Greek Islands to Avoid (and Where to Go Instead)

Greek islands to avoid are not necessarily bad. They are just the ones that tend to disappoint travelers who arrive at the wrong time, for the wrong reasons, without a plan. Every summer a few famous destinations attract huge crowds way beyond what the small harbours were intended to handle. Santorini received 3,4 million visitors in 2024, compared to its roughly 15,000 residents. Mykonos is on the news for drinks topping €125. The good news: for each island you would probably skip in peak season because of the crowd, there is a quieter one nearby offering the same views and beaches.

In the guide, you will find the islands that most visitors regret in July and August, why, and which less crowded alternatives get you the Greece you actually pictured.

Which Greek Islands to Avoid (and Why)

The Greek islands most travelers regret at the height of the tourist season are Mykonos, Santorini, Zakynthos, Kos and Rhodes. Not for any lack of beauty or good services, but because the crowds, cost and cruise ship traffic are more than they can handle. Below is an honest assessment of each one, who should still go and where to go instead. A tailor-made Greece itinerary can also help you choose islands that match your travel style and avoid the busiest routes. 

Mykonos

Mykonos ranks high on almost every “avoid” list and the reason is one: it is the most expensive island in Greece, while the quality rarely satisfies the price quote. Visitors often complain about rounds of drinks exceeding €125 and beach-club bills reaching hundreds. At the same time, more than 1.5 million cruise passengers arrived in 2025, crowding the narrow streets of the main town.

The party-and-luxury image now characterizes the island almost entirely, although there are plenty of other Greece travel ideas to consider beyond its beach clubs and nightlife. Some travelers love it and for others, it’s a problem.

Who should still go: party lovers, second-timers, and travelers planning group travel with friends in Greece around the beach-club scene.

Go instead: Paros or Naxos for fun nights with enough fresh air and much cheaper prices.

Santorini

Santorini’s caldera views are genuinely once-in-a-lifetime. But, so are the queues to see them. Every year the island attracts almost 3 million tourists, whereas the local population is around 15,000. This is why the authorities have capped the number of cruise visitors to 8,000 per day.

By late afternoon the sunset places in Oia become packed and prices go up. The island itself is amazing. But, going there without any preparations might lead to a bad experience.

Who should still go: first-timers set on the iconic view and couples planning honeymoon travel in Greece who are willing to organize their time to avoid the crowds.

Go instead: Milos or Folegandros for similar magnificent cliffs and sunsets but less people around.

Zakynthos

Zakynthos sells itself on a single image: Navagio, the shipwreck cove, with its turquoise water and white cliffs. That one beach is actually the problem now. During the high season, the bay fills up with tour boats and they are all trying to position themselves for a good photo. And the viewing platform above the beach gets quite a few steady queues.

The whole island has also leaned into mass tourism, with the Laganas strip known for its loud nightlife. Yet, there is real beauty in Zakynthos. Some quiet coves, turtle-nesting beaches, green hills inland, but it is only by working around the crowd that you would discover such places.

Who should still go: travelers who want to take the famous picture of Navagio, but will visit out of season.

Go instead: Kefalonia, bigger and calmer, with beaches like Myrtos that rival Zakynthos.

Kos

Kos makes the cut for a different reason: it is less a matter of price and more an issue of atmosphere. The isle has established itself very much as a party venue, and resorts like Kos Town, Kardamena, and Tigaki blare music way into the night. Families looking for peaceful holidays will run into a surprise. The natural reaction to this is to avoid it by going off-season, but this also has its downside. Lots of restaurants, stores, and boat services do not operate during the low season, resulting in an island that feels like a ghost town. It is a place that can be too noisy or too quiet based on when you arrive.

Who should still go: sun-and-nightlife travelers, while families looking for a quieter experience may prefer exploring our guide to family travel in Greece instead of the island’s busiest resort areas.

Go instead: Naxos for family-friendly beaches with life year-round but none of the resort-strip noise.

Rhodes

Rhodes boasts impressive heavyweight credentials: its medieval old town listed by UNESCO, cliffside villages and extensive coastlines. Still, this island can really be one of the worst to visit in Greece. The reasons are familiar: large all-inclusive resorts, dense peak-season crowds, and loss of authenticity.

