Which place is cheaper, Hydra or Santorini?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Santorini or Hydra, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Santorini is a stunning, historic, and romantic island. As this is a charming small town, visitors also come to explore the sights and local activities. The famous beauty of Santorini is one of the main draws. With a quaint atmosphere, it also offers a unique feeling. It's also known for food, scuba diving and snorkeling, and beaches. See Santorini travel costs.
Hydra is a picturesque, charming, and accessible island. With plenty of activities and sights, this is a small town worth visiting. The beauty of Hydra is also one of the main reasons why visitors come. Visitors also love the scuba diving and snorkeling, beaches, and hiking. See Hydra travel costs.
Both Hydra and Santorini have plenty of things to do for travelers. Both provide a wide variety of sights and activities for tourists. Santorini is very popular for its food, nightlife, resorts, impressive beauty, and quaint atmosphere, while Hydra attracts visitors for its museums and attractions, historical sights, and hiking. Santorini is more touristy than Hydra and is popular for its beautiful volcanic beaches, stunning natural beauty, and breathtaking sunsets over the whitewashed villages. Hydra is famous for its picturesque setting, car-free setting, and beautiful old town.
Let's take a look at the differences and similarities between Hydra and Santorini. Then, you can decide for yourself which place is better for your next trip.
Hydra is a great island for its historical sights. Also, Santorini is not as popular, but is still a nice island for its sights and museums.
With a variety of museums, monuments, and historical sights, a trip to Hydra can be an interesting and educational experience. For such a small island, there are many local museums and sights. Highlights include the Historical Archives Museum, the Ecclesiastical Museum, the Monastery of Agia Efpraxia, and the Monastery of Prophet Elias.
If you're looking for an educational opportunity, there are a decent number of museums and historical sights around Santorini. One of the most impressive historical sights is Akrotiri Archaeological Site. The island has many archeological sites as well as the Archeological Museum in Fira.
Santorini is a great destination for its restaurant scene. Also, Hydra is still popular, but not quite as popular for its local flavors and cuisine.
With its innovative style combined with traditional elements, Santorini makes for a great culinary experience. Popular foods on this island include fava, Greek salad, and kofta.
Hydra has a delicious restaurant scene that relies on local flavors. For such a small island, it really packs in some great restaurants. Head down the side streets to find the best souvlaki. There are also tavernas where you can sample local wine. Fresh caught seafood is a favorite on the island as well.
Santorini is a popular place for nightlife. However, Hydra is a island with minimal options for nightlife and partying.
Santorini has an active nightlife scene for those who seek it out. It is one of the calmer, more romantic islands in Greece. For the best nightlife, you'll want to stay near Fira.
Hydra doesn't have the most active nightlife scene. It's a small island that is often visited as a day trip, so don't expect a huge party scene. There are about seven places in total that make up the island's nightlife scene. Each is centered around the harbor and many people start their evening at one bar and slowly hop around. They usually have DJs and full bars.
Santorini is a world-class destination for its resorts. Also, Hydra is still popular, but not quite as popular for its luxury resorts.
For the ultimate resort vacation, Santorini is a great choice. The resorts range from all-inclusive options to resorts with a more local feel. The island is one of the most romantic of the Greek Islands, and the resorts are no exception.
With a selection of resorts, Hydra makes a nice vacation spot. It's a popular day trip destination, but if you stay for a night or two, you'll find boutique hotels and charming pensions.
You'll find nice snorkeling or scuba diving in both Santorini and Hydra.
Santorini has a few areas where visitors often go scuba diving or snorkeling. Some of the best snorkeling places are found at Red Beach, White Beach, and the less accessible Kambia. One of the island's best diving spots is Caldera Beach.
It's fun to get in the water and check out the local marine life in Hydra. There are some snorkeling spots around the island - most notably Bisti Beach, which is pebbly and has some interesting sea life.
Both Santorini and Hydra have nice beaches worth visiting.
