Santorini has quietly built a case for visiting outside the peak months — and Greece's tourism authorities are now making it official policy. At an October forum covering Santorini and Mykonos, the Greek National Tourism Organisation (GNTO) said its priority is spreading visitor numbers across spring and autumn rather than letting July and August absorb the crush. The stats explain why: nearly half of the island's international air arrivals land in just those two months.
The food scene is the centrepiece of the push. October also saw the Michelin Guide arrive on the island for the first time, and it came in hot: four starred restaurants at once. Lycabettus picked up two stars, while Lauda and Botrini's Santorini (both in Oia) and Selene in Fira each earned one. Michelin's inspectors singled out the island's volcanic terroir — cherry tomatoes, yellow fava and assyrtiko wines as the ingredients that define a cooking style built on freshness and a strong sense of place.
That wine heritage runs deep. Santorini's vines are trained into low baskets (kouloura) that shelter the grapes from fierce Aegean winds, and the indigenous white assyrtiko has become one of Greece's most respected wines. Wine tourism here is a genuine reason to come, not an add-on.
There's more than gastronomy in the pipeline. A digital campaign of 32 short videos will showcase cultural events, pottery classes, cooking workshops and food production — an attempt to reframe an island famous mainly for sunsets and blue-domed churches. GNTO secretary general Andreas Fiorentinos framed it bluntly: Santorini and Mykonos are global brands with many more stories to tell, and tourism success should reach every season.
Getting there is getting easier too. Wizz Air began flying direct from London Gatwick in July, twice a week on Wednesdays and Sundays, and Jet2 is set to add a Leeds Bradford route in 2027. Both are summer routes for now, but the growing UK connectivity signals demand that could eventually stretch the season further.
Why it matters for travellers: shoulder-season Santorini is a different island. May, June, September and October bring warm sea, open tavernas and caldera views without the August gridlock in Oia. Add the new Michelin stars — booking Selene or Lycabettus in October is a far easier reservation than in July — plus winery visits and pottery workshops, and there's now an itinerary that doesn't depend on beach weather. If you've written off Santorini as an Instagram cliché, the island's food-and-wine pitch is aimed squarely at changing your mind.
