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Even if you’ve never searched for it before, you can probably easily describe Santorini with precision: we know it all for the white -covered, cliffshuizen, caldera hotels with outdoor swimming pools overlooking the Aegeansan … and the crowds.
Oh, the crowds.
We will not lie to you: the most famous Cycladic jewel in Greece is indeed beautiful, but the level of mass tourism with which it is confronted would cause you to find out this year, the busiest, especially if you can’t stand long lines And too expensive services.
Fortunately, Santorini is not the only Greek island that has all these great functions.
A short 2-3 hour ferry removed, there are two alternatives that still have to be spoiled by the masses, where you can find dreamy boutique hotels at much cheaper rates:
Milos
Moon -like landscapes, colorful ports and the Venus of Milo
The southwestern island in the Cyclades, Milos, is an unusual horseshoe-shaped island characterized by its moony, village-related landscape, natural sources filled with gin-colored waters, and complete with blue buildings churches and archaeological zones.
The most important port city, which is the access point for tourists arriving via ferry, has A high concentration of restaurants where you can eat affordable for around $ 15, with Oh Hamos Especially popular for fresh Greek salads and pasta and the family run Lydia Fish for their freshly caught.
Other popular cities for tourism are Plaka, the capital of the island and a maze of Padenlijn with blanche Houses, Klima, with its reborn houses with quickly painted doors, and the fishing village of Pollonia, famous for its excellent seafood and taverns owned.
Do you really want to be stunned? Make sure Sarakiniko Beach is on your task list: a collective of small, as-white coastal cliffs along the Aegean Sea; It is the main reason why Milos can be mentioned as Greece’s Moon Island.
If you are mainly here off the coastal vibes, Papraagas is also not to be missed: found at the end of a cave -like passage, this beach has soft, warm gold sand and crystal clear seas.
Now, if it is the culture that you are most passionate about, the hilltop village of TryPiti should be a top priority: It has a large archaeological zone with a partially preserved reserved Roman theater and the site where the world -famous Venus van Milo (now exhibited in the Louvre Museum in Paris) was found.
Naxos
A whitewashed harbor, lush domestic and old temples
About 100 nautical miles northeast of Milos, Naxos is another hidden gem of the Cyclades Island Group who often circumvents tourists in Santorini-Geobseeddddd in their own emphasis.
Unlike Milos, The site is much more fertileWith lush mountains that cross its hinterland, and many visitor -friendly walks that lead to small waterfalls that are empty in natural sources (view Routsouna), and some of the most breathtaking points of view in Greece.
It is also known as the home of the Door -like Temple of ApolloOr what remains, as well as the abandoned Hellenic Settlement or Yria Naxos, who goes back thousands of years.
Naxos puts on his name after his capital, called alternative Chora, A beautiful coastal scheme Filled with your usual consecutive consecutive rows of cube-shaped white houses, only briefly interrupted by the infringement of mansions in Venetian style and told with a 13th-century castle.
Naxos Town is the best place on the island to be established, not only because it is connected to other interesting points via the bus, such as the sleepy village of Montsouna from the east and the pristine sandy beaches to the south, but because it offers one Large choice of restaurants and accommodation.
Surprise, hotels here are not nearly as expensive as Santorini, despite the fact that Naxos is just as beautiful!
This Naxos policy Boutique Hotel, for example, located in the heart of Chora, has rates at night of only $ 93 a night at the beginning of this summer, and in Agios Prokopios, another trendy area to stay inside, Hotel Francesca is Consult only $ 41 per night.
How you can come to Milos and Naxos in 2025
The best time to visit Milos and Naxos is from April to mid-October, when the temperature is warm and pleasant enough, their summer heights reaching in July and August, connectivity between the islands is at its peak.
During the off and high seasons, both Milos and Naxos are well served by a multitude of ferry routes Santorini and Mykonos connect them to other Greek islands, including Santorini and even the mainland.
From Santorini to Milos
The fastest ferry from Santorini to Milos lasts 2 hours, while the longest completes the picturesque intersection in 5 hours, and Tickets on average $ 16 to $ 81Depending on the route you choose and the speed.
Three of the most important ferry lines that work on this route, are Seajets, usually the fastest, with a maximum of 7 weekly crossings, Aegean Zeelines, those passengers from the entire cyclades to the Greek mainland, twice a week, and the slowest of them, And the slowest of them, Zante Ferry, with 6 weekly visits to Milos.
As an alternative you can fly directly from Athens with Sky Express directly to Milos, with tickets that start at $ 54.
From Santorini to Naxos
Ferries are available daily from Santorini to Naxos, with the island operated by Blue Star Ferries, Minoan lines and Seajets.
Prices reach From $ 32 to $ 106as seen on FerryboatAnd the average crossing time is an acceptable 1h58.
Just like Milos, Naxos has a small airport that only organizes domestic flights from larger Greek mainland cities such as Athens and Thessaloniki, and from Heraklion, the bustling capital of Crete, the largest island of Greece.
With Sky Express will fly from Athens to Naxos to return you to about $ 47 when you have been booked in advance.
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This article originally appeared on Traveloffpath.com
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