Latest news with #Santorini
Telegraph
4 hours ago
- Telegraph
How earthquakes did the impossible and made Santorini quiet again
As anyone who knows Santorini will tell you, a great indication of the island's busyness is the time it takes to drive the one bus-wide road leading from the ferry port to the top of the hill and the turn-off for its capital, Fira. Last year, at the height of summer, I sat in a boiling car for half an hour waiting for traffic to creep a few hundred yards. When I arrived there a few days ago, I raced along the near-empty road in five minutes. There's no doubt Santorini is much quieter than usual – a side-effect, it would seem, of the earthquakes that rattled the island earlier this year deterring people from booking summer breaks. 'It's like the island used to be – much quieter and much nicer,' said Giorgos Karayiannis, manager of Astra Suites, a property with a caldera-edge swimming pool. 'They've also restricted the number of cruise ships, which makes a big difference.' Tourism kickstarted on Santorini during the 1970s, when hoteliers began to buy up cave houses around its famous caldera and transform them into chic boutique accommodation. By the 1990s, most of the properties had been rebuilt and tourism was booming. Karayiannis was in Santorini during the earthquakes earlier this year. Along with some 10,000 fellow inhabitants (close to half of the population), he left the island. 'We were worried because it had never happened like that: every few minutes an earthquake – it was like someone giving you a quick shove each time. But now it's stopped for months and I'm not worried at all,' he says. Giorgos Alexandrou, owner of local tour and transfer company VIP Santorini, agrees: 'Santorini is one of the most carefully watched volcanoes in the world. Experts monitor it closely and volcanic eruptions don't just happen without warning.' Andreas Manessis, who owns boutique hotel Casa Sunsha in Oia, confirmed that there was no structural damage to infrastructure or hospitality venues, and no reported injuries. 'Today, the island is fully operational – it's a rare moment of calm for such a globally loved destination.' However, according to Adonis Pagonis, president of the local hotel association, arrivals to the Santorini are down by at least 25 per cent this year because travellers are still worried. Staff at some of the island's top hotels told me that they think it's nearer 40 per cent. 'The hotel is half full – that's unheard of in July. We just stand around waiting for people to arrive,' one manager confided. But other factors have contributed to the decline in footfall, too. Like its glitzy sister Mykonos – which is also experiencing a major downturn in arrivals – overtourism has been a major problem for Santorini in recent years. With around 3.4 million tourists a year, traffic jams can be dire, rubbish overflows in the streets, and a lack of accommodation has forced seasonal workers to live in cramped rooms or, in some cases, in caves. A cap on cruise ship arrivals – down to 8,000 a day – and a €20 per passenger tax was finally approved this year. 'The image of Santorini this year is different compared to other years, as the flows of visitors have been regulated,' the town's mayor Nikos Zorzos is quoted as saying. With plenty of accommodation available, hotels trimming rates in an attempt to fill empty rooms and fewer crowds, it's definitely the perfect time to visit Santorini. I found luxury hotels around the caldera, which usually sell rooms for upwards of €700 a night at this time of year, offering rates as low as €300 – something that hasn't happened since the Covid pandemic. Alexandrou agrees that it's a good time to visit. 'Even busy places like Oia feel more relaxed,' he told me. To test his verdict, we headed out on one of VIP Santorini's photo tours designed for punters who want pictures of themselves in all the main hotspots that are popular with Instagrammers and selfie-takers. Usually jammed with tourists from one end to the other, Oia's pedestrian footpath leading to the village's famed castle sunset spot was blissfully easy to navigate. Further on, we paused to pose above a string of glittering caldera-edge pools. Usually packed with loved-up honeymooners, they were all empty. Even at the famed blue-domed church picture spot, where, Alexandrou told me, there are usually lengthy queues, we snapped the perfect shots right away without having to jostle for position. 'This is an almost unheard-of chance to have a holiday with very low prices compared to previous years,' John Burbaris, manager of the newly renovated Canaves Ena hotel in Oia, adds.
Daily Mail
9 hours ago
- Daily Mail
The tourist invasion of 'Instagram island': Thousands of selfie-hunting holidaymakers pack the narrow streets of Santorini to capture sunset view loved by influencers
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.'
