Dreaming of blue domes, picturesque villages clinging to vertiginous cliff drops, and Aegean Sea views for days?
When that Mamma Mia summer craving hits, Santorini is still the first destination of choice of a majority of travelers, despite the fact that it’s the most expensive, overcrowded, and inauthentic of all Greek islands.
Trust me, I’ve been to over 20 of them myself, and though I’ve barely scratched the surface—I still have some 180 islands to go—Santorini was the one I was left less impressed by thus far.
I’m talking luxury boutique shops propped up by rich housewives, Instagram hordes, and “how-is-this-even-real” cave suites going for $1,000+ a night. If you’re not exactly on a trust-fund budget, sorry to break it to you, you will not be experiencing the glitzy, glossy, influencer-glam side of Santorini.
Be content with long bus queues for buses that show up half an hour late, and the general vibe of “everyone’s sweating but pretending it’s aesthetic.”
Even then, $500–$700 for a 3 to 4-day stint is at the lower end.
What casual tourists who are just visiting Greece for the first time don’t know is that those whimsical Santorini aesthetics are not exactly, ahem, exclusive to the island alone.
Good old “Thira” is part of a larger Greek island group called the Cyclades, where islands share the same aesthetics, albeit different vibes, except they have maybe… half the crowds Santorini gets? If that?
Here are 5 hidden gems of the Cyclades that feel just like Santorini, but are waaay cheaper to visit:
Paros
The trendiest Santorini dupe these days, Paros is a breezy 2-hour ferry hop away from Santorini and an up-and-coming Cycladic hub that sits somewhere between still-frequented-by-locals realness and rapidly rising international popularity.
The main port town, Parikia, has that Old Town maze you just can’t help but get lost in, a scenic waterfront lined with family-owned tavernas, and it’s home to Panagia Ekatontapiliani, one of Greece’s oldest churches.
Naoussa, the picture-perfect spot, is the closest to a Mykonos vibe you get outside a jam-packed Little Venice, with the same chic bars, fishermen’ houses hugging the shoreline, and white alleys framed by bougainvillea.
Up the hills, Lefkess brings that old school charm and calm: marble-paved streets, zero chaos, and privileged views over the coast.
You should know by now that Santorini isn’t exactly great for beaches, with most of the island’s shoreline being made of lava rock and volcanic cliffs. Paros, on the other hand, has a long, sandy stretch in Golden Beach, and a smooth, sheltered Kolymbithres, known for its sculpted rock formations and calm, shallow water.
Average Prices In Paros, Greece
- Cheap takeout meal: €4–€7 | $4–$8
- 3-course mid-range dinner: €55–€85 | $60–$92 (2 people)
- Budget B&B / cheap hotel: €90–€120 | $95–$130 per night
- 4-star hotel: €150–€220 | $160–$240 per night
- Vehicle rental: €50–€80 | $55–$85 per day
- Taxi fare: €0.70 per km | $1.10 per mile
Greece is planning a major border overhaul this year that will directly affect American travelers.
From mandatory fingerprinting to a pending Electronic Travel Authorization, which will bar any tourist who hasn’t applied for clearance to travel in advance from hopping on Greece-bound flights, there’s a lot you need to stay on top of to avoid unpleasant surprises at the boarding gate.
Use our Entry Requirement Checker to make sure all your documentation is in order at the time of flying.
Folegandros
I will never cease to be amazed by how Folegandros is a mere 28 nautical miles from godforsaken Santorini, yet it feels like a completely different world.
For starters, unless you know exactly what you’re looking for on the map, you could easily mistake it for a tiny, uninhabited dot not really worth your time. It’s about 12 square miles, and walking north to south and west to east takes roughly 2h30 and 40 minutes, respectively.
That being said, you’d be surprised by how actually filled with life this unassuming rocky outcrop in the middle of the Aegean is. The “capital,” Chora, Folegandros, is the cutest clifftop village I’ve seen in the Cyclades, with its traditional cubic, whitewashed houses gathering at the foot of a Byzantine church.
I’ve had the best lamb and fava dinner of my life in Piatsa, the landmark restaurant literally spewing onto the village’s main square, with tables set under the shade of a giant plane tree, and up the hill, the Panagia Church frames those proper fiery blood-orange Aegean sunsets.
For a chill beach day, Agali is the prime spot on the island.
Think tiny pebbles mixed with fine golden sand, and a sheltered cove backed by cozy tavernas dishing out fresh seafood on the daily. A short boat ride from the main port, Katergo Beach has that wild, untamed character, and the “remote island” escape vibe you’re looking for.
Average Prices In Folegandros, Greece
- Cheap takeout meal: €5–€8 | $5–$9
- 3-course mid-range dinner: €60–€95 (2 people) | $65–$105 (2 people)
- Budget B&B / cheap hotel: €110–€160 | $120–$175 per night
- 4-star hotel: €170–€280 | $185–$305 per night
- Vehicle rental: €45–€75 | $50–$82 per day
- Taxi fare: €0.80 per km | $1.25 per mile
Sifnos
Now, if you associate a Greek island getaway with chill afternoon swims in the deep blue Aegean, relaxed village wandering without a fixed itinerary, and most importantly, amazing food you just can’t find in Oia’s or Little Venice’s fake Instagram tavernas catering to big spenders, Sifnos is the place for you.
Let’s start with the food, which is truly the main highlight here.
