Updated For 2024

How to Elope in Santorini Greece

Santorini Elopement Guide

Do you want beautiful beaches with crystal clear water, villas on mountainsides and cliffs, and memories of food that will last a lifetime? Then Santorini is the perfect elopement spot for couples who love adventure! Whether you want Santorini Sunrises on the beach—get it?—to go to a wine tasting, to hike the local volcanoes, kite surfing, or to sail the Aegean , Santorini can make your dreams come true. This guide will lay out everything you need to know about a Santorini elopement. It includes travel information, the important details about marrying in Greece, the locations that will take your breath away, and, of course, a list of things to do while you’re there.

Table of Contents:

  • How to get to Santorini

  • How to elope here

  • Where to elope - best locations

  • Best time of year to plan your elopement

  • Activities to do

  • Elopement vendors

  • Santorini elopement packages

Santorini Info

How to Get There:

Getting to Santorini isn’t difficult! But flying there directly from the US isn’t an option, as Santorini is a small island off the coast of Greece. There are plenty of international flights from the US that land in Athens—the largest city in Greece—which is the primary hub for getting to Santorini. 

You may need to fly to another European hub like Paris, Amsterdam, London and then take another flight to either Athens. Or you could fly directly to Santorini from within Europe. However, the easiest way is to go through Athens. From Athens, the flight to Santorini is less than an hour, and there are many flights going out every day—up to 20 in the Summer! Or you can also take a ferry, but it’ll take anywhere from 5 to 8 hours based on which ferry you book. It’s also possible to fly or take a ferry from other popular Greek destinations, but Athens is definitely the most trafficked route.

Best Time of Year to Visit

For elopements, April and May offer warmer temperatures and a lower volume of tourists as the season doesn’t really pick up until June. You can also find this vibe from September to October when the Summer temperatures drop and the tourists all go home. Those four months are easily the best times to plan and book your elopement.

However, if you’re okay with some cooler weather—highs in the 50s—Winter can be a great time to find bargains on hotels and activities. Just know that it can be a little rainy and you obviously won’t want to lay out on the beach. Late May through August is chaotic on the island with all the tourists. You’ll need to book months in advance if you want to try for a summer elopement.

Things to do while visiting Santorini

Santorini is loaded with things to do while visiting for your elopement. To start, the island is a history buff’s wonderland with museums and ancient sites to visit and tour. But outside of the standard tourist stuff, here’s a running list of activities for you and your partner:

  • Snorkeling

  • Boat tours

  • Fishing

  • Beach activities

  • Cliff jumping at Ammoudi Bay

  • Hiking - anywhere, everywhere!

  • Sailing

  • Watch a sunset from any cliff

  • Shopping and dining

How to Legally Get Married in Greece

No one likes paperwork, but obviously it’s important if you want your Greece elopement to be valid and legal. You don’t have to be a citizen of Greece to elope there, but know that it’ll take several weeks or even months to get the paperwork sorted out for a ceremony.

The US Embassy in Greece has a rundown of everything you need, but here’s a checklist of things necessary items to tie the knot in Santorini:

  • Valid passports

  • Birth certificates from both parties, with an Apostille certification stamp on both copies—more on that below!

  • Certificate or proof of freedom to marry/no impediment to marriage or marriage license—notarized.

  • Divorce or change of name certificates if applicable.

  • A notarized Affidavit of Marriage in both English and Greek. You can only get this from a US Consular officer at the embassy in Athens, and the process takes at least two days. This affidavit must be authenticated by the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs validation department.

  • If you or your significant other is a Greek citizen, then you must also publish your wedding announcement in a local Greek newspaper and present a copy of the paper. This must predate your marriage license application.

It’s important to note the difference between notarization and Apostille. Notarized documents are for use within the country; Apostille documents are for use in other countries. Each of these documents must be legalized for use in Greece by an Apostille, and you also must have them translated into Greek by a certified translator—Yes, ALL of them except the passports.

