Pretty European island ‘better than Santorini’ tourists call a ‘rough diamond’

Greece has many famous islands reknowned for their stunning beaches and crystal clear waters, but there is one underrated location giving Santorini a run for its money. 

The beautiful little island of Folegandros, located between Paros and Santorini, is full of incredible natural beauty and remains relatively untouched by tourists. 

With more cosmopolitan islands surrounding it, Folegandros has a very different style and charm which it has managed to keep unspoiled. 

The extremely photogenic but small island can only be reached by a ferry ride from Athens or Santorini, with two-to-three crossings each day.

Despite being harder to reach than other more popular Greek islands, such as Santorini and Mykonos, Folegandros is the clear favourite for some. 

Francesca Syz, a luxury travel writer for The Telegraph, said she would pick the “spectacular” Folegandros over the more popular two, calling it a “rough diamond of the Agean Sea”.

She wrote: “I would choose Folegandros over either island, with its dramatic peaks and plunging canyons, rising out of the gin-clear Aegean and ringed by other treasures such as Milos, Sifnos and Sikinos.”

The quaint island only has a population of 300, which jumps to 700 during the summer season, and only gets 50,000 tourists a year compared to Santorini‘s two million, making it the perfect slice of paradise for those looking to avoid the crowds.

Syz continued: “It’s peaceful and authentic with a spectacular clifftop town (Chora), 65 churches and hiking paths through pastures thick with wild thyme and fennel where sheep, goats and donkeys graze.

“Then there are the beaches, the hidden bays, some sandy, others pebbly, some, like Karavostasi, the island’s sleepy little port, where the ferry, fishing boats and yachts glide in and out accessible by car, others only by boat.”

Agali Beach is one of the island’s top attractions, providing a gorgeous place to relax in a “small but friendly” environment protected by a stunning bay.

One user on TripAdvisor wrote: “The best beach in the island also having sand! Very easy to visit and lots of tavernas that offer bice food. Definitely worth visiting.”

Another said: “A perfect beach for sun lovers and swimming. This is very well protected by the bay of Agkali, so even when Meltemi blows furiously this beach is a smart choice.”

A third chimed in: “Clear clean water, a small but very friendly beach, reef shoes makes walking on the beach more comfortable, good sunbaking, catch a boat from the beach area, and enjoy a meal and drinks. All in [all] this [is a] great little pocket of paradise.”