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Even should you’ve by no means laid eyes on it earlier than, you may most likely 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 misinform you: Greece’s most well-known Cycladic gem is certainly attractive, however the degree of mass tourism it faces would make you will have second ideas about coming this yr, set to be the busiest but, particularly if you cannot stand lengthy strains and overpriced providers.
Thankfully, Santorini is not the only Greek island to have all these superb options.
A brief 2-3 hour ferry experience away, there are two alternate options yet to be spoiled by the plenty, the place you will discover 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 stuffed with 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 may 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 embody 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 positive Sarakiniko Beach is in your to-do checklist: a collective of small, ashen-white coastal cliffs lining the Aegean Sea; it’s the major purpose 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 seashore has mushy, heat golden sands and crystal-clear seas.
Now, if it is the tradition you are most keen about, the hilltop village of Trypiti ought to be a high precedence: it options a big archeological zone comprising a partially-preserved Roman theater and the location 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 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 rather 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 among 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, courting again hundreds of years.
Naxos takes its identify after its capital, alternatively known as Chora, an exquisite coastal settlement stuffed 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 fort.
Naxos Town is the perfect spot on the island to be primarily based in, not solely as a result of it’s related 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 presents a wide selection of eating places and lodging.
Surprise, accommodations listed below are nowhere close to as costly as Santorini, regardless of Naxos being simply as attractive!
This Polis of Naxos boutique resort, as an example, situated within the coronary heart of Chora, has in a single day charges from solely $93 an evening early this summer time, and over in Agios Prokopios, one more fashionable space to remain in, Hotel Francesca is charging as little as $41 per evening.
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 time 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 mess 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 strains 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 every week, and the slowest of them, Zante Ferry, with 6 weekly visits to Milos.
Alternatively, you may 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 each 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 common crossing time is a suitable 1h58.
Similarly to Milos, Naxos has a small airport internet hosting completely 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 prematurely.
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This article initially appeared on TravelOffPath.com
Opinions expressed listed below are the creator’s alone, not these of any financial institution, bank card issuer, resort, airline, or different entity. This content material has not been reviewed, permitted or in any other case endorsed by any of the entities included inside the publish.