Once all the paperwork is completed and gathered, you can now visit the town hall in Santorini to apply for your marriage license. This takes eight days. Overall, it’ll cost over $300 to set everything up. If this is the route you plan to take, I highly recommend working with a wedding planner or someone in Greece who can take care of all this well before you plan on leaving. The list above is an overview, so please visit the link to the US embassy in Greece’s website and read everything thoroughly. Like any foreign elopement, you can always take care of the legal, official stuff in America with a civil ceremony, and then have a symbolic, spiritual elopement whenever and wherever you want.

 Elopement Vendors:

Best Elopement Locations

Oia Bell Tower Blue Domes

While you’ll find these types of bell towers all over Greece, you definitely won’t get the same views as you do in Santorini! The Village of Oia has both the Blue Domes and the beautiful bell towers that make a fantastic backdrop to any elopement or wedding in Santorini.

Amoudi Bay & Red Beach

Up front, there isn’t a lot of activity in Amoudi Bay. But if you’re looking for an amazing location for an elopement on Santorini, that’s a good thing because there aren’t as many people around. It has sensational views of the calderas around and it’s only a quick 300 steps down to have striking views of beautiful cliffs and whitewashed buildings. There are a lot of great seafood restaurants in the area. So after your elopement, you can set up a romantic dinner and enjoy the views.

Red beach is the most famous and considered the most beautiful beach in Santorini. It’s even one of the most renowned beaches in all of Greece! Near ancient Akrotiri, this location won’t disappoint you. Most people don’t even go down to the beach and instead view it from above. So it’s a prime location to have some more intimacy and then enjoy the views from above afterward.

Sunset Cliff Viewpoints

In the village of Oia near the Captain John Traditional Houses, there’s a small dirt path that takes you to a cliff that overlooks the sea. It’s a perfect spot for an elopement.

  • Walking out from the Profitis Ilias Church, you’ll find sensational views of sunsets and the Aegean Sea on the cliffs in the area.

  • Further South on the island, the Viewpoint of the Plaka Bay is another popular spot with fantastic views of the sea. You’ll also find the Heart of Santorini here—a heart-shaped hold carved into the rocks that has amazing sea views. And it also overlooks the Houses of Plaka surrounded by talcum rocks. It’s truly a remarkable place for an elopement.

Skaros Rock

Let it be known that Santorini offers way more than high-end hotels, restaurants, and clubs. It’s also a popular destination for those who want a little more adventure to their elopement. Skaros Rock is one of the most eye-catching destinations on the island, and it has some historical significance too. From here, you have amazing views of the Aegean , and it’s certainly one of the most magical places for a Santorini wedding. If you’re going for a larger elopement with guests attending, the Venetsanos Winery is a great option with views of Skaros Rock.

Santorini Churches

Santorini has over 200 churches and monasteries on the island—and they’ve been around for centuries! They’re easy to recognize from their beautiful white walls and blue domes that stand on top of these distinctive structures. You’ll need to do a little more planning if you want to get married in the churches, but it’s totally possible to do a beach wedding near the churches with both a sea and Blue Dome background in each direction. 

Perissa & Perivolos Beach

If you’re looking for more of a traditional Greek vibe for your elopement, then Perissa is a solid option. Located on the East Coast of Santorini, this area has black-sand beaches full of volcanic rock. It’s filled with lots of beach bars and lounging locals, but it’s definitely much quieter than some of the other towns, like Oia and Fira. Perivolos: This is the longest of the volcanic black beaches on Santorini, so there are plenty of places to get away from the other tourists for a more intimate elopement. The atmosphere here is calm, and the water is as blue as you can imagine. While you’ll find a lot of hotels and beach bars, there’s still a local vibe with fresh fish and local cuisine. Even if you don’t rent a car, it’s easy to take a bus or walk here through the Santorini countryside near Perissa.

Santorini Elopement Packages

  • Half Day $7,000

    4 hours of coverage

    2-3 location

    Consecutive coverage or $250 extra for split

    Includes any necessary photography permits

    Includes ALL TRAVEL FEES to get here

    Vendor referrals, location recommendations, help planning your timeline

  • Full Day $9,500

    7 hours of coverage

    3-5 locations + capturing any activities you do

    Split or consecutive coverage

    Includes any necessary photography permits

    Includes ALL TRAVEL FEES to get here

    Vendor referrals, location recommendations, help planning your timeline

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