Shhh, it’s ‘Secret Santorini’
No cruise ships, no crowds. Here’s proof the Cyclades still has quiet charm, writes
Michael Gebicki.
Welcome to Folegandros – possibly the last untouched piece of true Greece.
The island, which is 32 square kilometres, lies close to Santorini and Milos and is home to only 650 inhabitants.
While neighbour Santorini, home to the blue-domed white buildings that adorn every Greek product worldwide, has had enough of being popular, Folegandros is an oasis away from the madding crowd.
‘‘Folegandros. It’s at the southern end of the Cyclades Islands, 30 minutes by boat from Santorini but the population is small so ferry services are infrequent,’’ says Filippos Venetopoulos, adventure cruise manager at Peregrine Adventures.
‘‘We call it ‘the secret Santorini’ because it also has a caldera and it’s incredibly beautiful, and it gets the same sunset that Santorini is famous for, but it’s not visited by cruise ships.
‘‘There are just three small villages and the food served in the local tavernas is totally original. Not a lot of hotels but there are apartments for rent.
‘‘Folegandros is for people who want to get away from the crowds and have an authentic taste of Greek Island life.’’
‘‘Folegandros is for people who want to get away from the crowds and have an authentic taste of Greek Island life.
‘‘It’s very romantic, very quiet, there’s no nightlife to speak of, the beaches are fantastic, and you’ll forget about any stress in your life.
‘‘Folegandros is one of the islands that Peregrine Adventure Cruising will be visiting on our Greek Islands itinerary.’’ – Traveller See peregrineadventures.com