The island is the birthplace of Nikolaos Tselementes, who wrote one of the first modern Greek cookbooks all the way back in the early 1900s, and though he’s no longer around, of course, the island’s millennia-old culinary practices live on.
Slow-cooked stews, chickpea soups, mastelo lamb, and artisanal pastries you simply won’t find anywhere else in the Cyclades.
On top of that, it has beautiful small towns like Apollonia, Sifnos. White-painted streets, coffee shops, and that lived-in atmosphere that can’t be rivaled. On the beachside, Vathi Beach, Sifnos, is a low-key sandy strip known for its calm waters and seafood tavernas, whereas Platis Gialos, Sifnos, is the relaxed and easy-going harbor-front stretch.
Inland, you’ll find an excellent hiking network with old stone paths connecting remote villages, monasteries, and viewpoints. Sunsets in Sifnos are just as dramatic as Santorini’s, yet you get none of the hectic 7 pm rush.
All in all, Sifnos is that happy medium. More lively, and with more to see and do than Folegandros, but way calmer than Santorini. Chill, but never exactly boring.
Average Prices In Sifnos, Greece
- Cheap takeout meal: €5–€8 | $5–$9
- 3-course mid-range dinner: €40–€60 | $44–$66 (2 people)
- Budget B&B / cheap hotel: €70–€110 | $75–$120 per night
- 4-star hotel: €100–€170 | $110–$185 per night
- Vehicle rental: €55–€105 | $60–$115 per day
- Taxi fare: €0.80–€1.00 per km | $1.25–$1.60 per mile
Naxos
Not your average Greek island weekend escape, Naxos is a fairly large island you might want to dedicate 4 or 5 days, or even a full week to. Seriously. There’s so much to see, and so little time, not to mention a plethora of amazing beaches, that you’ll wish you’d planned a longer stay from the start.
Start with Naxos Chora, the main settlement, which dates back a few thousand years, but owes its current face to a late-medieval Venetian makeover. It has adorable winding pathways flanked by shops and cafés, boutique-lined alleys, and a historic castle to top it off.
Perched on a prominent hill on an islet sitting opposite Chora, connected to the mainland by a stone-paved causeway, Portara is the last-remaining gate of the ancient Temple of Apollo. One of the prettiest sunset spots in Naxos, especially if you can capture the Old Town framed by the ancient marble, though it can get a little busy at sunset hours.
Contrary to Santorini, Naxos has beautiful golden-sand beaches with clear water and easy access, like Agios Prokopios Beach and Plaka Beach, all within short driving distance of Chora.
Agia Anna Beach, a small coastal village where time seems to slow down, has tavernas right on the sand.
The island’s lush, mountainous inland is a huge part of its character, so gorgeous as the coast may be, don’t miss out on Apiranthos, a marble mountain village with stone streets and a strong Venetian feel. Hike up Mount Zas, the highest point in the Cyclades, and try wine freshly bottled from a local vineyard.
Average Prices In Naxos, Greece
- Cheap takeout meal: €3.5–€5 | $4–$6
- 3-course mid-range dinner: €45–€75 (2 people) | $49–$82 (2 people)
- Budget B&B / cheap hotel: €50–€90 | $55–$100 per night
- 4-star hotel: €120–€200 | $130–$220 per night
- Vehicle rental: €35–€70 | $38–$77 per day
- Taxi fare: €0.90–€1.20 per km | $1.00–$1.25 per mile
Wondering how safe it is to visit the Cyclades at the minute? Usually the epicenter of tourism in the region, Santorini is a good-enough barometer for establishing safety levels across the other islands.
If Santorini’s security is tight, then these other quieter Cycladic islands are even safer:
Amorgos
If you think Folegandros is offbeat and quiet, wait until you’ve seen how everything basically comes to a standstill, in the best possible way, in Amorgos, one of the farthest, easternmost points you can get in the Cyclades.
It has that rural, undeveloped, authentic character that was lost in much of the Cyclades following the cruising boom of the 80s, and for the most part, communities are made of tight-knit families sharing core hospitality values, and a slow, seasonal rhythm of life.
There’s only two main settlements on the island, their own Chora (a mountain village), and Aegiali, which is a good starting point for beach-hopping, and where you’ll land with the ferry.
The local architecture is quintessential Cyclades, and by that we mean chalk-white abodes with baby-blue framings, narrow labyrinthine alleys, and stone-paved paths.
When it comes to beaches, paradisiacal spots like Agia Anna Beach—yep, same name as Naxos, but totally different vibe—are all exceptionally quiet.
Amorgos’ crown jewel, you ask?
That’s not any particular beach, nor one of its picturesque towns. That would be the dramatic Hozoviotissa Monastery, one of the coolest things you’ll see in Greece: this fortress-like, almost otherworldly white monastery is basically etched onto the cliffside, facing a vertical drop below.
Monks still live inside, so double check in advance whether they’re open for visitors ahead of setting out on the short uphill hike from Chora.
Average Prices In Amorgos, Greece
- Cheap takeout meal: €4–€7 | $4–$8
- 3-course mid-range dinner: €50–€85 (2 people) | $55–$92 (2 people)
- Budget B&B / cheap hotel: €60–€110 | $65–$120 per night
- 4-star hotel: €110–€180 | $120–$200 per night
- Vehicle rental: €45–€80 | $50–$85 per day
- Taxi fare: €0.80–€1.00 per km | $1.25–$1.60 per mile
