What to Wear in Santorini

Plan your outfits around steps. Santorini's caldera villages are built into the cliff, so getting from your room to a restaurant often means dozens of stairs, and the marble-paved lanes of Oia and Fira get slippery with wear. Flat sandals with a proper grip or light trainers are right. Heels are a bad idea anywhere on the caldera.

The sun is strong and there's very little shade on the Fira to Oia path or at Akrotiri's car park. Bring a hat that won't fly off, because the wind on the rim is constant. In July and August the meltemi can be strong enough to make a loose sun hat useless. A light windproof layer is handy for sunset, even in summer, and essential in spring and autumn.

Black sand gets far hotter than you'd expect. Water shoes or sandals you can wear down to the water's edge save your feet at Perissa and Kamari.

Evenings are relaxed. Linen, a summer dress or a clean shirt is as dressed up as most restaurants get. The island's churches expect covered shoulders and knees, so keep a scarf in your bag. If you're on a caldera boat trip, wear something you don't mind getting stained: the warm springs off Palea Kameni are full of iron and can leave pale swimwear tinted orange.

Packing list

• Sandals or trainers with grip
• Water shoes for the beaches
• A hat with a strap, sunglasses, high-factor sunscreen
• A windproof layer
• A scarf or shawl for churches
• A reusable bottle
• Swimwear and a light cover-up
• A soft bag if your hotel is down a flight of steps