Avoiding Santorini Crowds?

[kosta_karapinotis]

I’m starting to think about a trip to Santorini this year. It’s been a while since I’ve been, and I’d really like to go back, but I keep hearing how crowded it’s gotten.

I’m not expecting it to be empty or anything, but I’d love to time it so I can still enjoy the views, walk around without feeling packed in, and actually get into restaurants without a huge wait.

For those of you who have been recently, when do you think is the best time to go? I’m trying to balance decent weather (warm enough for walking, maybe even the beach) with fewer crowds. Is late spring a good window? Or is early fall better?

 

[jenn]

I just got back from a Santorini trip, and honestly, the crowds worried me too—but it wasn’t bad at all.

I went late May, and it was perfect: warm enough to wander around Oia and even hit the beach, but not so packed that I felt like I was in a sea of tourists. September’s also amazing—cooler, gorgeous sunsets, and way fewer people. Staying near Amoudi Bay instead of right in Oia made it feel so much calmer. And the little family-run tavernas? Absolutely worth it.