The Romantic Cave House

Oia, Santorini, Greece
Book from GBP Book from £235 per night

An utterly gorgeous Oia bolthole for a couple (+1), combining those mesmerising views with a slice of privacy and lashings of troglo-chic

An utterly gorgeous Oia bolthole for a couple (+1), combining those mesmerising views with a slice of privacy and lashings of troglo-chic

What a find this is! As you'll know if you've researched Oia accommodations for more than a nano-second, it's all about the view. That famous panorama - the ultimate in Greek island views - tumbling over sheer volcanic cliffs into the deep blue, sea-filled caldera with its lava islands, ringed by a sprinkling of white sugar-cube houses around Santorini's rim. And you get it in full frontal glory here, whether sitting on your private terrace, or gazing out of your living room window, or ensconced in your tiny whirlpool-within-a-cave.

But the real reason it's such a find is that you get, by Oia standards, masses of space for your euro - ample for two, comfortable for three - including two sitting rooms (one in a vast and ancient stone bread oven), a serene vaulted bedroom, and a double height living space with dining table and a cute little kitchenette. Best of all, it's done with real taste: think creamy white walls and flagged floors, sculpted cubby holes and arched niches with  a few carefully chosen items - an elegant vase, a few books, dried flowers - to set the cosy, contemplative mood. No surprise, perhaps, that the owner is an interior designer - Greek by birth, studied in Florence - who will give you all her favourite Santorini tips, from black-pebble beaches to wine tastings and chilled cafés.

Highs

    • This is the ultimate Greek island view - right from your terrrace
    • The house is surprisingly spacious for a Santorini skaftó (cave house)
    • Perfect for a couple with or without child: there's an extra single bed if needed
    • Having your own kitchen can be a godsend (and cash-saver) in Oia, where restaurants are pricey and popular
    • It's good value for Oia, especially outside June-September, and only a 2-night minimum stay

Lows

    • Oia gets ridiculously busy at sunset: we suggest snuggling away in your private cave pool (with a bottle)
    • The pool is more 'dip' than 'plunge' (about 2x2m), but it's heated and jacuzzi'd
    • The sunny terrace faces south, which means you can't see the sun set from it
    • As with most of Oia, you can't drive to the door, but a porter will help with bags

Best time to go

We think April-May and September-October are the ideal months to get a dose of sun and warmth without the crowds of high season in Oia. It's also better value outside June-August. Having said that, even in midsummer you can escape the crowds in this little bolthole; the interiors remain cool and there's a tiny plunge pool in a cave, too.

Our top tips

Unless you're staying more than week, or set on exploring the whole island, you probably don't need a car. Grab a cab from the port or airport (it's only 20km), then settle in - this is a wonderful place to hole up - with perhaps a boat trip to the lava islands or Thirasia, a walk along the caldera rim to Firostefani, and a cab excursion to Akrotiri or ancient Thira. That's plenty for a week - you want to leave time for romancing, after all.

Great for...

Cheap & Chic
Great Outdoors
Romantic
  • Cave House
  • 1 bedroom
  • Self-catering (breakfast provided; restaurants nearby)
  • 1 baby or child welcome
  • Closed: 1 November-1 March
  • Plunge Pool
  • Spa Treatments
  • Walk to beach
  • Pet Friendly
  • Disabled Access
  • Car not necessary
  • Parking
  • Restaurants Nearby
  • WiFi
  • Air Conditioning
  • Guest Lounge
  • Terrace
  • Garden
  • Gym
  • Daily Maid Service
  • Towels & Bedlinen
Room:

Rooms

From the pumice-paved terrace, you enter the cave house through rust-red double doors into a high vaulted dining room with a table-for-four, and an open arch to the bedroom. To one side is the old bread oven, like a giant domed igloo made of volcanic bricks, with low seating and flickering lanterns. To the other side, ducking through a satisfyingly curved archway, a second sitting room: white and minimalist, with a single sofa, a prettily carved table, a pouffe and not much more. It's perfect for undisturbed reading away from Oia's crowds. 

