Greek Island Style Guide: What to Wear in Santorini
Santorini enthrals visitors every summer with its luscious blend of volcanic geology, shimmery white Cycladic houses and dramatic natural landscapes. Fashion-wise, standing out amongst the beautiful nature and multitude of visitors is key, as is a versatile style to ensure that you stay cool climbing the steep hills to the island’s beautiful churches, checking out the cultural scene or exploring Santorini’s renowned beaches.
What to wear in Santorini
Grecian style is all about the minimalist-maximalist mix. Pair simple tops with chunky jewellery. Combine straight-legged denim with flamboyant sandals, and complement crisp white shirts with huge straw hats. To nail Santorini style, add these essential items to your luggage.
A day-to-night maxi dress
With so much to see and do on Santorini, having a dress that covers all bases is an essential addition to your wardrobe. If you’re a trend follower, embrace bold colour blocking with yellows, oranges and pinks. Diane Von Furstenberg’s maxi dress is a dream example, combining patterns and colours for the ultimate striking effect.
Statement hat
French designer Jacquemus’s ‘La Bomba’ tribute to his mother may have drawn inspiration from Marseilles, but the results are perfect for the Greek islands – specifically his oversized straw hats, which ensure that you’ll stay shaded all day long and will look great against the striking scenery of Santorini’s red beach. If such oversized shapes are a little too daring, the towns of Oia and Fira provide copious opportunities to pick up more restrained, local versions.
Transitional sandals
Whether you’re exploring the island’s famous cave houses or hiking up to check out the scenic churches, functional yet fashion-forward sandals are a vital investment. If you’re buying before you fly, Chloé’s simple scalloped designs in leather effortlessly evoke holiday vibes. Alternatively, for a Greek investment, Ancient Greek Sandals is a sure bet to feel at home wherever you walk (or fly, if you choose their playful designs that come in bright colours with Hermes wings).
Where to shop on Santorini
1. Ilias Lalaounis
Museum, Shopping Mall, Store
2. Soho-Soho Santorini
Shop
To get your designer fix, head to Soho-Soho on Santorini where you can find international designers such as Rick Owens, Versace, Alexander McQueen and Jimmy Choo. The slickly curated store offers industrial interiors and striking sea views. It’s the ultimate Greek island shopping experience.
Fashionable places to go on Santorini
3. Santorini Arts Factory
Art Gallery, Museum, Music Venue, Theatre
Santorini Arts Factory is a former tomato canning factory that has been converted into an arts and cultural centre. The space showcases creatives from Greece, and throughout the year, it hosts music, dance and theatre events. Visit their website for the full programme.
4. Atlantis Books
Bookstore, Shop, Store
The multi-coloured beaches
Aside from the swimming, Santorini’s striking black, red and white beaches are dream backdrops to show off your outfits. The Red Beach near Akrotiri village is one of the island’s most popular, while the black sand beaches of Perissa and Kamari also draw plenty of visitors.
Who to follow for Santorini style inspiration
Jessica Mercedes Kirschner
A post shared by Jessica Mercedes Kirschner (@jemerced) on Jun 12, 2018 at 5:38am PDT
Simone Stabinskaite
A post shared by Simone Stabinskaite (@the.simone) on Jun 12, 2018 at 5:45am PDT
Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.
Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.
Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.
Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.
We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.