Imerovigli

Perched at the highest point of the caldera rim between Fira and Oia, Imerovigli is known as the island's balcony, looking straight down on the volcanic islets and the great rock of Skaros that once held the medieval capital. It is quieter and more residential than its famous neighbours, a village of footpaths rather than crowds, where the sunset arrives without the scrum. The kitchens here punch far above the village's size: this is where some of Santorini's most serious chefs cook modern Aegean and Greek seafood, often on terraces hung over the drop. Come for the view and the cooking, and stay for the calm that Fira and Oia have long since lost.