8 Underrated Alternatives to Santorini for a Quieter Greek Island Escape
Caldera drama, whitewashed villages, and sunsets that rival Oia, minus the cruise-ship crush and the influencer scrum.
Explore the stunning cliffside architecture of Oia, Santorini under a clear blue sky. · Emily Geibel
Santorini earns its fame: the caldera, the cobalt domes, the sunset over Oia. But it now absorbs millions of visitors a year, and high summer can mean shoulder-to-shoulder lanes, two-hour waits for a sunset photo, and prices that match the hype. The good news is that Santorini's best qualities, whitewashed villages spilling over cliffs, volcanic landscapes, and unforgettable golden hours, are scattered across dozens of quieter Greek islands.
These eight picks deliver the Cycladic dream with breathing room. Some are volcanic siblings of Santorini, some trade caldera views for empty beaches and serious food, and all of them let you actually feel the island rather than fight the crowds. Most are reached by ferry from Piraeus or Rafina near Athens, so they slot neatly into a wider Greece trip.
We've ordered them roughly best-first as Santorini substitutes, but the right choice depends on what you loved about Santorini in the first place: the cliffs, the sunsets, the wine, or just the postcard-perfect lanes. Read the 'best for' line on each to match an island to your mood.
Planning a trip to Greece?
1
FolegandrosWestern Cyclades, ferry from Piraeus or via Santorini/Milos Google
If you want Santorini's vertigo-inducing cliffs without the circus, Folegandros is the closest thing in Greece. Its Chora perches on the lip of a 200-meter cliff, a maze of bougainvillea-draped squares where cars are banned and tavernas spill into the lanes. The walk up to the church of Panagia at sunset gives you the kind of sweeping, sea-and-sky panorama people queue hours for in Oia, often with only a handful of others beside you. Days are spent at coves like Agali and Katergo, reached by foot or small boat, and evenings revolve around long dinners and a genuinely local pace.
- Sunset from the Panagia church above Chora
- Dinner in the car-free squares of the old town
- Boat trip to Katergo and Agali beaches
Best for: cliffside drama and romantic, slow evenings
Getting there: Ferry from Piraeus (around 4-9 hours depending on the boat), or a short hop from Milos, Santorini, or Ios
2
MilosSouthwestern Cyclades, ferry from Piraeus Google
Milos is volcanic like Santorini but channels its geology into surreal beaches rather than caldera cliffs. The moon-white rock formations of Sarakiniko look like a lunar landscape dropped beside turquoise water, while Kleftiko's sea caves and arches are best seen on a boat trip around the coast. Fishing villages such as Klima and Mandrakia line the shore with syrmata, brightly painted boat-garage doors in candy colors, and the food scene leans into fresh seafood and the island's pitarakia cheese pies. With over 70 beaches, it rewards anyone who likes to explore by rental car or boat.
- The white rock moonscape of Sarakiniko
- Boat trip to the Kleftiko sea caves
- Colorful fishing village of Klima at dusk
Best for: beach-hoppers and photographers
Getting there: Ferry from Piraeus (3-7 hours by fast or conventional boat); flights from Athens take about 40 minutes
Plan it on MagicTrips
3
AmorgosEastern Cyclades, ferry from Piraeus or Naxos Google
Amorgos is raw, dramatic, and gloriously uncommercial, the island where parts of The Big Blue were filmed. Its showstopper is the Hozoviotissa Monastery, a dazzling white building wedged improbably into a sheer cliff high above the Aegean, reachable by a steep stepped path that ends with a glass of rakomelo from the monks. The two main towns, Chora and the harbor of Katapola, keep their windmills and quiet charm, and divers come for the wreck of the Olympia off Liveros Bay. It feels like the Cyclades of 30 years ago.
- The cliff-clinging Hozoviotissa Monastery
- The Big Blue shipwreck off Agia Anna
- Hiking the old footpaths between villages
Best for: hikers, divers, and seekers of authentic, untouristed Greece
Getting there: Ferry from Piraeus (5-9 hours) or a shorter connection from Naxos
4
SifnosWestern Cyclades, ferry from Piraeus Google
Sifnos is the Cyclades for food lovers, the home island of Nikolaos Tselementes, Greece's most famous cookbook author. Its slow-cooked chickpea stew (revithada) baked in clay pots and the island's ceramic tradition give it a sense of craft that's missing from flashier destinations. The whitewashed villages of Apollonia and Artemonas string together churches and family tavernas, while the cliffside chapel of Chrysopigi is one of the most photographed spots in Greece. A network of well-marked walking trails connects beaches, monasteries, and pottery workshops.
