Expectations vs Reality: Sunset in Santorini

Umm about sunset in Oia, Santorini...

It's beautiful.

But if I told you it was this amazingly emotional and romantic experience... well, I'd be stretching the truth for the 'gram. 😬😶‍🌫️

My pants wouldn't just be on fire. They'd be in the blazing 7th ring of 😈🔥

So I decided to keep it real as usual: I didn't enjoy sunset in Oia. Sure, the whitewashed buildings and blue domes were very beautiful when they were painted orange by the golden sun. ☀️🧡 But the crowds really ruined it for me (and this was SHOULDER season!). 😳

But outside of that super famous, super Instagrammable village, you'll find other less-popular spots in Santorini that also display the same beauty - without the crowds. 🫡

The BEST ways to see the sunset without the crowds?

🌊 Take a sunset catamaran around the caldera

🏨 Splurge on a hotel with your own private terrace

📍 Visit the Pyrgos Village instead

🌋 Watch from Mavro Vouno Hill

🥘 If you *really* want to watch from Oia, you can also make sure to pre-book a sunset view table at one of the local restaurants

[priyangshu_XD]

Just book a hotel with Sunset view Balcony fully private

[mackjeez]

More Info:

I work in Santorini every summer. Depending on where you are, it can be crowded but there are many many spots you can see the sunset in peace while enjoying a nice glass of wine and some finger foods but most tourists just find out at the last moment or they just don't know were to go and like sheep gather around each other at the highest point. If you're too lazy to look around and find a decent spot beforehand, best you ask a local.

This has to be around October, November not the greatest time to see the sunset because of fog and clouds, half the time the weather is also pretty gray, June to mid July is the best time to see the sunset, it's almost heart stopping how beautiful it is. It literarily engulfs everything into a golden light, too bad these tourists didn't do their research, instead of blaming themselves for their lack of research they always complain.

[xxxgaby]

What are these people looking for? Don't they look at the sunset at home? Every day you can look at a new one. It's allways beautifull. Everywhere.

[ianrobert]

You can see why locals get tired of endless tourism

[curcumin]

Spot on! The timing of music with the crowd 😂😂

[mariapap]

The sunset is the same. Now, if you go there with a romantic mood expecting to enjoy the sunset with just a few others around, it's not the sunset that's let you down but your own expectations.

[AaronBarrera-kzyt]

This is what happens if you visit in the summer.

[doninicdorai]

From our hotel, the sunset was spectacular and private. Best sunset in Imerovigli, right in the middle of the island.

[KEAHON]

This is funny because I was Oia, Santorini in August 2023 and we staked out our spot for the epic Santorini sunset and it wasn’t any better than any of the sunsets I’ve seen in my own town.

[TheLittleLambTalks]

Best place to watch the sunset is at the bottom of the tram ride where the cruise ships dock… it’s absolutely stunning and hardly anyone around. Last time I was there, The Genesis cruise ship was parked nearby and the sun was literally right in front of me…. It was like a sign from God. When you view sunset at the bottom, the sun looks so incredibly big and it fades into the bottom of ocean.

[xaverlustig]

The event in Oia isn't the sunset (it's the same everywhere), but the fact that people actually gather in huge numbers to celebrate it. They even applaud when the sun has set. It's the only place in the world where that happens. So crowds is what you want to see there.

[arashi]

Yup, don’t believe that things are as beautiful as it might seem online or on camera…it’s always the best in real life ❤

[ted_scruffy]

That's why we do the sunset cruise each year when we go much better no fighting the crowd and doesn't take hours to get out the car park

[timbunker]

Awful now. Used to go many years ago when it was hardly visited. Totally spoilt now for me.

[evanmathieu]

If you can do it, the end of May through 3rd week of June or September to 1st wk of October makes a much less harrowing experience. Was there one in early Juslu and ir was like that. Keep in mind if you can walk or take the bus to another cliff village, not far. You can avoid that look. Also, moderate restaurants are available in Fira. Not all are rip-off bc there is competition. Then you can see sunset w less interference if you don't want leave the two big towns.

[winniewingfield]

Well you can't complain about all the other enthusiastic sunset watcher's if your there for same experience. Just saying 😊

[putumurni]

i.ve benn here once...miss this place so much...im.from bali

[germale]

Ayeee me and my wife will be in Santorini at the end of August I can't wait!!!!

[learnbahasaindonesia]

Come in end of April or early May before the tourist season.

[katerinakaterinaki]

Sunset in Greece is everywhere the same!😂😂😂
As a Greek I never understood that phenomenon.