Is Santorini Overrated? A High-Standards Guide (Spoiler: Yes—Go to Paros Instead).
TL;DR: Santorini's beautiful—but it's also expensive, overcrowded, and designed for cruise ship tourists and influencers. Paros offers better beaches, excellent food, charming villages, and a fraction of the crowds at half the price. If you want the Greece you see in photos without the chaos, skip Santorini. Go to Paros.
Santorini is everywhere. Instagram feeds. Pinterest boards. "Best Islands in Europe" lists. The photos are stunning: white-washed buildings, blue-domed churches, dramatic cliffs overlooking the Aegean.
But here's the truth: Santorini is overrated.
It's not bad. The sunsets are real. The views exist. But the island's been optimized for tourists who care more about Instagram than actual experience. It's crowded, overpriced, and exhausting in ways that don't match the dreamy marketing.
If you want what Santorini promises—beautiful beaches, charming villages, excellent Greek food, stunning views—go to Paros instead.
What Santorini Gets Wrong
Let's start with why Santorini doesn't deliver for travelers with actual standards.
The crowds are unbearable.
Santorini gets 2 million visitors a year. The island's population is 15,000. That's a 133:1 tourist-to-local ratio during peak season.
Oia (the famous village with the blue domes) is a gridlocked nightmare. Hundreds of people jostle for the same sunset photo spot every evening. Restaurants are packed. Streets are clogged with selfie sticks.
It's not romantic. It's a theme park.
The prices are absurd.
Santorini's the most expensive Greek island—by a lot. Hotels charge €300–1,000+ per night for rooms with caldera views. A mediocre dinner costs €50–80 per person. Beach clubs charge €40 just for a sunbed.
You're paying luxury prices for average experiences because demand is high and supply is limited.
The beaches are terrible.
Santorini's volcanic. That means black sand beaches that get scorching hot, rocky coastlines, and limited beach access. Red Beach and Perissa are fine—but they're nothing compared to other Greek islands.
If you're going to Greece for beaches, Santorini's the wrong choice.
The food is tourist-focused and overpriced.
Most restaurants cater to cruise ship passengers who'll never return. Quality is inconsistent. Prices are inflated. The traditional Greek food you're imagining? You're more likely to find it on lesser-known islands.
It's designed for Instagram, not travelers.
Santorini's entire tourism infrastructure is built around photo ops. Blue domes, infinity pools, white-washed alleyways. It's beautiful—but it's also manufactured. The island optimized itself for visuals, not authentic experience.
If you care more about living somewhere than photographing it, Santorini feels hollow.
Why Paros Is Better
Paros is what Santorini used to be before it became a global brand.
Here's why it's the better choice.
Beaches that actually deliver.
Paros has some of the best beaches in the Cyclades. Golden Beach and New Golden Beach are stunning—soft sand, turquoise water, and space to breathe. Kolymbithres has unique rock formations. Santa Maria is excellent for windsurfing and kitesurfing.
You're not fighting for space. You're not sitting on scorching black volcanic rock. You're on actual beaches that look like the Greece you imagined.
The food is excellent—and affordable.
Paros has a real food culture. Tavernas serve traditional Cycladic dishes made with local ingredients. Fresh seafood, Greek salads with Parian cheese, grilled octopus, moussaka that doesn't taste reheated.
Dinner for two with wine? €40–60. Not €100+.
Parikia and Naoussa have strong restaurant scenes. You're eating where locals eat, not where cruise passengers stop for lunch.
The villages are charming without being overrun.
Parikia (the main town) has narrow marble streets, Venetian architecture, and a relaxed harbor vibe. Naoussa is a picturesque fishing village with whitewashed buildings, bougainvillea, and waterfront tavernas.
Lefkes, in the island's interior, is a traditional mountain village with Byzantine churches and zero tourist infrastructure.
You get the Cycladic aesthetic without the crowds. It feels real, not staged.
The prices are reasonable.
Hotels in Paros cost €80–200 per night for quality boutique properties. Beach clubs don't charge €40 for a sunbed. Restaurants don't inflate prices because you'll never come back.
You're getting better value for your money—and better experiences.
It's easy to explore.
Paros is compact. You can rent an ATV or car and see the entire island in 2–3 days. Beaches, villages, hidden coves—it's all accessible without spending hours in transit.
Antiparos (a smaller island connected by a short ferry) is worth a day trip. It's even quieter, with excellent beaches and a laid-back vibe.
You can actually relax.
Paros doesn't feel like a race to see everything before the next wave of tourists arrives. You can take your time. Sit at a beach bar for three hours. Wander villages without dodging selfie sticks. Eat dinner without a reservation because restaurants aren't slammed.
It's what a Greek island vacation is supposed to feel like.
What Santorini Does Well (If You Still Want to Go)
I'm not saying Santorini has zero appeal. If you're determined to visit, here's what's actually worth it.
The caldera views are stunning.
The cliffside towns (Oia, Fira, Imerovigli) overlooking the volcanic caldera are legitimately dramatic. If you're staying in a hotel with a private terrace, the views are excellent.
But you're paying a premium for that view—and sharing it with thousands of other tourists.
The sunsets are real.
Yes, the sunsets are beautiful. But you're watching them surrounded by hundreds of people holding phones. It's not intimate or romantic. It's a spectator event.
The wine is good.
Santorini's volcanic soil produces unique wines—particularly Assyrtiko whites. Visiting a winery (Santo Wines, Estate Argyros, Venetsanos) is one of the better experiences on the island.
The Verdict: Skip Santorini, Go to Paros
Here's the bottom line.
Santorini delivers on visuals. The photos are real. The views exist. But the experience is expensive, crowded, and optimized for people who care more about content than travel.
If you're looking for beautiful beaches, charming villages, excellent food, and an authentic Greek island experience—Paros is the better choice.
You'll save money. You'll avoid crowds. You'll eat better food. You'll actually relax instead of fighting for space in Oia.
Santorini's not bad—it's just not worth what you're paying, especially when Paros offers a better version of the same experience at half the price.
Planning a trip to the Greek islands and want honest recommendations?
I handle the planning, you get the trip. As an affiliate of Fora Travel, Out There with Jake clients have access to exclusive perks—we're talking room upgrades, hotel credits, complimentary breakfast, spa treatments, and the kind of access that doesn't come with DIY bookings.
Fill out the form below to start planning.