At Sparkloft, our Discovery Trips provide Sparks with the opportunity to immerse themselves in new places while gaining a deeper understanding of travel’s impact on local communities. For Alex, a long-awaited trip to Greece became more than just checking iconic locations off a list—it was an eye-opening experience in balancing adventure with responsible travel.
Visiting Greece has always been a dream of mine—a chance to experience ancient landmarks and iconic landscapes that are so unique to the country. As we finally planned to make this dream a reality in the fall, it became increasingly clear that the rest of the world (as in, millions of other travelers) had this same destination on their own bucket lists, too.
We excitedly booked everything for our trip and started building our itinerary, counting down the days through summer. But, as we reached the final few days before our long-awaited trip, an article made waves internally at Sparkloft: "The Summer That Tourism Fell Apart"—an article highlighting destinations hardest hit by overtourism, featuring a photo of a very crowded Santorini at the top. Santorini, it just so happened, was one of the first stops on our trip to Greece the next week.
Having worked in the travel and tourism industry for years, I was no stranger to discussions about overtourism. But this was the first time I was traveling to a destination so significantly—and recently—affected. Even with our knowledge of responsible tourism, could we responsibly enjoy a place that seemed to be struggling under the weight of its own popularity?
With this in mind and with no time to pivot, we packed up and headed out on our two-week adventure—one that took us from densely populated Santorini to more off-the-beaten path adventures in the smaller islands of Sifnos and Milos.
STARTING IN SANTORINI
Santorini was always going to be part of our itinerary, if only briefly. It’s one of the most iconic places in the world, well known for its iconic sunset views, and we couldn’t imagine being so nearby and skipping it entirely. Additionally, the smaller islands we planned to visit were most easily accessible by ferry, meaning that a connection in Santorini was one of the simplest ways to get to our final destination. Despite its reputation for overcrowding, we were excited to check this destination off our bucket list.
After a quick two nights in Athens where we tried to beat jet lag and explore iconic historical sights like the Parthenon, the Acropolis, the ancient forums, and more, we hopped a short flight to Santorini to begin the bulk of our journey—exploring the Cyclades.
We had intentionally chosen to go mid-October when the busy tourism season would—allegedly—die down. Despite this, Santorini was still bustling. The narrow streets of Oia were packed with tourists and day-trippers from cruise ships. (There were five cruise ships at Port when we arrived to our hotel - even on a Tuesday in October.) Yet, amid the crowds, Santorini was still magical. The caldera views did live up to the hype, and the local food and wine were some of our favorites of our entire trip. Though we didn’t stay for the iconic sunset views and tried to avoid crowds and peak hours, we still felt as if we got the full experience of Santorini and very much appreciated getting to see such an iconic destination. Two nights for us was plenty, though, and we were eager to head on our way to our next stops.
SIFNOS: A QUIET ESCAPE
From Santorini, we ventured to Sifnos, a small island with far fewer tourists and a pace that felt like a world away. Arriving in Sifnos was an absolute breath of fresh air. The streets were quiet, many establishments had already closed for the season, and the natural beauty of the island really shined.
We spent five nights here, soaking in the slower pace. Though there are far fewer tourists here, the island still struggles with the usage of their water resources, and this was clear throughout signage and protocols around the island. While there, we took a cooking class that included a farm tour, where we were introduced us to local agriculture and the ways they grow food with minimal to no water. The resilience of the crops—and the farmers—was fascinating to learn about and broadened our appreciation for the food we ate and the resources we, ourselves, used during our stay.
We spent other days wandering through picturesque villages, shopping for handcrafted pottery, and splitting our time between the pool and dipping in the Aegean Sea. The lack of crowds made this island feel like a secret, and one that we wanted to protect so that we could visit—responsibly—for many years to come.
MILOS: THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS
Our final stop was Milos, an island that is gaining popularity but still feels relatively undiscovered compared to Santorini. It offered a perfect blend of iconic sights and off-the-beaten-path relaxation. Known for its unique landscapes, we explored Milos by car, seaside tavernas, downtown shops, and charming fishing villages.
Here, we enjoyed what ended up being some of our favorite beaches of the trip—including the famous Sarakiniko Beach, with its lunar-like white rock formations. We also learned about the island’s history of mining and agriculture on a nearby winery tour—and how its not-so-long history of tourism is changing these industries. Overall, Milos provided a balance that felt nice—a taste of Greece’s iconic beauty without the overwhelming crowds.
As we look back on our Greek adventure, we’re grateful for the mix of experiences—crossing Santorini off our bucket list, a serene escape in Sifnos, and the balanced charm of Milos. We will take what we learned about Greek history, the rich culture, and travel’s impact to communities and the environment, along with us and into our travels in the future.