News.com.au
19 hours ago
- News.com.au
Tourists slam popular European holiday spot for being overcrowded
Summertime is when many tourists travel to European hotspots like Italy and Greece — but oftentimes the experience people encounter there during the busy season is anything but relaxing. According to Jam Press, 27-year-old Gabriella Barras spent close to AU$4,611 on a four-day trip to Santorini — an extremely popular Greek island many people flock to for its picturesque villages and stunning beaches. She went into her trip with undoubtedly high expectations, but Barras was unfortunately anything but impressed due to the island being overrun by eager tourists. 'I expected Santorini to be a picturesque, relaxing and gorgeous holiday,' Barras 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.' While it's hard to deny that travel hotspots like Santorini are stunning — sometimes the influx of pushy tourists can take away from the place's charm and history. '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.' And Barras isn't the only one who was disappointed by her European summer holiday. It's one thing to be in a crowd of people, feeling like a herd of cows in a popular island town — but trying to travel from one place to another using public transportation is another frustrating feat. Traveller, Claire, also stayed in Santorini and struggled fighting the crowds to board a bus to visit another part of the island. 'Trying to get on a bus was animalistic mayhem,' she told Luxury Travel Daily. '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.' The overcrowding of summer tourists in European countries has gotten out of hand over the past several months. Earlier this summer, thousands of tourists caused a 'gridlock' of both traffic and people to access Sirmione, a resort town situated on the scenic shores of Lake Garda in northern Italy. Dramatic footage of the rowdy scene was posted to X with the caption: 'Overrun by tourists — chaos, gridlock and hours of waiting. A crisis that must be urgently addressed and regulated. It damages our heritage and turns the experience into a negative one …'
Yahoo
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Sunday short stories, episode 1 : My Big Fat Greek Honeymoon
This week's story takes us to the beautiful Greek island of Santorini, where love and suspense dance under the setting Mediterranean sun. Hello readers! My name is Kay Kingsman and I am a fiction author and travel writer. I am starting a new weekly column called "Sunday short stories" that will be travel-focused short stories, each week featuring a new story in a new destination - a la Shakespeare when he used to publish his now famous stories in his local newspaper. If this particular story is not your cup of tea, feel free to skip; each week will be a different genre. If you love reading, please consider subscribing so you can be the first to read every week! Now with that intro out of the way, let's get into the story. My Big Fat Greek Honeymoon, by Kay Kingsman location: Santorini, Greece genre: crime, suspense content warnings: murder (off-screen) *This is a work of fiction. Unless otherwise indicated, all the names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents in this book are either the product of the author's imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. ——— I was the one scared to get married. Everyone knew that. Yes, it was a bit stereotypical of me, being a 30-something male and all, but marriage was a big deal. If anything, society was a bit too relaxed and casual about the fact marriage entails completely merging everything about your life to another person. And how long did newlyweds typically know each other? A couple years? Practically strangers. I was certainly not the man I was even two years ago. Plus, my heart had been broken before so I didn't fancy the idea of having to pay thousands of dollars to eventually have the same thing happen all over again. Thankfully, Iris, bless her sweet heart, was very patient with me. When we passed jewelry stores, she pretended to check her phone or suddenly feigned interest in the particular color of the sky. If we ate at an upscale restaurant, French if I chose or Mexican if she did, Iris would politely excuse herself to the restroom while the host looked up our reservation. However when my eyes followed her body sashaying into the bathroom, she would always pitstop by the kitchen to question the staff by miming kneeling and opening a box. Most of the time, they would shake their head, but on the off-chance they confirmed her suspicious of any proposals, we would promptly eat anywhere else. I had never watched a romantic movie with Iris either. She claimed that genre was nauseatingly ridiculous and catered to the chauvinistic ideal that a woman's life, no matter how successful, was not complete without a witty and slightly arrogant male partner. "Are you just saying that because I'm not witty or slightly arrogant?" I would tease. "Well, you are definitely one of those," she would retort with a smirk, turning on Top Gun for the fiftieth time. Not that I was complaining. And while Iris wasn't completely wrong, about the romance genre not my level of wit, I couldn't help but notice her Netflix saved list was cheesier than a plate of nachos. Iris did it all for me, which, when I was finally ready six years later, made my actual proposal extremely difficult. I had to catch her completely off guard. She foiled my restaurant proposal twice, a fireworks proposal once, and she even caught the time at the Ferris wheel. I had asked the conductor to stop us at the top when Iris ran to grab a bag of cotton candy, and even made eye contact with him as we got inside our pod. We stopped at the top, sunset dazzling in the background. I took the box out of my pocket, then called out her name. My heart was in my throat as she looked at me. Then she threw up all over my shoes. I put the box back in my pocket. It had come to the point where I wasn't nervous anymore, just frustrated about carrying around an awkwardly shaped velveteen cube for six months. For those who asked later of our proposal, they were answered with the story of how we stayed in Friday night for our favorite activity (again, Top Gun) and Iris asked me if she should skip her Pilates class in the morning and I responded with 'Will you marry me, Iris?' Not the cutest story, but at least vomit wasn't involved. She even had a work around for my hesitation around price. "A destination wedding?" I