This Greek island holds a special place with travelers, only reinforced by social media. But what is the story on the ground? A reality check.
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00:00These are the Instagram images you see of the Greek island Santorini.
00:07Beautiful blue dome churches, the amazing red beach and white buildings with a beautiful sunset.
00:17And you'll have them all to yourself.
00:20But what's it like in reality?
00:22This volcanic island with its charming villages perched high on the cliffs is one of the country's top tourist destinations.
00:28Over two million people visit each year.
00:31We're going to check out three spots to see if they live up to reality.
00:36Our first reality check is in the town of Fira, the island's tourist hub and capital.
00:41This is where most tourists stay.
00:43It's the heart of action on the island with an active nightlife scene, restaurants and plenty of stunning views.
00:52The city is located two to three hundred meters above sea level and its buildings seem to hang off of the caldera,
01:01which formed during volcanic activity many centuries ago.
01:05In the upper part of the city you'll also find the famous Three Bells Church of Firostefani with its typical blue dome.
01:13People come here from all over the world.
01:16I come from Peru.
01:17Miami, Florida, United States.
01:19Pennsylvania.
01:20Sicilia.
01:21So is Fira as amazing as it looks on social media?
01:25Basically it's a lot of tourists and we came from Mykonos where it is quiet and this is a different setting than it is.
01:36I like Santorini a lot. It's what I thought it would be.
01:39I try to take pictures and it doesn't look the same. Like you have to see it in person.
01:44Well, you can't leave Santorini without visiting Fira but be prepared to wait in line for some of the best photo opportunities
01:51or explore early in the morning before the cruise ship passengers arrive.
02:01Our next stop is the popular Red Beach in the south of the island.
02:05This is arguably the most famous and beautiful beach in Santorini thanks to its stunning red cliffs.
02:12The island's volcanic activity is responsible for its multi-coloured sands like this deep red hue.
02:20However, it's actually forbidden to access this beach since it can be dangerous.
02:25Landslides are frequent here and people do get injured when rocks fall from the high cliffs,
02:30although many people ignore the warnings.
02:34Instead, we recommend taking a picture from this vantage point or by taking a boat or kayak tour since most of them stop here.
02:45So, does the Red Beach live up to its image on social media?
02:49Yes, it looks absolutely amazing, especially from afar.
02:53However, be aware that you're taking a risk if you decide to lay here.
02:59Our final stop is the fishing village of Oia, the most popular Instagram spot on the island and maybe in Europe.
03:08You've definitely seen people posing in front of its blue-domed churches and other impressive white-washed buildings.
03:14Instagram has helped transform this town into a full-blown tourism hotspot in the last decade.
03:20The most popular photo spots are the Anastasi Church and the Church of Panaia Plaça,
03:25but beware, it can be chaotic.
03:28In high season, you will probably have to wait in line for a photo in front of one of the famous churches.
03:34And then there's Oia's famous sunset.
03:36Each day, hundreds of people come here to watch the sunset over the terraced buildings of Oia.
03:42But if you come in high season, it's easy to be overwhelmed by the crowds.
03:48The most popular sunset in the world, I think.
03:52Most popular sunset in the world, I think.
03:55And it's amazing, yes. I love it.
03:58So beautiful and so crowded. Oh my God.
04:02It did and it didn't live up to my expectations.
04:05I thought the sunset itself was beautiful and the view of the town with the flowers and the Greek flag was blowing in the perfect direction.
04:12That was great, but honestly, it was pretty crowded and I had to really kind of like elbow my way through the crowd.
04:19So, I really enjoyed the experience. I would do it maybe once.
04:24But I think for my rest of this day in Greece, I'm going to try to find a more quiet spot for the sunset.
04:31So, does it live up to its Instagram image?
04:34Yes and no.
04:35Although it looks pretty in real life, one thing you don't see in the photos
04:39are the hundreds of other people crowding the village's small streets at sunset.
04:44So, if you want the perfect shot, just be aware that there's more happening than what you see in the frame.
04:50The bottom line, Santorini is a beautiful island,
04:53but if you want to see the main sights, either go in the off-season or be prepared for the crowds.