Is Atlantis Books in Santorini Open? 2023 Update
Updated: Aug 21
Atlantis Books in beautiful Santorini, Greece is one of the most famous bookstores in the world. You’ll find it on countless lists of the world’s most beautiful bookstores and bookstores to add to your bucket list. Atlantis Books is arguably one of the most frequently recommended Greece bookshops (although I’ve tracked down a ton of worthwhile bookstores you should visit in Athens).
Like many other book lovers, on my recent trip to Greece I made my pilgrimage to the famous underground bookstore in Santorini’s Oia village. I’d seen so many beautiful pictures and videos of Atlantis Books, and since I’m all about literary travel and hunting down the world’s best independent bookstores, it was high on my priority list of Santorini sites.
I’d researched this indie bookshop ahead of time, too, but wasn’t sure what to expect. Google Maps told me that Atlantis Books was temporarily closed down, but when I perused all the Google reviews, I found conflicting information. Reviewers as recently as 2022 had said that it was sometimes open at the owner’s whim, while other reviewers said it seemed to be closed permanently. The website, on the other hand, still claims they are open daily, but doesn’t appear to have been updated in some time.
So when I hunted down Atlantis Books in Santorini, I did so with only the slightest hope of finding it open. Still, open or closed,I was determined to get down to the bottom of it: is Atlantis Books in Santorini open or closed, and if the latter, is it temporary or permanent?
And if you’re planning a trip to Greece or elsewhere in Europe, make sure you check out my top travel gear picks, all based on personal experience and insight as a constant traveler.
Skip ahead to:
Don’t forget to pin this post for later:
As always, this post may contain affiliate links, which means at no additional cost to you, shopping from them may generate small commissions to support the operations of this blog. I’ll never show up just to peddle a product!
Whenever possible, I recommend buying books at local bookshops or through Bookshop.org, because shopping there puts the profits right into the hands of indie bookstores all over the country.
So… is Atlantis Books in Santorini open or closed?
When I finally tracked down the underground bookstore below a main shopping street in Santorini’s Oia, I was disappointed if unsurprised to find it closed.
A sign hung in the doorway of Atlantis Books that read, “Sorry, we are closed for changes. Pardon our progress.”
Two phone numbers were also listed below the sign. I called and texted both numbers more than once to try to get hold of the Atlantis Books owner for more information, but I never got any answer or return call. This was also unsurprising, as I’d seen Google reviews and Reddit posts noting others had also been unsuccessful.
So, it appears that as of June, 2023, Santorini’s Atlantis Books is closed for the time being. However, it would seem that the closing is only temporary.
As a keen literary traveler and observer, I noted that the building above the bookshop appeared to be undergoing some renovation. When I looked more closely, I spied the beginnings of a mural on the ceiling that seemed to have a literary theme. So I went in search of more answers.
Related: If you're visiting Santorini, Greece, make sure you take a 30-minute ferry to less crowded Ios and visit this epic literary location.
In talking to some of the local shop owners about the bookstore, it seems that Atlantis Books has had a bit of a rough time recently. In the winter, which is the off-season of travel in the Greek islands, the bookstore was robbed, and some highly valuable, rare books were stolen. Another shop owner confirmed unofficially that the bookstore was moving into the space above the current shop this year, though whether it is a move or an expansion was unclear.
It was hard to get any more information from the local shop owners, who maybe know more than they would say, though I can hardly fault them for being tight-lipped to an outsider.
Still, it seems safe to guess that Atlantis Books in Santorini will likely be closed for the 2023 travel season, with the possibility of reopening with an expansion in a future year.
And if the Atlantis Books owner happens to read this post: hello, bookish friend! We are all rooting for your shop to succeed! And we have questions, so please email me!
Related: If you like discovering the most beautiful bookstores in the world, check out the Livreria Lello in Porto, Portugal and the Boekhandel Dominicanen in Maastricht, Netherlands.
Finding Atlantis Books in Santorini
Atlantis Books is located in Oia on the northern part of Santorini. Getting to Santorini is easy: either fly into the Santorini airport from your home airport, or get to Santorini from Athens by ferry or flight.
Oia is the picture you think of when you picture Santorini, with the famous whitewashed walls and blue domed churches. It's the busiest part of Santorini, but it's also incredibly beautiful.
This independent bookstore is easy to find if you know where to look. My number one tip? Do not put Atlantis Books into Google Maps to get directions here; it will take you on a wild goose chase through some admittedly beautiful side streets, but it will not get you to the main entrance.
