Known for its wildly good looks, epic sunsets, and luxe digs, Santorini draws an estimated 3.4 million tourists each year, the majority heading straight to Oia and Fira, the two main towns on the caldera. Cruise ships deposit up to 17,000 day-trippers onto the island at a time. But there’s much more to this Cycladic beauty than flying dress photoshoots and gyro-devouring crowds, as I discovered on a recent trip.
Venture to the south side of the croissant-shaped isle and you’ll find a completely different vibe—one of Mediterranean landscapes with bunches of grapes growing in low bushes, tranquil Medieval villages, and black sand beaches. It reminded me of Pantelleria, a speck of a volcanic island off the coast of Sicily. Perhaps that’s what drew “the Italian lady,” as she was called, who built a home with stables in Perivolos in the 1970s and rode horses on the black sand beach. (She was actually a Greek socialite but lived in Italy.) Her property has been transformed into Istoria, a 12-room boutique hotel run by Kalia and Antonis Eliopoulos, Greek hoteliers with a handful of properties on Santorini and Paros.
A member of Design Hotels, Istoria verges on minimalist but never feels cold. How could it, when the bright Mediterranean sun once worshipped as the god Helios shines down on the open-air lobby with sea views all day long? Istoria’s logo is a horseshoe and indeed many nods to the property’s equine past can be seen throughout, from the stall doors to the watering troughs and harnesses in the entrances to the ground-floor suites. Like many of the suites, mine had a little plunge pool and a couple of cushy loungers in a little private garden. My husband and I retreated there after a few hours at the beach club—a major selling point.
The restaurant, Mr. E, offers an all-day menu featuring Greek and international dishes. The main dining room is an indoor-outdoor space just off the lobby with no ceilings (just canvas to shade you from the sun) and no floors (just tiny pebbles like what you see on the beach). Substantial dishes, such as grilled chicken with lemon herb, barley, and seasonal vegetables, are meant to be eaten there, but servers shuttle back and forth to the beach club just across the road all afternoon, delivering trays loaded with shrimp rolls, tuna tartare, fresh salads, and tzatziki. Between bites, swims in the deep blue Aegean, and lounging under the thatched umbrellas, you could easily wile away the day.
Should you tire of the beach, the hotel’s large communal pool is a tranquil alternative and there are relaxing treatments on offer at the Elios Spa. Mr. E closes at 8 p.m., so venture out for dinner—perhaps to the restaurant at Istoria’s sister hotel Mystique in Oia, where you can bask in the magnificent sunset glow and go for a post-dinner stroll after the cruise ship crowds have left. Then return to the blissfully unpretentious Istoria satisfied to have seen both sides of this beguiling island.
Fast Facts
Location: Perivolos Beach, Santorini
Rating: Five-star
The vibe: Laid-back beach retreat with a minimalist design and equine touches.
Room Count: 12
Starting Rate: From $465
Dining: Greek and Mediterranean, with some international comfort food classics thrown in.
Amenities: Beach club, restaurant, pool, spa
Our Favorite Thing About the Hotel: The chill beach club with its plush sunbeds and thatched umbrellas on the black sand Perivolos Beach. It’s one of the only hotel beach clubs on the island.
What’s Nearby? Beaches, vineyards, and the charming village of Megalochori (10 minutes by car). Fira (the capital) is 25 minutes away and Oia is 45 minutes away, so both are doable for brief jaunts.
Any personal neighborhood recs? The owners recommend Wet Stories, a high-energy beach club with Mykonos vibes, but I didn’t have time to check it out.
Closest Airport: Santorini Airport (JTR).
