Operated by the same people that own Fira's ever-hip Koo Club, Chili Bar is one of the island's coolest scenes that walks a fine line between beach club and drinking bar. Its quirky-chic façade of a thatch-roof patong looks like it should be in Thailand's Koh Samui than a few hundred feet from the Aegean. Separating Chili from the sea is a large swathe of volcanic reddish-black sand and surfside lounge scene that vibrates with all-day summer jams from morning till night.
A surf bar without much surfing, the beach area of Chili offers lounger available for day rental as well as a handful of volleyball courts home to afternoon matches likely with daiquiri or beer bottle in hand. Inside, the bar is arranged along an outdoor courtyard with tiki-theme main bar and a few scattered tables that are almost always occupied. Around 4pm the music gets turned up as a happy hour scene of post-beach revelers drink and dance till sunset and often even later.
Tips
Looking for romance? Chat up one of the innumerous singles voluntarily virtually stranded at the beach following the conclusion of nearby weddings that leave them to fight with family or drink with locals.
Last Word
Santorini’s top beach bar is actually co-owned by one of the island’s biggest nightclubs, Koo, and attracts a bevy of pretty-face locals and in-the-know tourists.