A startling video has laid bare the less-than-idyllic reality of a day in Santorini, Greece, revealing scenes of locals “hiding in homes”, poo on the streets and “awful” sights.
Santorini is often seen as a dream destination with its stunning vistas, crystal-clear waters, and iconic white architecture. The island draws in excess of three million visitors annually, with cruise ships depositing up to 17,000 tourists daily who are keen to experience this much-adored vacation spot. Yet, those planning a trip to the island might be in for some unpleasant surprises.
Nick Holiday, an influencer known for his travel content, exposed the harsh truth in a recent TikTok video. The social media figure, who boasts over 50million likes across his posts, commented tourists in Santorini are “having an awful time” due to the extreme congestion.
“They can’t enjoy any of the things they wanted to see while they were there,” he further remarked.
This revelation comes amid growing alarm over the unsustainable tourist influx which is exerting immense pressure on local infrastructure and services, leaving no room for the island’s 20,000 inhabitants. The narrow lanes, not designed for heavy traffic, are frequently clogged with vehicles.
Plus, during the height of the tourist season, waste disposal systems fail to keep up, resulting in trash strewn about, distressing residents and spoiling the holiday for visitors.
Nick highlighted the huge queues of tourists squeezing through the narrow lanes, with staircases jammed and barely any room to manoeuvre. He remarked: “Santorini, Greece, is now an awful tourist vacation destination.”
On his social media handle @itsnickholiday, he elaborated: “The whole concept behind Santorini is its supposed to be a beautiful, romantic and quiet island versus Mykonos which is more of a party island. But, imagine travelling there and then everybody’s taking pictures around you and you can’t get a sense of peace at all.”
Reflecting on his previous visit to Santorini and Mykonos 15 years ago, Nick noted it was “nothing like this”. He further commented: “There is way too many people on this island and they are having a miserable time.”
Additionally, Nick mentioned that visitors have been grumbling about donkey excrement littering the paths and encountering historical sites shrouded in scaffolding. The video sparked a flurry of responses, with one person noting: “The crowds are especially bad when the cruise ships comes in. The locals hate it and I’ve heard them say ‘f***ing cruise ships’.”
“I went this past June and it’s super crowded,” another chimed in. Discussing the timing of tourist visits, a former traveller advised: “You have to go there early in the morning. We learnt our lesson.”
However, several individuals pointed out their pleasant experiences during off-peak months such as May, September, October, and November. One recommended: “Travel off-season. Had a wonderful experience in October and the weather was still nice.”
One other wrote: “Summer is not the best time to go. We went in spring time and it was just perfect – weather wise and crowd.”
Have you visited Santorini recently? Share your thoughts in the comments below.