A holidaymaker was sorely let down when he arrived on a Greek island known for its beauty, only to discover it was ‘overrun with tourists’.

Ignacio Merino, CEO of Freetour, describes himself as a regular traveller who has been around the block when it comes to destinations. However, he was not expecting what he found during his post-Covid jaunt.

“As a frequent traveller, I can say that my least pleasant experience was on the island of Santorini, Greece. Don’t get me wrong, it’s beautiful, the views are amazing and the natural surroundings are stunning, but it’s just overrun with tourists,” Ignacio told the Express.

“Walking around Oia felt like a nightmare. It was almost impossible to have a calm time there. The whole place feels like a tourist circus, everyone on their phones, taking selfies, posing for the same Instagram shot. Additionally, everything is ridiculously overpriced.”

Ignacio visited Santorini two years ago and stayed for just three days. But that was quite enough.

“It’s really expensive. The views and nature are amazing, but Oia is packed with tourists and hard to enjoy. The worst part is the feeling that you can get ripped off anytime! Taxis and restaurants can be tricky (I was even asked for a €100 ride from the port to Oia, but got it for €40 with another driver), so always check prices and don’t accept recommendations not on the menu to avoid surprises,” he continued.

“Since then, I have preferred places where I can enjoy nature away from crowds. My advice is to avoid the super touristy spots or at least visit them off-season, and do some research online first to know which restaurants and bars are trustworthy.”

The appeal of Santorini as a holiday destination is very obvious. Thousands of years ago, a giant volcano blew out the middle of a once-existing island here, creating a caldera. Today, whitewashed villages cling to the top of the caldera’s towering black walls. The sea that surrounds the island is warm and teeming with fish, while a cooling breeze rushes across the island, bringing the ‘feels-like’ temperature down a little on the hotter summer days.

The dazzling white-washed houses, blue-domed churches and azure skies of the Greek island pull in a reported 3.4 million visitors a year, far outnumbering Santorini’s 20,000 or so permanent residents.

During the high season as many as 17,000 cruise ship passengers arrive at Santorini each day. Their short stays mean that they spend little on the island, while clogging up its streets down by the port. Santorini Mayor Nikos Zorzos has proposed a cap on cruise ship passengers, down to 8,000 a day. It’s a move backed by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who told Bloomberg the measure is set for next year. The change is yet to kick in.

Ignacio recommends avoiding Santorini in favour of heading for the mountains. “On the other hand, a place that really surprised me was the small town of Mittenwald in the German Alps near the Austrian border. It’s quiet and charming. The views from Karwendelspitze mountain are breathtaking and it’s not overrun by tourists so you can actually enjoy the views and the nature,” he said.