9 Greek Islands Cheaper Than Santorini (That Are Just as Beautiful)
Santorini's caldera views come at caldera prices. These islands deliver the whitewashed villages, blue water, and great food for a fraction of the cost.
Sarakiniko Beach's white rock formations and clear blue sea in Milos, Greece. · Daciana Cristina Visan
Santorini earns its fame, but you pay for that caldera sunset: hotel rates, restaurant bills, and crowds that have all climbed past the point of reason. The good news is that Greece has roughly 200 inhabited islands, and many of them deliver the same whitewashed villages, electric-blue water, and slow-cooked island cooking for a fraction of the price.
These nine islands are genuinely cheaper than Santorini across the board, from where you sleep to where you eat, yet none of them feel like a compromise. Several are a short, cheap ferry hop from Athens or each other, so you can string two or three together into one trip.
We have ordered them best-first for value and all-round appeal, with notes on what makes each one special, how to get there, and who each suits. Use it to build an island-hop that costs less and feels more like the real Greece.
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1
NaxosCentral Cyclades, about 4-5.5 hours by ferry from Athens (Piraeus) Google
The biggest of the Cyclades is also one of the best value, because it grows much of its own food and isn't reliant on tourism alone. You get long sandy beaches like Plaka and Agios Prokopios, a mountainous interior dotted with Byzantine churches and marble-quarrying villages, and a working capital topped by the Portara, a giant marble doorway from an unfinished temple of Apollo. Tavernas here serve island specialties at honest prices: try the local graviera cheese, kitron liqueur, and slow-cooked patatato. It is a rare island that suits beach lovers, hikers, and families equally.
- Sunset at the Portara, the marble temple gate on the harbor islet
- Halki village and the kitron citrus distillery
- Plaka and Agios Prokopios beaches
- Mountain villages of Apiranthos and Filoti
Best for: families and first-timers who want a bit of everything
Getting there: Ferry from Piraeus (4-5.5 hours on regular boats, faster on high-speed); also reachable by short flight from Athens
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2
MilosWestern Cyclades, about 3-7 hours by ferry from Athens (Piraeus) Google
Volcanic Milos has the most dramatic coastline in the Cyclades and still costs noticeably less than Santorini for similar wow factor. The lunar-white rock formations at Sarakiniko look like a moonscape, while the old fishing village of Klima has brightly painted boat garages (syrmata) carved into the cliffs. You can only reach many of the best swimming coves, like Kleftiko, by boat, which makes a day cruise the single best thing you can do here. Eat fresh fish in Pollonia and watch the sunset from the hilltop village of Plaka.
- Sarakiniko's white volcanic rocks
- Boat trip to the Kleftiko sea caves
- Colorful syrmata fishermen's houses at Klima
- Sunset from Plaka's castle
Best for: couples and photographers chasing unique landscapes
Getting there: Ferry from Piraeus (3 hours by high-speed, up to 7 by conventional ferry); short flights from Athens also run
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3
ParosCentral Cyclades, about 3-5 hours by ferry from Athens (Piraeus) Google
Paros gives you classic Cycladic looks without the Mykonos markup, plus excellent ferry connections that make it a perfect hub. Parikia and the fishing port of Naoussa both deliver marble-paved lanes, bougainvillea, and waterfront bars, while Golden Beach draws windsurfers from around the world. The mountain village of Lefkes is a quiet escape into the interior, and the tiny island of Antiparos is a five-minute boat ride away. Prices for food and rooms sit well below Santorini, especially outside August.
- Wandering Naoussa's old harbor at night
- The Panagia Ekatontapiliani, a 4th-century church
- Day trip to Antiparos and its cave
- Windsurfing at Golden Beach
Best for: island-hoppers who want nightlife and easy connections
Getting there: Ferry from Piraeus (3 hours by high-speed, around 5 by conventional ferry)
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4
SifnosWestern Cyclades, about 2.5-5 hours by ferry from Athens (Piraeus) Google
Sifnos is Greece's quiet food capital, the home island of the cookbook author Nikolaos Tselementes, and dinner here is the main event. Order revithada (slow-baked chickpeas) and mastelo (lamb cooked in red wine and dill), traditionally roasted in the local clay pots that potters still throw by hand. Beyond the table, a network of old stone footpaths links whitewashed villages like Apollonia and Kastro, the latter a former capital wrapped around a headland above the sea. It feels refined but unpretentious, and far cheaper than Santorini for the quality.
- Dinner of revithada and mastelo
- The cliff-edge village of Kastro
- Hiking the old monopati trails between villages
- The chapel of Chrysopigi on its rocky spit
Best for: food lovers and walkers wanting an authentic island
Getting there: Ferry from Piraeus (2.5-3 hours by high-speed, up to 5 by conventional ferry)
5
FolegandrosWestern Cyclades, about 4-9 hours by ferry from Athens (Piraeus) Google
If it is the Santorini cliff-top drama you are after, Folegandros delivers it without the price or the cruise-ship crowds. Its main town, Chora, perches on the edge of a 200-meter cliff and is one of the prettiest in all the Cyclades, with cascading bougainvillea and a string of squares full of tavernas. Walk up to the church of Panagia for views over the whole island, and take a boat or a long hike down to swimming coves like Katergo. This is a slow, romantic island where evenings are spent lingering over dinner.
