The tourist invasion of 'Instagram island': Thousands of selfie-hunting holidaymakers pack the narrow streets of Santorini to capture sunset view loved by influencers

Daily Mail​

6 days ago

Thousands of selfie-hunting holidaymakers have packed the narrow streets of Santorini in a desperate bid to capture sunset views adored by influencers.
Videos have shown the shocking reality of visiting one of the world's most idealised holiday destinations - with an 'overflow' of tourists piling together to catch a glimpse of the evening sun on the once-idyllic Greek isle of Santorini.
Known for its white and blue architecture, volcanic landscape and charming villages, up to 17,000 tourists descend on the idyllic Aegan isle in the peak summer months.
But sunseekers have been left far from impressed with the reality of holidaying on the volcanic island, arguing that it falls short of their expectations due to 'jam-packed streets' and 'soaring' hotel prices.
Gabriella Barrass visited the picturesque coastal island in early July, forking out £2,200 on a four-day trip having been initially captivated by pictures of the crystal clear waters and small quaint Greek streets.
However, the Dubai resident said that any once-breathtaking views had now become tarnished by crowds of tourists battling ferociously for the perfect spot, while another popular destination, Oia, had become so full of donkey pool that it smelt 'terrible'.
Ms Barrass added that the 'incredible' photos of Santorni were somewhat deceptive, with the 'commecialised' nature of the island leaving it swamped with hordes of holidaymakers that had stripped it of its 'old school tradition and culture'.
She told Luxury Travel Daily: 'The overflow of tourists at every given spot we went to was overwhelming and definitely not the gorgeous, relaxing retreat I was expecting.
'There were hundreds of people trying to see the sunset at once.'
Meanwhile Claire, who had travelled more than 9,000 miles from Sydney, Australia described Oia as synonymous with 'animalistic mayhem', adding that that the relentless torrent of holidaymakers had left it 'crowded and jam packed'.
Oia, famous for its whitewashed buildings with blue-domed churches, is frequented by up to 170,000 cruise ship passengers who disembark on the island every day.
But shocking images of the small village shared last summer showed masses of tourists queuing on narrow walkways in a bid to get the best holiday shots.
Due to the growing numbers of visitors, queues to reach the viewing spot in the clifftop village can often take more than 20 minutes.
The island has now introduced new rules and measures to manage the influx of tourists, including a tourist tax, restrictions on access and parking, alongside a proposed 'saturation law' limiting daily visitor numbers.
A limit of 8,000 cruise ship passengers per day has also been enforced.
While Claire had hoped to 'explore the beaches and relax', she was left bitterly disappointed by 'jam packed streets that took ages to walk through', adding: 'It was also super hot with no shade anywhere.
Gabriella Barrass visited the picturesque coastal island in early July, forking out £2,200 on a four-day trip. However, the Dubai resident said that any once-breathtaking views had now become tarnished by crowds of tourists battling ferociously for the perfect sunset spot
'That was probably the worst part.
'We walked the steps down to Ammoudi Bay, which were covered in donkey poo, so it smelled pretty bad.
'I had to squeeze up against a wall on the way back up, as there were donkeys on their way down.
'I was kind of worried they'd squash me.'
Due to Ms Barras' negative experience, she remarked that 'I wouldn't go again', adding that there are 'much better' and 'less commercialised' islands on offer for tourists to enjoy.
Meanwhile Claire added that any prospective holidaymakers should avoid staying in Oia, adding: 'Avoid July and August if you hate the crowds and peak summer heat.'
On social media, viewers were quick to express their outrage at the ensuing crowds descending on Santorini, with one commenter saying: 'this gives me so much anxiety', while another remarked: 'This is why I travel right before the season hits'.
Last summer, one aggravated tourist took to social media to say that Santorini, which had been a stop during their cruise trip, had been a bitter disappointment, remarking: 'Should never have got off (and won't next time).
'One Instagram spot, litter everywhere and absolutely rammed streets.'
Meanwhile, another individual who said they work 'seasonally' in Santorini, said that there was 'no respect for the island or for us, from garbage, to times when the buses don't take us.'
The growing numbers of tourists flocking to the volcanic island has continued to be a point of great contention for furious locals who have even threatened to leave the Greek island after officials told them to keep out of tourists' way.
