I travelled to Santorini at the end of October. I’d be lying if I say that I wasn’t a little bit concerned about visiting the island at the very end of the tourist season. Will the shops still be open? Will I be able to reach all the towns with public transportation? Will the weather ruin my trip? All these questions and more were running through my head as I was preparing for the trip. The truth is that I just didn’t know what to expect.
Well, I can now tell you that I had a whale of a time. For me, the weather was perfect. I could easily reach all the sights I wanted to see and exploring was an absolute pleasure because there weren’t thousands of tourists. Nonetheless, I think we should make a pro/con list because who doesn’t love a good list? I’ll start with the pros.
Pros
- Fewer people. This is a huge plus for me because I’m not a fan of crowds. It also means more space and freedom to explore a new destination. Having said that, even at the end of October, Fira and Oia were very busy. I can only imagine how crowded it must be during July/August.
- Cheaper flights. That makes sense, right? It’s the end of the season and the airlines want to pack their aircrafts as full as possible. I paid €86 for a direct, one-way flight from Amsterdam to Fira on Transavia. The flight back to Amsterdam from Santorini was more expensive, so I got creative and returned via Italy. My flight from Fira to Verona was only €29 and then a second flight from Milan to Amsterdam for €36.
- Lower accommodation rates. Same as with the airlines, the prices of accommodation drops towards the end of the season. I stayed in Karterados in a private, single room for only €25 a night, including breakfast. Because the prices are so cheap, you can extend your trip and stay for longer, which I highly recommend.
- Sales in shops. It’s the end of the season and the shops want to clear their stock. You’ll see a lot of marked down products.
- The weather was perfect. I list the weather as both a pro and a con. The maximum daily temperature of 22 °C was perfect for hiking. Of the eight days I spent on the island, only one day was cold and miserable.
Cons
- Cooler temperatures. As I’ve mentioned above, the weather was great for hiking, but it was also too cold to swim or sunbathe. If you’re a beach bum, this is not the best time of the year to visit.
- The beach towns of Kamari and Perissa are dead, as in, they were basically ghost towns. The majority of the shops and restaurants were closed and there was nothing going on, no real vibe left. I wouldn’t recommend staying here.
- The bus schedule. This is really just me nit-picking and being difficult. Even during the low season the busses ran pretty regularly.
As you can see, the pros win! Haha. But I’m a subjective observer. If you want to travel to Santorini to lay in the sun and swim in the sea and party through the night, then you should definitely not go in October. If you’re more like me, and you want to enjoy all the sights without the crowds and you want to hike and take in the natural beauty of the island, then I’d recommend visiting in October.
Do you have any questions for me about visiting Santorini in October? I’m happy to answer if you leave them below 🙂
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