I will speak from my own experience, not from what’s shown on social media and the tv news.
The biggest problem there is, it is definitely not having the right person/connection to guide you and give you the right suggestions. In such a small destination there are so many things to do and places to go that it’s getting you too overwhelmed. Fun fact is that Santorini has more that 40.000 businesses. It is logical that there will be some misguidance in between the good places , the tourist traps and just the bad quality services. More than anywhere in the world, in a 28 square miles Island that aparts 3% of the grown domestic product of the whole country of Greece it is obvious that it will be difficult to have the good options only by trusting the first person that pops up in your feed or at the airport as soon as you land. In Santorini, Greece we have so many new employees that arrive in the Island to work only for the summer season and at the same time we have all sorts of start-up businesses of different orientations. It is not smart from your side to be open & easy to trust everyone. This situation leads to all sorts of misleadings such as bad reviews, different viral topics(scams & overrated places) and more.
In continuation of this conversation the expensive prices issue pops up now in our minds of course. When you have so many businesses such as airbnbs and restaurants you can assume that the competition is big and they have to compare their prices to each other compared with small Islands that have 1-2 restaurants and they are able to make prices on their own without competition. Based on supply and demand I strongly disagree that Santorini is an overpriced Island with the right guidance and choices! Many will disagree with me but I speak from experience with my clients , different feedback that I got and proof. Either way if you are coming to Santorini it costs you nothing to just check my sayings on your own ! I am not here to try convince you for something but more to make you have an open mind so you try what I suggest and check on your own experience! It is such a waste to be in this diamond of the Aegean Sea and not enjoy your experience to the fullest because of misguidance and getting lost by the overwhelming number of options / suggestions.
Again , when you have such a small Island with so many viral and well known places with over 3.000.000 tourist visits each season the result will be always the same: you will have certain places more overcrowded than others at specific times. The key words here are “in some specific hours” & “some places” NOT all the hours and not ALL places! That means that with the right guidance and tips you will know which places are more crowded and what times. This will help you a lot to visit the places that are viral in different hours and then during the busiest hours either you go to more alternative beautiful places or you pre-book in a place like a restaurant or bar where only booking-access is available and you are not shoulder to shoulder pushing through crowds. in the same place you can always have a completely different experience for others with not much effort. Work smarter not harder at this point. The beauty is that it is just as simple as it gets.
Steep Terrain and Stairs are a big challenge, often unexpected, but as I always say, it’s the price we pay… to have this beautiful caldera (cliffside) made from the volcanic eruption 3.700 years ago. In Santorini Greece most of the areas by the cliffside with the breathtaking view are not accessible by a vehicle so we have to walk a bit in Santorini
Although you can be by the cliffside 350(1150ft) meters above the sea level and within a 10 minute drive you can be by the beach and have a swim, sunbathing on a sunbed with the incomparable sun of Greece on your skin !
Some of the misinformation that takes place online and on the news in general are : the unpredictable dining hours , as there are uncountable options and many of them are even 24 hours open. At the same time it came to my realisation that many before arriving expect a language barrier in Santorini. It is a fact that in Santorini 99/100 of people speak English and my clients are often amazed on how well we do , with a bit of greek accent( not a bad think haha).
Transportation issue: It is a big topic with many opinions. It is true that with so many people visiting our Island we will have some issues with public transformation. This is why we always suggest transfer services (shared or private) so even if you stuck in the traffic you are comfortable in the car with your aircoditioning-on, enjoying the views.
Covering all different topics , the overbooked accomodations comes next. Santorini is our number one destination in the country of Greece . Of course It will have fully-booked services and accommodations but over-booked ? I think this depends on your travel agency’s quality and service provided. If you pre-book your services, accommodations and activities there is no issue at all as! When you work and book with professionals they do unparalleled work and most importantly they keep their word !
Conclusion
Santorini is a dream destination, but like any place, it comes with its own set of challenges. In such a small destination with so many businesses , choices and opinions it is completely understandable end up in wrong places or have experiences things that do not match your expectations or desires.
Trust the right people who embrace the local way of living and create lifelong connections!
