Did you know that Santorini can be visited during the winter months as well?
Contrary to what some people think, Greece is not a tropical destination with eternal sunshine and beautiful beaches you can visit year round. There is snow, there are mountains and there are low winter temperatures that demand warm layers and plenty of hot drinks.
Some of the most popular Greek islands, like Mykonos and Paros, almost shut down during the winter months.
From April to November, most of Greece has mellow and beautiful weather, with the summer months offering long, hot days that are perfect for sunbathing and refreshing swims.
In the winter, most people head to the mountains, the northern Greek villages or the ski centers that can be found around mainland Greece. But a few years ago, Santorini locals decided to open up their island during the winter as well. The permanent local population, started to grow from 5 to 10 thousand to over 20,000 people.
Now, travellers have more and more accommodation options, plenty of cafes and restaurants and the same beautiful scenery that you get during the summer months. In winter, you just need to add a few warmer layers of clothing and visit for longer, just in case you get a few off days of rain and wind.
But how does Santorini look like in the winter?
These photos were all taken in February, during an 8 day trip to the island. They are from different times of the day, with most days evidently sunny but also some cloudy and rainy moments throughout.