents
Things to do in Pyrgos
Stop for a coffee at the main square
The area around the main square is a cozy place in Pyrgos to have a cup of coffee. Here there are a couple of nice restaurants and cafées that you can choose from to sit down and relax for a while.
Brusco Wine Coffee Deli is one of my favorite places for coffee in Pyrgos. Sit down and relax while watching the people walk by.
Explore the Castelli
This is one out of five castles in Santorini, and the Castelli of Pyrgos is the most recent one. It was built around 1580 and is one of the best-preserved settlements on the island.
Castelli of Pyrgos houses some of the most important churches of Pyrgos, which is also worth checking out when exploring the Castelli.
The view from the castle is pretty amazing too, so don’t forget to bring your camera!
Photo: Shutterstock
Go wine tasting
Close to Pyrgos, you’ll find Santo Winery which is a lovely place for wine tasting. Santo Winery is located on the edge of a cliff and offers an amazing view over the ocean.
Here you can sit down and relax, taste some local wine and other local delicacies. It’s a really great experience that I recommend to anyone who likes a glass of wine with a view.
Get lost in the alleys of Pyrgos
One of my favorite things to do is to stroll around in the beautiful alleys and get lost for a moment. There are so many beautiful spots around Pyrgos, and strolling around without a destination, is the best way to find them.
Just zigzag your way up the village, stop for a cup of coffee, stroll around some more, and be rewarded by the amazing view at the top.
Visit the churches
In Pyrgos, you’ll find more than 40 churches. Panagia Eisodia is the largest church in town and was built in the early 16th century.
Other churches that are worth visiting is the monastery of Profitis, Aria Theodosia, and Theotokaki of Koimisis, which is believed to be one of the oldest churches in Santorini.
Experience the ceremony of Epitaph (orthodox easter)
If you’re in Pyrgos during orthodox easter, then you can experience the ceremony of epitaph which is a funerary march. As a tradition, the children and teenagers of the village place hundreds of tin cans on top of the roofs and terraces. The cans are then lit and when you see it all from a distance, it’s magical!
The Ceremony of Epitaph is a relatively new tradition that started around 20 years ago. It’s based on the older Santorini tradition of lighting fires in anticipation for the arrival of visitors on ships.
If you’re in Santorini during this holiday, this ceremony is not something you want to miss!
Shopping
Pyrgos isn’t the best place in Santorini for shopping, but there are still a couple of souvenir shops and local art galleries that are worth checking out.
In Pyrgos, you can find everything from beautiful paintings and ceramics to cute little souvenirs to bring back home as memories from your trip.
5 recommended hotels
Skyfall Suites (Adults Only)
One of the most luxurious hotels in Pyrgos is Skyfall Suites. A beautiful hotel with amazing views, friendly staff, and delicious food.
Everything about this hotel is great, and it’s highly recommended for those who are looking for a luxury stay.
Click here for more information, photos, and price
Art Hotel Santorini
Another hotel that’s worth checking out is the Art Hotel Santorini. This hotel offers comfortable and stylish rooms to reasonable prices. Art Hotel Santorini has a cozy atmosphere, a nice pool to relax in, and super friendly staff.
It’s a good value hotel that’s close to Pyrgos.
Click here for more information, photos, and price
Aeon Suites (Adults Only)
Aeon Suites is a modern and beautiful hotel located in the village of Pyrgos. Here they have suites with terraces and private pool or jacuzzi + every suite has a beautiful ocean view.
The staff is very friendly and the free breakfast that they serve you every morning is delicious.
Click here for more information, photos, and price
Kastro Mansion
Kastro Mansion is a luxury apartment hotel in the heart of Pyrgos. With it’s beautiful and modern apartments, friendly staff, and great views – this is one of the most popular hotels in the village.
Click here for more information, photos, and price
Cultural House – Great budget hotel in Pyrgos
If you’re looking for a good budget hotel in Pyrgos, this is it. The hotel is simple but nice, and the staff is very friendly.
Cultural House has a good location in the village with walking distance to both shops, restaurants, and cafés. It’s an excellent hotel if you want to do Santorini on a budget!
Click here for more information, photos, and price
5 recommended restaurants
Cava Alta
Cava Alta is a unique and beautiful restaurant that serves delicious food with a lovely view of the village. From their rooftop, you can enjoy the magical Santorini sunsets. Just make sure to book in advance if you want to make sure to have one of the best tables for sunset.
Address: Pyrgos 84700, Greece
Phone: +30 2286 033932
Kantouni Traditional Delicacies
If you want to have traditional Greek food in the heart of Pyrgos, this is the place. The food is really good and not too expensive for being Santorini.
A tip is to order several dishes and share with your friends and family because they have so many delicious dishes to try.
You can also go here for breakfast or in the middle of the day if you just want to find a place to grab a cup of coffee.
Address: Central Square, Pyrgos 847 00, Greece
Franco’s Cafe
In the top of Pyrgos, you find this little magical place that offers not only delicious food and drinks but also a magical view over Pyrgos and the rest of the island.
Here they play classical music which creates a magical environment.
This is a place I recommend going to both during the day (for a cooling drink and some snacks) and during sunset for dinner.
Address: Castelli fortress, Pyrgos, Greece
Phone: +30 2286 033957
Rosemary Restaurant
Rosemary Restaurant is one of the best restaurants in Pyrgos for a delicious meal that doesn’t cost a fortune. Here they serve delicious Greek / Mediterranean food with a view over the island and ocean.
After strolling around in Pyrgos, this is the perfect place to end your day. Sit by one of the tables on their rooftop and enjoy the magical Santorini sunset.
Just make sure to book a table in advance, since this is a popular restaurant in the village.
Address: Pyrgos 84701, Greece
Phone: +30 2286 031262
Penelope’s
Penelope’s is a small restaurant with a big heart, delicious homemade food, and amazing views. The owners of the restaurant are super friendly and really takes care of their customers, which is something I especially liked about this place.
This is one of those restaurants that I will for 100% return to when I travel back to Santorini.
Address: Pyrgos 847 00, Greece
How to get to Pyrgos
Getting around on the island of Santorini is quite easy. Here you have both taxis and local buses that are both easy and cheap to use. From popular towns like Oia, Imerovigli, and Perissa you can catch buses to Fira, and from there you can take the bus to Pyrgos.
You can also rent a car or a scooter, which is a good option to easily get around in Santorini.
From the airport:
Taxi
It takes around 10-15 minutes to travel from the airport to Pyrgos with a taxi. A private car costs around 20-30 euros.
Local bus
From the airport, there is a local bus to Fira’s bus station where you can change the bus to Pyrgos. This is the cheapest option.
It takes about 25 minutes to go by bus from the airport to Fira, then it takes another 15-20 minutes to go from Fira to Pyrgos.
Each bus trip costs around 2 euros per person, which is approximately 4 euros all the way from Santorini airport to Pyrgos. Just remember that you have to pay with cash on the bus (do not pay with too large banknotes, since they the driver may not have change).
Best time to visit Pyrgos
Santorini has high season from April to October and low season from November to March. The warmest month of the year is June-September, but it can also be quite warm weather in both May and October.
The two months when most tourists are visiting are July and Augusti, so I would recommend you to avoid these months if possible. I promise that you’ll get a much nicer experience if it’s not so packed with tourists.
I would recommend you to visit Santorini in May / early June as well as in September / early October. It’s usually warm and not too many tourists during this time of the year.
Do you have more questions about Pyrgos in Santorini? Leave a comment!
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