- Revithada chickpea stew straight from the oven
- The seaside chapel of Chrysopigi
- Pottery workshops in Kamares and Faros
Best for: food lovers and walkers
Getting there: Ferry from Piraeus (2.5-5 hours by fast or conventional boat)
5
NaxosCentral Cyclades, ferry from Piraeus or Rafina Google
The largest Cycladic island is also one of the most rewarding, blending great beaches with a real, lived-in interior. The iconic Portara, a giant marble doorway from an unfinished temple on an islet by the harbor, frames one of the best free sunsets in the Aegean. Inland, mountain villages like Halki and Apiranthos sit among olive groves and produce the island's citron liqueur and graviera cheese, while the west coast strings together long sandy beaches such as Plaka and Agios Prokopios. There's enough here for a full week without ever feeling crowded.
- Sunset through the marble Portara
- Mountain villages of Halki and Apiranthos
- Long sandy beaches at Plaka and Agios Prokopios
Best for: families and travelers wanting variety on one island
Getting there: Ferry from Piraeus or Rafina (3.5-6 hours); domestic flights from Athens take about 45 minutes
Plan it on MagicTrips
6
AstypaleaDodecanese (bridging the Cyclades), ferry or flight Google
Butterfly-shaped Astypalea looks more Cycladic than its Dodecanese neighbors, crowned by a Venetian castle whose whitewashed houses cascade down the hill in a way that genuinely recalls a Santorini hillside. The Chora's row of windmills and the fortress make for a magical evening stroll, and the island has quietly become Europe's first 'smart, sustainable' island, running on electric vehicles. Empty beaches like Kaminakia and the thermal-fed bays reward those willing to make the longer journey. It is one of the least-visited photogenic islands in Greece.
- The Venetian Querini castle above Chora
- The line of windmills at sunset
- Remote beaches like Kaminakia and Vatses
Best for: travelers who want a quiet, end-of-the-line hideaway
Getting there: Ferry from Piraeus (long, often overnight) or a short domestic flight from Athens to the island airport
7
TinosCyclades, ferry from Rafina or Piraeus Google
Just a short hop from Mykonos but a world away in feel, Tinos is famous among Greeks for its pilgrimage church and among in-the-know travelers for its 40-plus stone villages and superb food. Pyrgos is a marble-carving town where even the bus stops and fountains are sculpted, and Volax sits among giant round boulders unlike anywhere else in the Aegean. The island has become a quiet gastronomic destination, with acclaimed tavernas serving local cheeses, artichokes, and louza cured pork. It offers the Cycladic village fantasy with very few foreign tourists.
- The marble-carving village of Pyrgos
- Boulder-strewn village of Volax
- Farm-to-table tavernas across the hill villages
Best for: culture and food without the party crowd
Getting there: Ferry from Rafina (around 2-4 hours) or from Piraeus; easily combined with Mykonos
8
AnafiEastern Cyclades, just east of Santorini Google
Anafi sits within sight of Santorini yet receives a tiny fraction of its visitors, making it the ultimate antidote to the crowds next door. Its Chora tumbles white down a hillside above the port, and Mount Kalamos rises behind it as one of the largest monoliths in the Mediterranean, topped by a monastery. The beaches at Klisidi and Roukounas are golden, uncrowded, and lapped by clear water, and life here moves at a genuinely unhurried pace with just a handful of tavernas. Come for total disconnection rather than nightlife or polish.
- Climbing Mount Kalamos to the monastery
- Quiet golden beaches at Roukounas and Klisidi
- Whitewashed Chora with views back to Santorini
Best for: off-grid relaxation and serious quiet
Getting there: Ferry from Piraeus (long haul), most easily reached as a short connection from Santorini
Good to Know
When to go Late May to mid-June and September offer warm seas, long days, and a fraction of the August crowds and prices. Many smaller islands wind down by late October when ferry schedules thin out.
Book ferries ahead In July and August, popular fast-ferry routes from Piraeus and Rafina sell out, especially for cars. Reserve named seats in advance and build in buffer time, as schedules can shift with the meltemi wind.
Rent wheels On larger islands like Naxos and Milos, a rental car or scooter is essential to reach the best beaches and inland villages. Book early in peak season, as fleets are small and sell out.
Island-hop smartly Many of these islands connect to each other and to Santorini, so you can pair a quiet base with a single day trip to the famous caldera. Check inter-island ferry days, which can be limited on the smaller routes.
Carry cash Smaller tavernas, bakeries, and family rooms on the quieter islands may not take cards, and ATMs can be scarce on places like Anafi and Astypalea. Stock up on euros before you sail.
Santorini's beauty is real, but it is no longer the only place in Greece to find cliff-top villages, volcanic drama, and sunsets worth crossing the sea for. Pick the island that matches what you love most, whether that's Folegandros for the cliffs, Milos for the beaches, or Sifnos for the food, and you'll trade the crowds for the kind of slow, soulful Greece that keeps people coming back. Start with the ferry timetable from Athens, and build your island-hop from there.