6 tips for avoiding the crowds in Santorini
In July and August the streets of Fira and Oia are suffocated with people, this is the overtourism phenomenon that plagues Santorini and is the price for its beauties. But Santorini even like this is so amazing, read below 6 tips to avoid the hordes of tourists and keep the privacy of your holidays.
1. Stroll early in the morning. Until about 9:00 am Oia and Fira are at a leisurely pace so it's an opportunity to comfortably take the photos you want without crowds even in the places that are crowded during the day.
2. Sit in a restaurant/cafe before or during the sunset and go for a walk afterwards. Most people do the exact opposite, they wait to see the sunset and then they go afterwards to eat or drink. The sunset is best enjoyed in a restaurant or a cafe with a view and this is the best way to avoid any inconvenience.
3. Apart from Fira and Oia the rest of the villages are peaceful. You can choose one of them for your stay. There are many places where you can enjoy the sea, such as Kamari or traditional villages such as Pyrgos.
4. Travel in the shoulder season, spring or autumn, when the weather is still warm enough and the tourist crowds are at tolerable levels. In the spring you won't be able to swim easily because the sea is cold from the winter. On the contrary in autumn you can.
5. The best solution, if you can afford it, is to stay in a room with a sunset view. In this way you will avoid the crowds at that time and you will be able to see it comfortably without any disturbance.
6. Also regarding the sunset there are many less prominent spots to enjoy it, these are just unknown and you need to search for them. Very good spots are the lighthouse in Akrotiri, the church of the Presentation of Virgin Mary in Pyrgos and Agios Nikolaos in Megalochori. I really liked the sunset in Skaros too. Also impressive is the view in Prophet Ilias mountain for both sunrise and sunset. But there are still many places especially on the road from Fira to Akrotiri where you can spontaneously stop at any point on the road.