'I flew to Greek island known for beautiful views - it was hell and a total scam'
A summer getaway to Greece is about immersing yourself in the culture, soaking up the sun-soaked rays, indulging in the local delicacies and wandering around the enchanting cobbled streets. But for one traveller, their luxury holiday to Santorini left them less than impressed as they battled the crazy crowds taking over the Greek island.
Gabriella Barras, 27, visited Santorini on holiday earlier this year this month after scenic images of the island caught her attention on social media. The four-day trip cost her £2,200, but it wasn't anything like she imagined, with an "overflow of tourists".
"I expected Santorini to be a picturesque, relaxing and gorgeous holiday," Gabriella, who lives in Dubai, told Luxury Travel Daily. "I wanted to experience Greek culture and food.
"Photos of it looked incredible. While it was indeed picturesque and the views were phenomenal, I didn't think that there was much old school tradition and culture. It's so commercialised to the point where I didn't necessarily find it relaxing at all."
She added: "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."
In addition to the overcrowding, Gabriella found it tricky when it came to the stairs on the island. She explained: "We rented a car, so getting around wasn't difficult; however, a lot of the accommodation is up a whole load of stairs up the mountain.
"At some places, getting your luggage to and from your room or even just getting yourself up can be strenuous and maybe not possible for everyone."
Gabriella isn't the only traveller to have slammed Santorini. Claire Smith, 25, stayed in the popular tourist destination for six nights just a few weeks ago, which set her back £600. However, instead of admiring the crystal clear waters through the iconic white and blue buildings, her main view became the overcrowding of tourists.
Claire, who hails from Sydney, Australia, stayed in Fira, the capital of Santorini, but caught buses to Oia, one of Santorini's most popular towns, and Kamari, a village on the east coast of the island, for the day. "Trying to get on a bus was animalistic mayhem," she explained.
"I wanted to explore beaches and relax. I expected the stunning views and the classic pictures of the caldera that you see all over Instagram, the blue dome buildings and for it to be very hot.
"Oia was the most crowded and jam-packed in reality. That made it hard to enjoy. It was beautiful, but the main streets in the town were so jam-packed that it took ages to walk through, and it was also super hot with no shade anywhere. 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.
"We were getting the bus back from Kamari to Fira, and the bus stop had heaps of people all scrambling to get on it. There was no line at the bus stop to make it orderly, so it was a free-for-all.
"We luckily got on the bus, but I heard an Australian family saying that one American couple didn't manage to get on the bus and they'd also missed the previous one, so I felt really bad for people like that.
"Fira was easier and accessible for walking around. It was crowded but not to a crazy extent, where it makes it hard to appreciate anything."
Following her experience, Claire advises other holidaymakers to avoid Santorini during the peak season. She shared: "I would still recommend it to people because I think it's a pretty unique island with the incredible views, the caldera, white buildings and sunsets.
"My advice would be to probably not stay in Oia, and to avoid July and August if you hate the crowds and peak summer heat. I'd aim for the slightly calmer months when you can probably appreciate it a bit more."
Meanwhile, Gabriella said she's not in a hurry to return and recommended visiting quieter destinations in Greece, such as Milos, Koufonisia and Amorgos. "I wouldn't go again. I've been to much better islands and don't feel the need to see Santorini again," she said.
"I'd recommend people to go see it as a bucket list trip, but two to three days is more than enough, and I'd highly recommend other less commercialised islands."
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