Okay real talk. We’re planning our Greece trip and Santorini hotels are making me physically ill. Like 350 to 500 euros a night for a “cave hotel” in Oia that sleeps 2. Meanwhile Naxos is literally right there and a hotel with a pool is 120 euros.
Is the Santorini caldera view really SO special that it justifies 3x the price? Or is it one of those places that looks amazing on Instagram but in person you’re just fighting crowds and paying insane markups for a mediocre sunset dinner?
I want someone who’s been to BOTH Santorini and a less famous island to tell me honestly: did Santorini live up to it?
I’ve been to Santorini and honestly, while the views are beautiful, I personally don’t think you need to spend 350–500€ a night to enjoy them. In my opinion, you can absolutely stay on a nearby island for much less and take a ferry or day trip to Santorini to see the caldera and the famous sunset views.
The scenery is stunning, yes — but the crowds and prices can feel exhausting, especially in Oia during peak times. I think islands like Naxos feel much more relaxed and authentic, and you get a lot more for your money there.
If it were me, I’d probably split it: a short Santorini visit for the experience, then spend most of the trip on a quieter island actually enjoying Greece
I went in the 80’s and we took a boat from Crete then spent a day on the island and then home again
I found staying further south on the island was much more cost effective! We found a great place to stay in Fira which put us right in the middle, so easy access to everything. You can rent an ATV for cheap and get around the whole island without paying Oia pricing for a place to stay!