Rhodes has more history than almost any other island on this list, but the busiest areas can feel like they’ve come out of a factory line during the midsummer.

Who should still go: history lovers who’ll explore beyond the resort belts and the old town.

Go instead: Symi, a short hop away, for the same Dodecanese charm in a quieter, more intimate harbour town.

Corfu

Corfu’s problem is not its nature. The Ionian green, the Venetian old town and the olive groves are still there. It’s just that so much of the coast has been built over. Decades of package tourism have transformed some parts of the island into crowded, heavily anglicised holiday zones that feel very far from authentic Greece. Kavos in particular is a well-known young-party spot, loud and packed all summer long.

The island is big enough for some quiet areas to exist in the north and the interior but first-timers who book a wrong resort may wonder where the Corfu they were dreaming of is.

Who should still go: travelers who base themselves in the north or the old town and treat the resort belts as no-go zones.

Go instead: Paxos, the small island just south, for the same Ionian beauty with none of the over-development.

Ios

Ios is the best illustration of a place where the right or wrong wholly depends on the person. At the height of summer, it is one of the main party islands of Greece. A destination bursting with youth, fun, and predominantly centered on partying till dawn and beach bars. If that is not really your scene, the island might come off as a bit seedy and tiring. The fact is, the same island completely changes in the off-season: when the summer crowd is gone, Ios has some of the best swimming spots in the Cyclades, excellent dining, and literally becomes one of the region’s tranquil gems.

Who should still go: party travelers in summer, and budget-minded beach lovers in the shoulder season.

Go instead: Naxos for relaxed beaches all summer, or simply visit Ios itself in June or September.

When “Avoid” Really Means “not in August”

Most islands on this list aren’t worthy of you skipping them outright. Rather, you should skip them in July and August when the crowd, heat, and prices reach their peak at the same time. The same islands, if you visit during May, June, September, or early October, you’ll see a different side of them: fewer crowds, temperatures in the mid-20sºC, cheaper rooms and beach clubs that still buzz, but without the summer crush, making this the ideal season for senior travel in Greece. Even Santorini and Mykonos turn into reasonable choices in late September. Changing the month you are going is by far the most effective way to “avoid” the wrong island. 

The Cruise-Ship Factor Nobody Plans Around

There is a lever hardly any guide talks about: in islands like Santorini and Mykonos, the heaviest crowds come by sea, not by plane. In a single day, thousands of cruise passengers can come ashore, concentrated between approximately 10am to 5pm. This is also the time when you would probably like to sightsee. The solution is easy. Try and book your activities and trips on days when the island gets few or no cruise ships at all. Check the cruise schedule beforehand. Same island, half the crowd, just better timing. 

Where to Go Instead: the Swap Matrix

For nearly every crowded island, there’s a quieter one nearby that delivers the same thing. This is the fastest way to fix a Greece trip: don’t drop the experience you wanted, just swap the address. With a custom Greece island holiday, you can combine quieter islands, better timing and the experiences that matter most to you.

How to Do the Famous Islands Right

If you are really determined to go to Santorini or Mykonos, you have to make a plan around them. Spend your nights in less expensive towns instead of the main ones: Fira, Perissa, or Kamari in Santorini instead of Oia where the rooms and meals are cheaper and the crowds less. You can check the relative pricing by town.

Adjust your visit schedule to days when there are no cruise ships. Also, have your meals somewhere other than the caldera edge where you are paying more for the view than for the food. The well-known islands are a let-down to the people who come there with no idea. Those with a strategy are not disappointed.

Conclusion

The Greek islands to avoid are not a lost cause. They are just islands that need good timing. You should definitely avoid Mykonos, Santorini, Zakynthos, Kos, and Rhodes in July – August when they are really packed. If you want to experience these places, the best option is to visit them during the shoulder season. Avoid days with lots of cruise ships, and choose less busy towns for your stay. Choosing islands like Milos, Naxos, or Symi will bring you the same wonderful experience but with more room to breathe. With a little bit of planning, you will be able to see the best of Greece.

Want to make your trip to Greece completely hassle-free? Greece Insiders creates tailor-made family vacations based on your family’s preferences and your children’s ages. Or, if you prefer, you can choose one of our ready-made travel packages. Whichever option you choose, every day will be thoughtfully planned to ensure you enjoy the very best experiences Greece has to offer.