Instead, put IslandPhotos into Google Maps. This should take you right next door to Atlantis Books, which is below street level. Or, simply wander down the primary shopping street in Oia and keep a sharp eye out as you browse.
Greece travel tip: If you’re spending any time in Athens on your Greece trip, make sure you make a half-day trip to the Temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion for one of the most beautiful sunset spots in Greece.
What to know about Atlantis Books
Atlantis Books is an international bookstore, selling titles in English, Italian, Greek, and many more languages. It was opened in 2004 by friends Craig and Oliver, who fell in love with Santorini and noted the lack of a bookstore there. They decided to open their own, “with the hope of bringing great art, literature, and conversation to one of the most beautiful environments in the world.”
Why the name Atlantis Books? While I can’t confirm that Atlantis Books was named for this reason, there’s a popular myth that the island of Santorini (or Thera, more accurately) is actually the lost island city of Atlantis.
This is because in around 1500 BCE, a volcano erupted here and buried the ancient Bronze age settlement of Akrotiri in ash, making it disappear instantly. (For this reason, Akrotiri is often called the Pompeii of Greece, and it’s totally worth a visit while on Santorini).
So, is Santorini really the lost city of Atlantis? Who knows. But it’s a fun legend all the same.
Travel tip: My favorite travel rewards credit card for European travel has been the Chase Sapphire Rewards card. Visa is accepted just about everywhere in Europe, and there are no foreign transaction fees on the card. Some of the travel benefits I love on the Chase Sapphire include free TSA pre check or Global Entry (worth it every time), an annual $200 travel credit, an annual $200 hotel benefit, built-in rental car and trip insurance, and points are worth 50% more when used to book travel. I travel around Europe a LOT, and I end up with many free flights and hotel stays from using my points on my Chase Sapphire.
Finding Accommodations in Santorini
There are a lot of options of where to stay in Santorini. If you want to be right in the heart of postcard-perfect Santorini, you'll need to splurge and stay in Oia. Other options that are perhaps not as picturesque but conveniently located are Fira, which is an easy bus ride from Oia, or Imerovigli, another coastal whitewashed town without as many crowds. Wherever you choose, expect to pay higher prices for accommodations in Santorini than on less popular Greek islands.
As you look for somewhere to stay in Santorini, I recommend checking for lodging on Hotels.com. I almost always book my accommodations through Hotels.com, because you can earn rewards for every night you stay without having to choose only one hotel chain to be loyal to. You can even book locally owned aparthotels and bed and breakfasts.
Travel Resources At-A-Glance
All of the following are links to sites and services I actually use to book and plan my travel or to purchase books or travel gear.
For flights: Skyscanner is my number one go-to resource for booking flights. I love using the “explore” function to find the cheapest places I can fly during a given time, or using the fare calendar to identify the cheapest days to fly.
For hotels and lodgings: For hotels, hotels.com and for vacation rentals, VRBO.com. I’ve had much better experiences with private rentals through this website than through other popular private vacation rental websites.
For car rentals: Kayak allows comparisons across a wide range of booking agencies and lists reviews of companies as well. I’ve found this to be the most user-friendly and efficient way to compare car rental prices.
For tours & excursions: Viator is my top choice for booking excursions and tour experiences in a new destination.
For travel gear: Amazon.com and REI for more outdoorsy items. Check out my travel gear recs here.
Best travel credit card: My favorite travel rewards credit card for European travel has been the Chase Sapphire Rewards card. Visa is accepted just about everywhere in Europe, and there are no foreign transaction fees on the card. Some of the travel benefits I love on the Chase Sapphire include free TSA pre check or Global Entry (worth it every time), an annual $200 travel credit, an annual $200 hotel benefit, built-in rental car and trip insurance, and points are worth 50% more when used to book travel. I travel around Europe a LOT, and I end up with many free flights and hotel stays from using my points on my Chase Sapphire.
For books: Bookshop.org often has prices as good as Amazon or sometimes better, but profits go to indie bookstores all over the country. Whenever possible, consider buying your books from this online indie bookshop resource.
Although the beautiful indie bookshop Atlantis Books seems to be closed until further notice, Santorini is still a gorgeous place to visit. It's popular for a reason! I hope to return one day and hopefully catch Atlantis Books whenever it's able to open its doors once more to book lovers.
Until then! Pin this post so you can return and see any updates on this great bookshop.
