The truth is that the last decade, Santorini has become one of the most famous locations in the world!
There are many reasons why people voted Santorini as one of the most beautiful and spectacular places. Just to mention the highlights, we talk about the unique landscape with the stunning views to the caldera and the volcano, the interesting history of its civilization dating back the 4500 BC, the Cycladic architecture and the traditional settlements, the local wine and delicious ciusine and finally the famous black beaches.
Within these years, this reputation and advertisement created an uncontroled demand of incoming tourists on the island. This resulted to a discomfort on the streets and sidewalks, low quality of services and not enough facilities to support the amount of tourists. Santorini is a very small island, one can easily do the round of it within two hours only. We should all think that such a small island has physical limitations in electricity, water, drainage system and garbage.
In order to preserve this unique place, we as guests, the local municipality and the locals should think wiser and protect it. Incoming tourism can spread the travel periods from end of March when the weather is beautiful until end of November, this way consuption can remain the same but in a larger period of time. This way the services will be of higher quality, food will be better, because it wont be prepared so massively and fast, the facilities will operate better and there wont be so much traffic on the streets which will reduce car accidents.
We should all think of how to preserve things and places that exist, no matter if they dont belong to us.
I personally recommend to all travelers who wish to travel in Santorini, no matter if prices in Greece and all EU have gone up, there are always decent places to stay from 50€ per day, local restaurants with great food from 20€-25€ per person with drinks included. There are options for everyone! Santorini can be very affordable and beautiful any time of the year. The beauty and the experience remain the same, no matter when you decide to visit a unique place in this world!
PS. Check my block on things to do off season in Santorini.
