Here is learn how to escape the crowds in Santorini

Every summer season, Santorini teems with vacationers. And there’s a superb motive for that. Quite merely, there’s no place prefer it on earth. Thousands of years in the past, an historical, giant volcano blew out the center of a once-existing island right here, making a caldera. Today, whitewashed villages cling to the highest of the caldera’s towering black partitions.

“Santorini is honestly one of those rare places that feels like a dream,” says Thanassis Papetanas, basic supervisor of Canaves Collection lodges, who has lived and labored on the island for nearly 20 years. Everyone ought to see this place a minimum of as soon as. During the excessive season, Santorini will get crowded. Drawn by the island’s actually distinctive volcanic splendor, folks crowd the cable car and the black sand seashores, and particularly the sundown vantage factors by the blue domes within the village of Oia, perched up on the northern tip.

A go to to this stunning place doesn’t should be an train in frustration. Constant queues and crammed streets aren’t a foregone conclusion. While encountering massive numbers of different guests can be unavoidable, you’ll be able to nonetheless avoid the throngs. After consulting with specialists—and visiting the island eight instances—listed here are the 5 finest methods to tour Santorini with out the crowds.  

1. Pick your time to go to fastidiously

“A few simple shifts can make all the difference,” says Mina Agnos, founder and group president of Travelive, a significant vacation spot administration firm in Greece. “Early mornings and late evenings are your best friends, even in Oia.” 

Go a minimum of as soon as for the sundown in Oia—it’s value braving the crowds. But as Agnos recommends, whenever you need to discover this village, or different standard locations like the primary city of Fira, within the morning. In some instances, avoiding the group—particularly throughout the busy late-afternoon and night—may be so simple as taking a couple of steps off the primary streets and down the again corridors for much less foot site visitors.

2. Take a wine tour—and keep for dinner

You wouldn’t essentially anticipate finding good wine in Santorini, a spot the place salty winds whip in off the ocean and the solar bakes the soil on most days. But some varietals, with their vines grown right into a protecting basket-shaped “kouloura,” thrive right here. Especially Assyrtiko, the signature wine on the island, whose mineral-forward taste tastes precisely like its volcanic terroir. 

A go to to a spot like the fashionable Estate Argyros or the clifftop Santo Wines will embody slightly tour of the vines, a tasting, and perhaps a meal, which is an excellent expertise in itself. “From sun-dried tomatoes and fava grown in volcanic soil, to the island’s iconic Vinsanto wine, each flavor tells the story of the land,” says Filippos Venetopoulos, CEO of Variety Cruises, which has operated small ships to the island since 1949.  

Venetopoulos provides, “Combined with the lingering aura of lost Atlantis, it’s a place where every meal, every view, and every quiet breeze whispers something unforgettable.” 

(Why it’s best to search out vinsanto, Santorini’s beloved dessert wine)

3. Find your best village

The overwhelming majority of tourists are inclined to congregate within the two important cities, Fira and Oia. So, intention to go to locations off the well-worn vacationer path. “Villages like Megalochori, Emporio, and Pyrgos still move at a slower pace, where you can experience local life on the island,” says Agnos. “They’re great for walking, people-watching, or settling in for a long lunch.” Papetanas agrees. For him, Pyrgos is a favourite. “It’s a quiet hilltop village with amazing views and a maze of little alleyways to explore.” 

4. Hike the caldera

While Fira and Oia are busy, the 6.2-mile path that connects them usually isn’t. The stroll, usually over rocky terrain or cobblestone path, traces the sting of the caldera with sweeping views alongside the way in which. Be ready with loads of water, sunscreen, and a hat. This roughly three-hour route (one-way) has some uphill sections. Walking 20 minutes outdoors of Oia, you’ll end up removed from all of the lengthy queues for prime Instagram spots, with solely church bells and perhaps a few pleasant cats for firm. 

(The 31 finest Greek islands to go to in 2025)

5. Discover a hidden seaside

Some folks will head to the water in the hunt for a celebration. However, Santorini nonetheless has loads of tucked-away stretches of sand. “If you want a beach without the scene, head to Vlychada or Exo Gialos,” says Agnos. “They feel like a world apart, but they’re easily accessible.” Papetanas agrees on Vlychada. “It feels like another planet with its sculpted white cliffs and quieter vibe.” 

Visit Vlychada on the extra distant southern facet of the island. This darkish stretch of sand has loads of loungers and umbrellas for stress-free seaside time. If you get tired of sunbathing and swimming, you’ll be able to stroll over to slightly native marina and watch the little fishing boats going out and in—then select a small seaside restaurant to take pleasure in their catch. Exo Gialos is only a 10-minute drive, straight throughout the island from Fira, however maintains a locals-only vibe.  

(A Greek revival is underway alongside the Athenian Riviera)

6. Stay near the motion

Transportation contributes to the overcrowding concern of visiting Santorini throughout excessive season. Part of the issue right here in excessive season is carefully tied to transportation. Taxis are typically costly, particularly once they’re in excessive demand. And the queues for buses can stretch down the road and across the nook. So, think about staying near the place you need to expertise essentially the most. 

“One of the best tips is to stay in Oia rather than just visit it. Yes, it gets crowded during the day, like any popular spot, but staying overnight lets you enjoy the town early in the morning or later in the evening, when it’s quiet and magical,” says Papetanas. “You’ll be able to wander the charming streets without the crowds and watch the sky light up at sunset right from your room or private terrace. No need to squeeze into the castle viewpoint.” 

And the most effective half? Many resort rooms in Oia have their very own non-public out of doors sizzling tubs or swimming pools. So, after an extended day of touring (or sunbathing, or wine-tasting), you’ll be able to sink into your non-public cliffside aquatic heaven, with the sundown tones splashed throughout the ocean beneath you. Those huge crowds, just some steps up and across the nook, are out of sight and out of thoughts.

(This Greek island affords all of the splendor of Santorini with out the crowds)