looked at her incredulously, but she just beamed back with her dazzlingly white grin. "They're actually so much more affordable than normal weddings. Resorts usually have a package so less planning too. And my yiayia and Papou can join us." My eyebrows furrowed together. "Wait, what do you mean?" Now it was her turn to look at me incredulously. "I'm Greek." "Oh. Really?" "My name is Iris." As if that was supposed to mean anything to me. Most of the Irises I had known were Asian. "Well, that's cool..." because I didn't know what else to say. Iris had never mentioned anything about her heritage before. See - practically strangers. "But you were born here, right?" Her eyebrows rose into her hairline, "Does it matter?" "No not at all." I quickly backtracked. "Greece sounds incredible." And it was. Iris was beautiful in Greece. We arrived to the island of Santorini, Greece a full week before our wedding so she could show me the streets she used to run down barefoot every summer on her annual family trip. There was something about the Mediterranean sun kissing her skin that made Iris even more beautiful. Her bright blue eyes sparkled like the water lapping up at our feet on the rocky shores. Her hair glistened, soaking up the warm rays until the curls expanded into a full thick halo around her head. The language dripping from her tongue blossomed a new personality, one that I had only briefly seen after Iris had a glass (or three) of wine. On our wedding day, she was beautiful. In between resort staff pulling and prodding me in every direction as they ushered us through the schedule, friends and family sobbing throughout the entire day, plates breaking one thing I remembered was how beautiful she was. The day after our wedding day, she was also beautiful. Looking down at Iris now, her eye makeup smeared down her cheeks and one set of fake eyelashes perched on the side of her forehead, she was still beautiful. The day we met, it was at a dim bar on a Wednesday night. I just had a bad day at work and she was out for happy hour with her girlfriends. Her future bridesmaids, in fact. Iris had absolutely no makeup on, but her laugh made everyone turn around to watch her. For one, her laugh was very loud and on the verge of a snort with every inhale, but it was also invigorating. She was beautiful then too. Meanwhile, those same bridesmaids stood behind her at the alter, their eyes as dry as the whiskey shots that night. The way the sheet laid over her naked curves, revealing no information but teased to their secrets, I wanted everything to happen all over again. The meeting, the first day, the first kiss, the second kiss, every kiss after, all the hand holding and laughing and binge eating then stomach aches and the fairs, movies, vacations, running errands together. And the wedding. Oh the wedding. I wanted it all again, and to last forever. Bruises from last night trickled down the side of her neck in a twisted galaxy of blue, purple, and red, but already starting to lose vibrancy. Iris still wore her veil, I couldn't get her to take it off. Not even a full day after the wedding. No one could convince her to part with it, and I knew she wanted to live in the dream again. For it to last forever. The veil was ripped, torn into thin lace curtains cascading down the chestnut curls of her hair, now matted from hairspray and friction. Even with her eyes closed, I knew Iris was the love of my life. 'Is that her?' The coroner asked again, his hand firmly gripping my shaking shoulder. I hadn't even realized I was shaking. I hadn't even realized I was crying, barely holding myself up as my heart landed in my gut. Even with her blue skin and her fingernails ripped off and scratches running up and down her limbs, Iris was beautiful. And it was only the beginning of our honeymoon. ——- Stay tuned for Sunday short stories, episode 2, when we head to the continent of Africa for a rivals-to-lovers story set nestled in the mountains of Morocco! Solve the daily Crossword
Scottish Sun
a day ago
- Business
- Scottish Sun
B&Q slashes £110 off ‘fab' garden furniture set that is ‘great for summer'
All recommendations within this article are informed by expert editorial opinion. If you click on a link in this story we may earn affiliate revenue. Plus, we reveal more summer garden furniture offers SHOP TO IT B&Q slashes £110 off 'fab' garden furniture set that is 'great for summer' Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) B&Q HAS slashed £110 off the price of a garden furniture piece that shoppers have been raving about. The popular DIY store has reduced the price of its GoodHome Vitello Grey & Natural Wooden 2 seater Bistro set. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 B&Q has reduced the price of its popular furniture set Credit: B&Q The stylish garden set comes with two grey chairs and a wooden table. It originally cost £300 but customers can now bag the product for £190. That makes a saving of £110. Shoppers have been going wild for the summer find, with one describing it as "fab" and the "best" they found. While another happy customer said: "Great product really comfortable and hoot price. "We needed to move away from rattan as we live by the sea and it doesn't last." And a third added: "This set is great for the summer." If you are keen to shop the product you can do so online, in-store or via click and collect. If you plan to shop the summer set at a store it may be worth ringing up ahead of time to ensure the piece is in stock. When shopping it is also important to compare prices to avoid paying more than you need to. Wayfair is selling a similar set for £189.99, while has a set for £350. 'Why is no-one talking about this-' woman says about B&M buy that'll transform her bathroom for 'less than a Domino's' And it is not the only offer B&Q has on at the moment. It's Derry four-seater coffee design garden set is reduced from £160 down to £110. B&Q also impressed shoppers with a three-piece wicker furniture set scanning for less than £100. The DIY expert is offering two chairs and a table, perfect for relaxing in the sun, for just £98.99. MORE SUMMER FURNITURE DEALS And it is not only B&Q that is rolling out offers on its summer furniture. Dunelm has slashed the price of its Santorini 2 Seater Bistro Set to £59.50, down from an original price of £119. Elsewhere, it's Rattan Bench has been reduced to just £34.30, down from £49, thanks to a 30% discount. The bench features a sturdy powder-coated steel frame and a woven rattan design.
