{"id":2645,"date":"2023-09-04T14:59:00","date_gmt":"2023-09-04T04:59:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/luxuryescapes.com\/inspiration\/how-to-escape-the-crowds-in-the-greek-islands\/"},"modified":"2025-05-12T17:13:34","modified_gmt":"2025-05-12T07:13:34","slug":"how-to-escape-the-crowds-in-the-greek-islands","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/luxuryescapes.com\/inspiration\/how-to-escape-the-crowds-in-the-greek-islands\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Escape the Crowds in the Greek Islands"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Have the moonscapes of Milos or the seas around Santorini all to yourself. Flip Byrnes shares the ultimate Greek Islands experiences far from the touristy crowds.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If there\u2019s one experience to splurge on when you visit Santorini, it\u2019s a private charter with Renieris Santorini Sailing Centre. My captain, Eleftherios, explains the history of the island as we pass Akrotiri Lighthouse, Red Beach and nose onto a private mooring at volcanic Nea Kameni island.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The caldera may seem calm, but the islands of Santorini have not been silenced completely. Nea Kameni remains a live volcanic site (it has been dormant since 1950, having erupted eight times in 1900 years) and these islands continue to be pushed slowly out of the sea by the volcanic pressure below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

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Author Flip Byrnes explores Oia.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A day on the water is a day where time pauses. There are no crowds here, ever, just the sizzle of fresh fish as sailor Petros barbeques on the catamaran\u2019s aft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If we were more time rich, we\u2019d continue to Thirasia, so far east of the tourist track most don\u2019t even know it exists. It\u2019s also tempting to drop anchor in Santorini, permanently, but instead we heed Poseidon\u2019s call and continue our sea odyssey to Milos. A two-hour sail west is Greece\u2019s latest \u201cit\u201d island, a geological gem with supernatural rock forms and abandoned mines. This Cycladic island hasn\u2019t hit the tourist heights of Santorini or Mykonis (yet), but was hurled into the publicity stratosphere when British Vogue started shooting here and Justin Bieber splashed down in 2021.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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