Santorini?

[GorillazInTheMidst]

All my life I have wanted to go to Santorini. It is at the top end of my bucket list.

However, there are other places on my bucket list that were a massive disappointment e.g. Venice.

Anyone been to Santorini and can give me some feedback. I'm thinking ringing church bells, blinding white houses and blue doors, sun and beautiful sea.

Is it the paradise I think it is in my head or would I be wading through tour groups just off a cruise liner?

It’s a definite instagram v reality place!
it’s so overcrowded.
OIA is beautiful but honestly, there are just better places, better Greek islands!

I went in May 2022 I loved it

amazing views and it wasn't crowded

I stayed here which I can definitely recommend

www.ontherocksantorini.com/

Like you I desperately wanted to go. I'm glad we did so we knew it wasn't for us.

I loathed it. Too overcrowded and mass tourism in play. The airport was like a cattle market too. Though we are going back to 2015 when we were there.

Much better islands - Kefalonia is our go to

What didn’t you like about Venice?

I also went in May 2022 @Scorpion84 👋 we stayed in Oia and avoided the crowds by going into the town before and after the tourists were there. It was so beautiful, we'd love to do it again someday.

I'd say it's worth doing for a few days as part of a longer trip using the ferries to get around (e.g. combining it with Crete or Milos). If you flew out just for Santorini, you might be disappointed.

To enjoy it the most, I'd recommend avoiding the main towns (Oia and Fira) when they are busiest (between 9am and 4pm) and exploring these early morning or evening instead. During the day you can either chill at the hotel or visit villages and beaches on other parts of the island. The hike from Fira to Oia is stunning and not that busy in shoulder season (I expect most of the cruise tourists are too lazy to do it!)

We visited over 20 years ago and it was stunning. But I would only go very out of season now, it's so crowded. Oia and Fira were very busy even back then
, we stayed on the southwest side of the island, between Perissa and Akrotiri (archaeological site). It has gorgeous black and red sand beaches on that coast and was much quieter.