- Cliff-top Chora at golden hour
- Walking up to the Panagia church
- Boat trip to Katergo beach
- Sunset drinks in the car-free village squares
Best for: couples wanting Santorini drama without the crowds
Getting there: Ferry from Piraeus (4-5 hours by high-speed, longer on conventional boats); easily combined with Milos or Santorini
6
TinosCyclades, about 2-4.5 hours by ferry from Athens (Piraeus) Google
Tinos is famous within Greece as a pilgrimage island, but travelers are catching on to its 50-plus marble-working villages, terraced hills, and growing reputation for food and wine. Pyrgos is the heart of the marble tradition, with a museum and workshops, while Volax sits among a surreal field of giant round boulders. The island makes some of the Cyclades' best small-production wine and hosts an increasingly serious food scene at honest local prices. It is right next to Mykonos but feels a world (and a budget) away.
- Marble-carving village of Pyrgos
- The boulder-strewn hamlet of Volax
- Dovecotes scattered across the hillsides
- Local wineries and farm-to-table tavernas
Best for: travelers seeking culture, craft, and food off the tourist trail
Getting there: Ferry from Piraeus (2-4.5 hours) or a quick hop from Mykonos and Andros
7
SyrosCyclades, about 2.5-4 hours by ferry from Athens (Piraeus) Google
Syros is the capital of the Cyclades and feels different from its neighbors: its main town, Ermoupoli, is a grand 19th-century port city with neoclassical mansions, a marble-paved main square, and a working opera house, the Apollon Theatre. Because real people live and work here year-round, prices stay reasonable and the restaurants stay good in every season. Climb to the medieval Catholic quarter of Ano Syros for sunset, and try the local loukoumi (Turkish delight) and San Michali cheese. It is an underrated city break with beaches attached.
- Neoclassical Ermoupoli and Miaouli Square
- The Apollon Theatre, a mini La Scala
- Sunset from the medieval Ano Syros
- Local loukoumi and San Michali cheese
Best for: culture seekers who like a lived-in town over a resort
Getting there: Ferry from Piraeus (2.5 hours by high-speed, around 4 by conventional ferry)
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8
AeginaSaronic Gulf, about 40-75 minutes by ferry from Athens (Piraeus) Google
The closest of all to Athens, Aegina is the easy, cheap escape that locals use for weekends, which keeps it priced for Greeks rather than honeymooners. The island is covered in pistachio orchards, and its sweet, prized nuts are sold all along the harbor. Don't miss the remarkably well-preserved Temple of Aphaia, a Doric temple older than the Parthenon, set among pines with sea views. With frequent, inexpensive ferries you can visit on a day trip, often combined with the tiny neighboring islands of Agistri and Moni.
- The hilltop Temple of Aphaia
- Aegina pistachios fresh from the harbor stalls
- The ruined Byzantine town of Paleochora
- Swimming off nearby Moni and Agistri
Best for: a cheap day trip or weekend from Athens
Getting there: Ferry from Piraeus (40 minutes by fast boat, 75 by conventional ferry), with very frequent departures
9
AmorgosFar eastern Cyclades, about 5-9 hours by ferry from Athens (Piraeus) Google
The most remote of the Cyclades is also one of the most rewarding, a long, mountainous island that rewards the effort it takes to reach it. Its signature sight is the Hozoviotissa Monastery, a dazzling white building wedged into a sheer cliff 300 meters above the sea, where monks still offer visitors a shot of psimeni raki. The fjord-like cove at Agia Anna featured in the cult film The Big Blue, and the hilltop Chora is one of the least commercialized in the islands. Because it is hard to reach, prices stay genuinely low and crowds stay thin.
- The cliff-clinging Hozoviotissa Monastery
- Swimming at Agia Anna below the monastery
- The wreck of the Olympia at Liveros Bay
- Quiet, traditional Chora
Best for: adventurous travelers and hikers wanting true escape
Getting there: Ferry from Piraeus (5 hours by high-speed, up to 9 by conventional ferry); best combined with Naxos or Koufonisia
Good to Know
When to go Late May to mid-June and September deliver warm seas, open tavernas, and prices well below the August peak. Avoid the first three weeks of August, when Greek and European holidays push rooms and ferries to their most expensive and crowded.
Booking ferries Use Ferryhopper or Ferries.gr to compare routes, and book popular high-speed crossings a few days ahead in summer. Conventional ferries are slower but much cheaper and far steadier in wind, which matters in the meltemi season of July and August.
Island-hopping smartly Group islands by cluster to save money and time: Milos with Folegandros and Sifnos in the west; Naxos with Paros and Amorgos in the center; Tinos with Syros and Mykonos in the north. Hopping within a cluster costs a fraction of returning to Athens between each.
Saving on the ground Renting a car or scooter for a day or two beats taxis on the bigger islands, and eating where the menu is only in Greek usually means better food at lower prices. Many of the best beaches are free; pay only for a sunbed if you actually want one.
Santorini will always be spectacular, but it is no longer the only place to find a perfect Cycladic sunset or a plate of grilled octopus by the water. Pick one of these islands, or string a few together by ferry, and you will spend less while seeing a more relaxed, more authentic side of Greece. Start with the ferry schedule, block out your shoulder-season dates, and build the trip around the islands that match your pace.