Santorini: Greek island beauty amidst tourist droves

DW (English)

This Greek island holds a special place with travelers, only reinforced by social media. But what is the story on the ground? A reality check.

Transcript

00:00These are the Instagram images you see of the Greek island Santorini.

00:07Beautiful blue dome churches, the amazing red beach and white buildings with a beautiful sunset.

00:17And you'll have them all to yourself.

00:20But what's it like in reality?

00:22This volcanic island with its charming villages perched high on the cliffs is one of the country's top tourist destinations.

00:28Over two million people visit each year.

00:31We're going to check out three spots to see if they live up to reality.

00:36Our first reality check is in the town of Fira, the island's tourist hub and capital.

00:41This is where most tourists stay.

00:43It's the heart of action on the island with an active nightlife scene, restaurants and plenty of stunning views.

00:52The city is located two to three hundred meters above sea level and its buildings seem to hang off of the caldera,

01:01which formed during volcanic activity many centuries ago.

01:05In the upper part of the city you'll also find the famous Three Bells Church of Firostefani with its typical blue dome.

01:13People come here from all over the world.

01:16I come from Peru.

01:17Miami, Florida, United States.

01:19Pennsylvania.

01:20Sicilia.

01:21So is Fira as amazing as it looks on social media?

01:25Basically it's a lot of tourists and we came from Mykonos where it is quiet and this is a different setting than it is.

01:36I like Santorini a lot. It's what I thought it would be.

01:39I try to take pictures and it doesn't look the same. Like you have to see it in person.

01:44Well, you can't leave Santorini without visiting Fira but be prepared to wait in line for some of the best photo opportunities

01:51or explore early in the morning before the cruise ship passengers arrive.

02:01Our next stop is the popular Red Beach in the south of the island.

02:05This is arguably the most famous and beautiful beach in Santorini thanks to its stunning red cliffs.

02:12The island's volcanic activity is responsible for its multi-coloured sands like this deep red hue.

02:20However, it's actually forbidden to access this beach since it can be dangerous.

02:25Landslides are frequent here and people do get injured when rocks fall from the high cliffs,

02:30although many people ignore the warnings.

02:34Instead, we recommend taking a picture from this vantage point or by taking a boat or kayak tour since most of them stop here.

02:45So, does the Red Beach live up to its image on social media?

02:49Yes, it looks absolutely amazing, especially from afar.

02:53However, be aware that you're taking a risk if you decide to lay here.

02:59Our final stop is the fishing village of Oia, the most popular Instagram spot on the island and maybe in Europe.

03:08You've definitely seen people posing in front of its blue-domed churches and other impressive white-washed buildings.

03:14Instagram has helped transform this town into a full-blown tourism hotspot in the last decade.

03:20The most popular photo spots are the Anastasi Church and the Church of Panaia Plaça,

03:25but beware, it can be chaotic.

03:28In high season, you will probably have to wait in line for a photo in front of one of the famous churches.

03:34And then there's Oia's famous sunset.

03:36Each day, hundreds of people come here to watch the sunset over the terraced buildings of Oia.

03:42But if you come in high season, it's easy to be overwhelmed by the crowds.

03:48The most popular sunset in the world, I think.

03:52Most popular sunset in the world, I think.

03:55And it's amazing, yes. I love it.

03:58So beautiful and so crowded. Oh my God.

04:02It did and it didn't live up to my expectations.

04:05I thought the sunset itself was beautiful and the view of the town with the flowers and the Greek flag was blowing in the perfect direction.

04:12That was great, but honestly, it was pretty crowded and I had to really kind of like elbow my way through the crowd.

04:19So, I really enjoyed the experience. I would do it maybe once.

04:24But I think for my rest of this day in Greece, I'm going to try to find a more quiet spot for the sunset.

04:31So, does it live up to its Instagram image?

04:34Yes and no.

04:35Although it looks pretty in real life, one thing you don't see in the photos

04:39are the hundreds of other people crowding the village's small streets at sunset.

04:44So, if you want the perfect shot, just be aware that there's more happening than what you see in the frame.

04:50The bottom line, Santorini is a beautiful island,

04:53but if you want to see the main sights, either go in the off-season or be prepared for the crowds.

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