What should I pack for Santorini?

The single item most first-time Santorini visitors get wrong is footwear. The paths between Fira and Oia are volcanic rock and polished marble set at steep grades, sometimes with 300+ steps between one level of a village and the next. Flip-flops and platform sandals are a genuine injury risk on the caldera rim, where the drop is hundreds of meters and there's no railing in many spots. Bring one pair of closed-toe walking shoes with rubber tread and one pair of reef shoes or water sandals. The black volcanic sand at Kamari and Perissa reaches 60°C by midday in July and August. Barefoot is not an option. The red beach near Akrotiri requires a short scramble over loose rock to reach, and you'll want grip for that too.

The Meltemi wind defines summer packing more than the heat does. From late June through early September, northerly gusts regularly hit 30-50 km/h by late afternoon. A lightweight windbreaker earns its suitcase space every evening from Fira to Oia. Temperatures sit around 28-32°C from June to September. They drop to 15-20°C in shoulder months like April and November. Three quick-dry shirts, one light long-sleeve layer, and a pair of linen or cotton pants cover most situations. The Cathedral of Candlemas in Fira (built in 1827) and the Panagia Episkopi church near Mesa Gonia both require covered shoulders and knees. A sarong or light scarf handles that without taking bag space. Cotton dresses and loose shorts work the rest of the day, but the evening Meltemi will test any garment that isn't secured.

Santorini sits at 36°N latitude with minimal shade between towns. The white Cycladic buildings reflect UV from every direction, so you burn from below as well as above. Pack SPF 50+ sunscreen, wrap-around sunglasses (not fashion frames that let light in from the sides), and a hat with a chin strap or snug fit. The wind will take a loose hat off your head and send it into the caldera. Greece uses Type C and F plugs at 230V. If you're coming from the US, you need a plug adapter, and any 110V-only appliance (older hair dryers, curling irons) will burn out. A portable charger is worth the weight. Google Maps navigation on the island's unmarked roads and the ferry-booking apps tend to drain a phone battery by early afternoon.

Skip packing toiletries beyond your prescription medications. Pharmacies in Fira stock Apivita and Korres sunscreen, both Greek brands that hold up better in Aegean conditions than most imported SPF, at 8-12 EUR per tube. Bottled water runs about 0.50 EUR at any periptero kiosk. Mosquito repellent at pharmacies in Oia or Kamari costs less than the imported version you'd pack from home. Beach towels rent for 2-5 EUR at organized spots like Perivolos, so leave yours behind. Mind you, one thing you cannot easily find on Santorini is good reef shoes. The tourist shops sell flimsy pairs for 15-20 EUR that fall apart in two days. Bring those from home. Load an eSIM before you land at Thira Airport. It saves you the taxi-queue hunt for a SIM vendor, since the terminal has no mobile shop inside.