Last summer, local resident Onur Killic, 28, said that there are just 'too many tourists' coming to Santorini who leave rubbish behind and sometimes even a 'bad smell'.
'It's hard for locals because we live here. The roads are too crowded and the traffic is much worse; it's bad for environment and the cost of everything is out of control, locals cannot pay as prices have gone up,' the hotel worker told the i.
'They need to find the right balance, they could limit the amount of cruise ships, but the government is not doing enough – if this continues I will leave the island.'
It came just days after Santorini councillor Panos Kavallaris urged residents in a since-deleted Facebook post to stay at home and avoid the influx of thousands of tourists per day.
'Another difficult day for our city and island is ahead with the arrival of 17,000 visitors from cruise ships. We ask for your attention: limit your movements as much as possible,' Kavallaris said, but the post quickly caused outrage among locals.
Residents criticised the councillor's request, with one commenting on social media: '[He] officially asks locals to lock themselves at home, so that tourists can wander around free. Marvelous.'
LIFO, a popular Greek newspaper, said that while Kavallaris' announcement was made 'with the best intentions', it was clear that the situation in Santorini in regards to the amount of tourists coming to the island was getting out of control.
Of the record 32.7 million people who visited Greece in 2023, around 3.4 million, or one in 10, went to the small island of Santorini that has just 15,500 residents.
The Greek isle has relied on tourism since the 1960s, before which it largely depended on agriculture to support its economy.
But Santorini's mayor Nikos Zorzos stressed last year that there need to be 'limits' to the numbers of tourists descending on the island, warning that they could begin to 'sink under overtourism'.
He added: 'There must not be a single extra bed... whether in the large hotels or Airbnb rentals.'
Some locals in Oia have even resorted to putting signs up urging visitors to respect their home, with one sign from the Save Oia group reading: 'RESPECT... It's your holiday... but it's our home'.
Shaped by a volcanic eruption 3,600 years ago, Santorini's landscape is 'unique', the mayor said, and 'should not be harmed by new infrastructure'.
Around a fifth of the island is currently occupied by buildings, many of which are expensive luxury hotels featuring infinity swimming pools and jacuzzis.
In 2023, 800 cruise ships brought some 1.3 million passengers, according to the Hellenic Ports Association.
Cruisecritic, a Tripadvisor company, says that up to seven cruise ships can dock simultaneously on the island, which means that they could bring over 14,000 passengers if at full capacity.
Cruise ships 'do a lot of harm to the island', said Chantal Metakides, a Belgian resident of Santorini for 26 years.
'When there are eight or nine ships pumping out smoke, you can see the layer of pollution in the caldera,' she said.
In June last year, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis voiced his desire for the capping of cruise ship arrivals to Greece's most popular islands.
He told Bloomberg: 'There are people spending a lot of money to be on Santorini and they don't want the island to be swamped'.
In an interview, Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni echoed this sentiment and said: 'We must set quotas because it's impossible for an island such as Santorini... to have five cruise ships arriving at the same time.'
It comes as several of Europe's most popular cities have been captured becoming overrun this summer, with record-breaking tourist numbers turning some of Europe's most scenic streets into overcrowded, chaotic hotspots.
In the Italian capital of Rome, tourists are crammed shoulder-to-shoulder as they try to take in the city's famous architecture, with one likening the experience to being 'part of one big sweaty herd.'
Meanwhile, in Athens, known for its ancient ruins and historic streets, the crowds are so dense that visitors can barely squeeze past each other.
And in Florence, the tourist crush has reached such extremes that some travellers are siding with protesters, with one saying the situation is 'out of hand'.
One woman posted a video showing a huge queue of people waiting to see the Parthenon in Athens. The caption simply read: 'This was painful'.
A tourist in Rome filmed a busy square and asked, 'why is it so crowded?'
Viewers shared their thoughts in the comments section, with one person complaining that when they visited the city it was so busy they couldn't find a place to eat.
Another said: 'I don't understand why people decide to visit Rome in the summer. That's insane.'
In Florence, one tourist shared footage of a huge crowd and wrote across it, 'I don't blame the locals for wanting to protest against tourists'.
The caption read: 'This has gotten out of hand ..as a fellow tourist right now.. I'm so sorry. I'm annoyed for y'all.'