Santorini has a beach worth visiting. The island has many beaches, most of which are made of black pebbly sand that are a result of the island's volcanic history. Popular beaches include Perissa Beach, Kamari Beach, and Perivolos Beach.
Plenty of visitors enjoy relaxing on the beach in Hydra. The beaches are usually pebbly with nice blue water. Many people visit the beaches as part of a boat tour, which leaves from the port and tours the island. Some of the most popular beaches are Vlichos, Kaminia, Bisti and Agios Nikolaos.
Hydra is a great island for its old town. Also, Santorini is not as popular, but is still a nice island for its historic old town charm.
Many visitors go to Hydra to see the historical old town. With no cars and plenty of charm, the island's old town feels as if you've stepped back in time. Donkey pulled carts and quaint streets give this town its atmosphere.
Santorini offers a nice historic old town area. The historic towns of Fira and Oia are the two most popular with visitors, although they have become more built up and less historic over the past few decades. Historical areas are still found within these towns mixed in with restaurants, shops, and hotels set among the beautiful cliff-side views.
Hydra is a great island for hiking. Also, Santorini is not as popular, but is still a nice island for the nearby hiking options.
Many visitors go to Hydra for the hiking trails. The island is filled with walking paths and donkey trails that are fun to explore. Some walk along the sea and offer spectacular views while others take you inland through the hills.
Plenty of visitors go hiking around Santorini. The best hiking trails on the island pass by quaint villages and offers stunning ocean views. You can also hike along the edge of a volcano.
If you're looking to go shopping, Santorini and Hydra both offer plenty of very good spots.
Santorini is well-known for its shopping. Towns around the island are filled with clothing and jewelry boutiques as well as many unique Greek shopping experiences.
Browsing through shops is a popular activity in Hydra. Charming shops fill the town and sell local items such as handmade jewelry and traditional embroideries.
Santorini is a world-class destination for its scenery and beauty. Also, Hydra is still popular, but not quite as popular for its scenery and beauty.
The famous beauty of Santorini is one of the main draws. It has striking blue water and contrasting white buildings. It is the place many travelers dream of visiting for its picturesque setting.
The beauty of Hydra is also one of the main reasons why visitors come. It's filled with charming character and beautiful natural settings.
Hydra is a great island for its kid-friendly activities. Also, Santorini is not as popular, but is still a nice island for its family-friendly activities.
Because of its large number of kid-friendly activities, Hydra is very family-friendly. The island feels like it's frozen in time. There are no cars allowed here, so kids can run freely without the worry of traffic. They'll be as fascinated as you are by the carts pulled by donkeys. Most things you'll visit are also close together, making accessibility easy. In addition to some interesting museums, there are beaches and kid-friendly food. The whole island really is a playground.
Santorini is a family-friendly place to visit. It is a calmer destination than many of the Greek Islands. While it's a great place to relax with kids, the beaches aren't as good as they are on some of the other islands. Most families hang out in Kamari and Perissa Beach.
Santorini and Hydra are both fantastic to visit as a couple.
Santorini has so much to offer for a romantic couple's vacation. It is a dream honeymoon destination that is famous for its picturesque setting and luxury resorts. For many couples, this is a top pick for a romantic trip to the Greek Isles.
Hydra is a great island for couples, as it has plenty to offer. This beautiful island makes a great honeymoon or couple's destination. Most visitors come as a day trip, but spending a night or two on the island is a unique experience. It has a laid back vibe and is filled with romance. The food is amazing, and the traditional atmosphere will make you feel as if you've traveled back in time.
Santorini is a popular place for backpackers. However, Hydra is a island with minimal options for backpackers and budget travelers.
Plenty of budget travelers visit Santorini. The island has its share of 5 star resorts, but if you head a few streets in you'll find some surprisingly affordable accommodation. Backpackers are welcomed on the island and beaches are free, so it's possible to get by on a relatively low budget.
Hydra is a challenging destination for budget travelers and backpackers due to the higher prices. Most people visit the island as a day trip and it doesn't attract nearly as many backpackers as the larger Greek islands. If you visit during the lower season, you might find some affordable accommodation.
