With more than a hundred inhabited islands and literally thousands of other islands and islets, deciding which Greek Islands to visit can be challenging.
In this post, we’ll help you choose between two of Greece’s most popular and beautiful islands: Crete and Santorini—or Crete or Santorini based on our many years of experience exploring the islands.
Arguably the biggest pro of Crete is its fantastic variety. You might need two weeks to experience this stunning Greek island to the fullest. This is a kick-ass destination for an immersive Mediterranean island vacation.
Crete is a huge island, by far the largest in Greece, and ideally, you’d need one or even two weeks to explore it fully. For most people, this would mean dedicating their entire holiday in Greece—or a large part of it—to one island.
Santorini is unquestionably one of the most romantic destinations in Europe if not the entire world. Its photogenic whitewashed hillside villages are delightful to stroll through, and the views are exceptional.
It’s a place to wind down and relax. Just because there’s relatively little to do here—especially when compared with Crete—Santorini is a phenomenal place to kick back with a good book, enjoy each other’s company, and sit and take in the epic views.
Santorini is a destination visited mainly by international tourists, not by local Greeks people. This means that prices are higher in Santorini than they are in Crete. In short, Santorini is not a budget destination.