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Even in the event you’ve by no means laid eyes on it earlier than, you possibly can in all probability simply describe Santorini with precision: everyone knows it for the whitewashed, cliffside homes, caldera accommodations with out of doors plunge swimming pools overlooking the Aegean… and the crowds.
Oh, the crowds.
We will not deceive you: Greece’s most well-known Cycladic gem is certainly beautiful, however the stage of mass tourism it faces would make you might have second ideas about coming this yr, set to be the busiest but, particularly if you cannot stand lengthy traces and overpriced companies.
Thankfully, Santorini is not the only Greek island to have all these wonderful options.
A brief 2-3 hour ferry trip away, there are two alternate options yet to be spoiled by the plenty, the place you’ll find dreamy boutique accommodations at less expensive charges:
Milos
Lunar-Like Landscapes, Colorful Harbors & The Venus Of Milo
The southwesternmost island within the Cyclades, Milos, is an uncommon horseshoe-shaped island characterised by its lunar-like, village-dotted panorama, pure springs full of gin-colored waters, and full with blue-dome church buildings and archeological zones.
Its major port city, which is the entry level for vacationers arriving through ferry, boasts a excessive focus of eating places the place you possibly can eat affordably for round $15, with Oh Hamos being notably widespread for contemporary Greek salads and pasta and the family-run Lydia for his or her freshly-caught fish.
Other widespread cities for tourism embrace Plaka, the island’s capital, and a maze of pathways line with blanche homes, Klima, with its harbor-facing homes with brightly-painted doorways, and the fishing village of Pollonia, well-known for its wonderful seafood and local-owned taverns.
Wanna be really mind-blown? Make certain Sarakiniko Beach is in your to-do checklist: a collective of small, ashen-white coastal cliffs lining the Aegean Sea; it’s the major motive why Milos may very well be known as Greece’s Moon Island.
If you are right here primarily for the coastal vibes, Papafragas is to not be missed, both: discovered on the finish of a cavernous passage, this seaside has smooth, heat golden sands and crystal-clear seas.
Now, if it is the tradition you are most captivated with, the hilltop village of Trypiti must be a prime precedence: it options a big archeological zone comprising a partially-preserved Roman theater and the positioning the place the world-famous Venus of Milo (now exhibited within the Louvre Museum in Paris) was discovered.
Naxos
A Whitewashed Port, Lush Inland Nature & Ancient Temples
Some 100 nautical miles northeast of Milos, Naxos is yet one more hidden gem of the Cyclades island group that Santorini-obsessed vacationers usually bypass––to their very own detriment.
Contrary to Milos, its terrain is far more fertile, with lush mountains traversing its hinterland, and loads of visitor-friendly hikes resulting in tiny waterfalls that vacant into pure springs (try Routsouna), and a few of the most breathtaking viewpoints in Greece.
It’s additionally well-known for being the house of the door-like Temple of Apollo, or what’s left of it, in addition to the deserted Hellenic settlement of Yria Naxos, relationship again 1000’s of years.
Naxos takes its title after its capital, alternatively referred to as Chora, a gorgeous coastal settlement crammed along with your regular successive uphill rows of cube-shaped white homes, interrupted solely briefly by the intrusion of Venetian-style mansions and topped with a Thirteenth-century fortress.
Naxos Town is the most effective spot on the island to be primarily based in, not solely as a result of it’s linked by bus to different factors of curiosity, just like the sleepy village of Montsouna out east and the unspoiled sandy seashores to the south, however as a result of it gives a large choice of eating places and lodging.
Surprise, accommodations listed below are nowhere close to as costly as Santorini, regardless of Naxos being simply as beautiful!
This Polis of Naxos boutique resort, for example, situated within the coronary heart of Chora, has in a single day charges from solely $93 an evening early this summer season, and over in Agios Prokopios, yet one more fashionable space to remain in, Hotel Francesca is charging as little as $41 per night time.
How To Get To Milos And Naxos In 2025
The greatest time to go to Milos and Naxos is from April to mid-October, when temperatures are heat and nice sufficient, reaching their summer season highs in July and August––when connectivity between the islands is at its peak.
During the off and excessive seasons, each Milos and Naxos are well-served by a large number of ferry routes linking them to different Greek islands, Santorini and Mykonos included, and even the mainland.
Getting From Santorini To Milos
The quickest ferry from Santorini to Milos takes 2 hours, whereas the longest completes the scenic crossing in 5 hours, and tickets common $16 to $81, relying on the route you go for and the velocity.
Three of the principle ferry traces working on this route are Seajets, often the quickest, with as much as 7 weekly crossings, Aegean Sea Lines, which carries passengers from all around the Cyclades to the Greek mainland, twice per week, and the slowest of them, Zante Ferry, with 6 weekly visits to Milos.
Alternatively, you possibly can fly on to Milos from Athens with SKY Express, with tickets beginning at $54.
Getting From Santorini To Naxos
Going from Santorini to Naxos, ferries can be found day by day, with the island serviced by Blue Star Ferries, Minoan Lines and Seajets.
Prices vary from $32 to $106, as seen on Ferryhopper, and the typical crossing time is an appropriate 1h58.
Similarly to Milos, Naxos has a small airport internet hosting solely home flights from bigger Greek mainland cities like Athens and Thessaloniki, and from Heraklion, the bustling capital of Crete, Greece’s largest island.
With SKY Express, flying from Athens to Naxos will set you again by roughly $47 when booked upfront.
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This article initially appeared on TravelOffPath.com
Opinions expressed listed below are the writer’s alone, not these of any financial institution, bank card issuer, resort, airline, or different entity. This content material has not been reviewed, authorised or in any other case endorsed by any of the entities included inside the publish.