Santorini is a popular place for its public transit. However, Hydra is a island with minimal options for times when you don't have a car.
You'll find some public transit in Santorini, but it may not be enough to take you everywhere. There is a bus system, KTEL Santorini Buses, that runs 23 buses during the summer months but only a small fraction of that operate during the winter months.
Public transit is mostly limited in Hydra. There are sea taxis and beach boats on the island.
Hydra is an unbeatable place for its high level of walkability. Also, Santorini is not as popular, but is still a nice island for its ease of walking around.
Hydra is a very easy island to get around on foot. The entire island is car-free and everything that you want to visit is close together and easy to explore on foot.
Santorini is a somewhat walkable island. Many towns on the island are walkable, including Fira, but the actual island is too large to explore on foot.
For even more information, also check out Is Santorini Worth Visiting? and Is Hydra Worth Visiting?.
You'll be able to find lots of things to do in Santorini or Hydra to fill your time. Many travelers usually spend more of their time in Santorini than Hydra because of the number of activities and things to do in the area. Usually, 3-7 days is a good amount of time for Santorini, and 1-2 days is enough time in Hydra.
Families should spend more time in Hydra than Santorini. Because of the many family-friendly attractions and fun things to do for kids in Hydra, it's a great place to visit with the whole family.
Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Santorini than Hydra if your budget allows for it. With a larger number of budget-friendly sights, good nightlife, and active things to do, anyone traveling on a budget would have a good time in Santorini.
Even though Santorini is a small town, it has plenty of activities to choose from. People enjoy relaxing at one of the resorts. This island offers a variety of activities to choose from. Since there is so much to do in the area, one day is probably not enough for all of it.
You'll find shopping and museums around the island of Hydra. Visiting the old town is also a must. One day is a great amount of time to relax and see the many things that Hydra has to offer. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do.
It's hard to know how much time to spend in Santorini. Travelers enjoy the resorts in the area as well. A weekend is usually not enough time for a trip here as there is plenty to do. The length of your ideal trip is an individual decision.
You'll find museums and food around the accessible small town of Hydra. Hikers are also drawn to this area. This is a popular place to visit for a weekend.A weekend should give you a good understanding of everything this island has to offer. This island offers a variety of activities to choose from.
Santorini is a fun place to experience. Santorini is a small town with plenty to do. People often spend their time relaxing at one of the resorts. This would be the perfect place to spend five days, as it has just the right amount of activities.
Travelers enjoy the food and scuba diving and snorkeling when visiting the accessible island of Hydra. The length of your ideal trip is an individual decision. Exploring the old town is a popular activity. Five days is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare.
Santorini might be a small town, but there's plenty to do in the area. Plenty of people spend one week in the area when traveling. You can also relax and pamper yourself at one of the resorts. Take your pick from the many activities offered here. One week is often enough time to do most activities.
Hydra is a popular choice for travelers. Make sure you visit the old town while you're here. One week is usually plenty of time to spend here with extra days to spare. With this much time, visitors often visit nearby destinations or take day trips. It will give you the chance to have new experiences.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Contiki Tours to Greece, The Best G Adventures Tours to Greece, The Best 3-Day Tours from Athens, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Athens.
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
The average daily cost (per person) in Santorini is €250, while the average daily cost in Hydra is €119. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Santorini and Hydra in more detail.
Looking for a hotel in Santorini or Hydra? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.
Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.
Also for Santorini, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
Prices for flights to both Hydra and Santorini change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.
For Santorini, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Santorini.
Also in Santorini, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Santorini and Hydra, we can see that Santorini is more expensive. And not only is Hydra much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Hydra would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Hydra and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Santorini would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Santorini than you might in Hydra.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Santorini Expensive? and Is Hydra Expensive?.
Santorini has a larger population, and is about 260 times larger than the population of Hydra. When comparing the sizes of Santorini and Hydra, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.