Greece’s islands – beauty at a high price

Greece is still a postcard. The whitewashed stairways, the sunsets and sunrises are stunning. The Aegean has changed, not just the prices, but also the atmosphere. Many Greeks no longer see the islands as a place to escape during summer, but rather like a gated paradise. A family vacation to the Cyclades can now cost as much as a week in Europe. Ferry tickets have risen, accommodations are being replaced by Airbnb rentals, restaurants run by neighbours are now catered to algorithms.

The islands didn’t drift from the mainland. They drifted far from the people who called them home. The emotional, human, and cultural disconnection between belonging, place, and access has increased. The dream can become a high-end product and many essential structures are lost. 

What’s changing? 

In the past, it was simple to get on a boat, rent a room and eat whatever food the taverna served that day. The Greek Islands summer was not about luxury. It was about rhythm. 

Now? Now? 

• Booking platforms have removed the local rooms from the market, but then doubled the price. 
• Even the family-run hotels that have survived the financial crisis are closing and being replaced by short-term rental properties and experimental stays managed remotely.

The message that Greeks receive, particularly those who live in Athens and Inland towns is that they no longer belong on the islands. 

Not only are families being priced out, but students, pensioners and even island-born citizens are avoiding returning during peak season, because they can’t afford to go home.

They are no longer grounded in the same places. Instead, they have a new rhythm of bookings, checks-ins, influencer tours, etc. The Cyclades is a popular destination every summer but something even more important gets taken away each year. 

What Tourism replaces

Even those born and raised in the Cyclades are less familiar with their home. The familiar faces behind the counters have been replaced by seasonal hires. 

• Corner cafes play from a CD, not by memory. 
• Few people gather under the church bells. 
• The islands look the same, but feel hollower.

Locals don’t just get priced out of a market, they also lose the opportunity to enjoy the moment. Name days are no longer used; lockboxes now adorn homes, and an old, slow, seasonal and shared way of living is being replaced by one that caters to travellers.

Locals and visitors alike lose when tourism is no longer a part of a place, but becomes its focal point.

The development of the world is affecting the balance

The Cyclades do not suffer because of their success. 

• By 2023, the number of people who will have reached this milestone is expected to reach over 6.5 million people More than five times as many people lived in the South Aegean area as the Greek island regions combined. 
• Mykonos & Santorini accounts for approximately The summer tourism income of Greece is 20%.
• The usual ripple was a surging wave: new roads, villas and taxes but not always new balance.

Some islands have seen their water consumption double over the last 10 years, which has pushed desalination facilities to the limit. In places like Paros Naxos and CreteWater demand is on the rise. 

• Local authorities have reported that a Double increase In some parts of the island, between 2013 and 2023 there was a reported increase in consumption, which resulted in a dependency on desalination and overfilled reservoirs, particularly during peak tourist months. 
• It’s a shocking contrast: villages with cisterns that are never full surround holiday villas where water is always available.

Is it possible to return and rediscover Greece’s soul?

Greece has always been beautiful, but it doesn’t stop there. There are also islands like the Cyclades. Ikaria Kasos Kythira Still hold onto the quiet summers and slow rhythms. 

The overbuilt costs in Crete’s Inland have robbed some villages of their familiarity, welcome, and silence.

The majority of travellers now seek out destinations where they can get more than what they paid for. These are places that don’t make you feel like you are making a purchase. 

Can you really call it paradise when the people who built it cannot afford to live there anymore? It’s the people who are still there when you arrive in Greece that will greet you. 

Discover Tailor-Made Tours

Simply Holiday Bookings offers a wide range of personalized vacation experiences.

Book Now