Why I'm Avoiding Santorini This Summer (And Going to This Greek Island Instead)

I love Santorini. I do. The sunsets, the blue domes, the volcanic beaches — it's genuinely one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen. But I'm not going back this summer. And I don't think you should either.

Last year, Santorini received 3.4 million visitors. The island's permanent population is about 15,000. Do the math. During peak season, there are days when cruise ships dump 10,000 people onto the island in a single morning. The famous sunset view from Oia is now a shoulder-to-shoulder experience where you're more likely to get an elbow in your ribs than a good photo.

So where am I going instead? Paros. And honestly, I'm almost annoyed to tell you about it because I want to keep it to myself. But that wouldn't be fair.

The First Time I Saw Paros

I visited Paros for the first time in 2023, mostly by accident. My flight to Santorini got canceled, and the only alternative was a ferry from Naxos with a stop in Paros. I figured I'd spend one night there and move on. I stayed for six.

The moment I stepped off the ferry in Parikia, I felt it — that relaxed, unhurried energy that Santorini lost years ago. The port town is a maze of narrow, whitewashed streets lined with bougainvillea. There are fishing boats bobbing in the harbor, old men drinking coffee at seaside cafes, and cats sleeping in the sun. It felt like Greece, not a Greek theme park.

The Beaches: Better Than Santorini

Let's talk about beaches. Santorini's beaches are unique — black sand, red sand, volcanic rock — but they're not great for swimming. The water is deep, the currents can be strong, and there's limited shoreline.

Paros has over 120 kilometers of coastline with a huge variety of beaches. Kolymbithres is my favorite: smooth granite boulders that create natural pools. The water is crystal clear, shallow, and warm. I spent an entire afternoon there without seeing a single cruise ship passenger.

Golden Beach on the east coast is great for windsurfing and kitesurfing. Lageri Beach is a long stretch of sand with tamarisk trees providing natural shade. And if you want a party scene, Pounda Beach has beach bars and music without being obnoxious like Mykonos.

The Food: Real Greek Cuisine, Not Tourist Traps

Santorini has good food, but most of it is priced for tourists. I paid €28 for a moussaka in Oia that was clearly reheated. In Paros, I ate at a taverna called To Koutouki tou Foti in a tiny village called Lefkes. The owner brought out his grandmother's recipe for lamb stifado — slow-cooked in red wine and cinnamon — and it cost €12.

I had fresh octopus at a seaside taverna in Naoussa that was grilled over charcoal, served with lemon and olive oil. The fisherman who caught it was sitting two tables away, drinking ouzo with his friends. That's the kind of experience you can't buy in Santorini anymore.

The local wine is also worth mentioning. Paros produces a white wine called Nychteri that's aged in oak and has a slightly nutty flavor. A bottle at a restaurant costs about €15. In Santorini, a comparable wine would be €40.

The Village You Can't Miss: Lefkes

If you go to Paros — and you should — make time for Lefkes. It's a mountain village in the center of the island, built on a hillside with panoramic views of the Aegean Sea. It's quiet. Almost no tourists. Just narrow streets, white houses with blue shutters, and a Byzantine church that's been standing since the 14th century.

I walked the Byzantine path from Lefkes to Prodromos, a 3-kilometer trail through olive groves and vineyards. I passed an old farmer herding goats, a woman hanging laundry, and a dog that followed me for half an hour. The path ends at a small taverna where I drank fresh orange juice and watched the sunset. No crowds. No selfie sticks. Just peace.

The Practical Stuff: Getting There and Getting Around

Getting to Paros is easy. There are direct flights from Athens (about 40 minutes) and frequent ferries from Piraeus port (about 3-4 hours). During summer, there are also direct flights from several European cities.

Once you're there, rent a car or an ATV. The island isn't huge — about 20 kilometers across — but the best beaches and villages are spread out. I rented a small car for €35 per day. Parking was never an issue.

Accommodation is significantly cheaper than Santorini. I stayed at a family-run guesthouse in Naoussa with a sea-view balcony for €80 per night. In Santorini, the same room would be €250.

The One Thing Santorini Does Better

I'll be honest: no one does sunsets like Santorini. The combination of the caldera, the white buildings, and the endless sea creates a view that's genuinely breathtaking. Paros has beautiful sunsets too, but they're not the same.

But here's the thing: you can see a Santorini sunset without going to Santorini. Take a day trip from Paros by ferry — it's about 2 hours — spend the afternoon in Oia, watch the sunset, and then take the evening ferry back. You get the experience without the crowds and the inflated prices.

That's what I'm doing this year. I'll spend my week in Paros, eating real food, swimming in real beaches, and feeling like I'm actually in Greece. And for one afternoon, I'll visit Santorini, take my photos, and leave. It's the best of both worlds.

Final Advice: Go Before Everyone Else Does

Paros is not undiscovered. It's gotten more attention in recent years, and I can see it going the way of Mykonos within the next decade. But it's not there yet. The authentic Greece is still alive here — the one where fishermen still fish, where grandmothers still cook, where tourists are guests, not customers.

Go this year. Stay in a village, not a resort. Eat at places where the menu doesn't have English translations. Get lost in the streets. Talk to the old men at the cafe. That's the Greece you're looking for. It just doesn't have a blue dome on Instagram.