The double / triple bedroom lies behind the dining room, in a vaulted space shared (somewhat oddly) with the kitchenette. You get a kingsize bed on a stone platform, a separate single bed tucked into a niche, and a hammam-like bathroom with an open wetroom-style shower. As often in Oia, there are no outside windows in these rear rooms, but that keeps it cool (plus there's A/C).

Features include:

  • Air conditioning
  • Bluetooth sound system
  • Coffee / tea making
  • Fan
  • Hairdryer
  • Plunge pool
  • Pool towels
  • Terrace/balcony
  • Toiletries
  • WiFi

Eating

The funky little kitchenette is tucked into a couple of oversize arched niches within the bedroom - one for the hob (ceramic, two-ring), the other for the sink (marble, square) - with a careful selection of crockery and cooking utensils (not much, but enough for simple meals) stored in alcoves beneath. It's simple but fun, and it can save you a stash of cash compared to eating out for lunch and dinner.  But do be aware there's no oven, and not a lot of surfaces for prepping and chopping.

If you prefer to head out, ask Ioanna for her recommendations - there are dozens of eateries in walking distance - and be sure to book ahead in summer.

For breakfast, you get a daily delivery - typically bread or pastries, boiled eggs, yoghurt, fruit, cheese, tomatoes - for you to enjoy on the terrace.

Features include:

  • Breakfast
  • Chef on request
  • Coffee maker
  • Dinner by arrangement
  • Fridge
  • Hob or stove
  • Kitchenette
  • Restaurants nearby
  • Toaster
Eating:
Activity:

Activities

  • Oia - one of the most photogenic villages in the Greek islands - is on your doorstep: sleeping cats draped over white chapels, buzzy cafés and boutiques, spectacular sunsets - and lots of people enjoying them
  • To escape, follow the stepped path from the house down to Armeni Bay: a few houses and tavernas lapped by the waves beneath rusty-red cliffs, a tiny harbour and beach, and a dive centre
  • Take a boat trip - the owners have their own 15m wooden yacht - across the caldera, stopping at the lava islands (busy but worthwhile) and a southerly beach or the island fragment of Thirasia
  • With a car, you can explore the east-facing coast away from the caldera: black-sand beaches with modest resorts and some watersports
  • Or the ancient sites of Thira (knee-high ruins atop a spectacular hill) or Akrotiri, a Minoan city devastated by eruptions around 1600 BC, but subsequently preserved by volcanic ash
  • Plus there are wine-tasting canavas, cookery lessons, horse riding and more 

Activities on site or nearby include:

  • Boat trips
  • Cooking classes
  • Historical sites
  • Horse riding
  • Scuba diving
  • Shopping / markets
  • Spa treatments
  • Swimming
  • Watersports

Kids

The cave house is aimed at couples - and it's super romantic, as the name suggests. But if romance has already blossomed and you're bringing a little one, there is an extra single bed in bedroom, and a travel cot on request; and the dining table can seat 4 in comfort. We'd advise against bringing toddlers due to the low wall along the front terrace.

Best for:

Babies (0-1 years), Children (4-12 years)

Family friendly accommodation:

Cots Available

Distances:

  • Airport: 25 minutes
  • Hospital: 23 minutes
  • Shops: 1 minute
Kid Friendly:

Location

The Romantic Cave House is in Oia, on the northern tip of Santorini, with wonderful views across to the caldera.

By Air
Fly to Santorini (direct flights from varous European cities) and then hire a car or take a taxi (17km).

By Ferry
Santorini has daily ferry connections to its Cycladic neighbours (Folegandros, Naxos, Paros etc), as well as to Piraeus (the main port of Athens) and, in summer, to Heraklion (Crete). It's a spectacular way to arrive, but we advise leaving at least a day of margin before your return flight, in case of ferry disruption. Oia is 20km from Santorini's ferry port, Athinios.

On the island
Be aware that, in high season, traffic can clog up the narrow roads; and that the centre of Oia is pedestrianised so you need to leave your car on the edge of the village.

Airports:

  • Santorini International Airport 17.0 km JTR

Other:

  • Beach 0.6 km
  • Shops 0.1 km
  • Restaurant 0.1 km

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