When planning my recent trip to Greece, I knew that Santorini needed to be on the itinerary. This bucket-list destination was just a must-see if I was traveling all the way across the globe. But, with over-tourism becoming a real problem in Santorini, I needed to find a way to enjoy this unique island by merely being touristish, knowing that the touristy travelers stay in Oia. I found that Finikia would give that Cycladic Cave House experience with a local feel, just a few minutes walk from the Instagram hub of Oia, but without the crowds. It was the best of both worlds. Read on to find out why and my lodging recommendation.

Staying in the over-crowded, sunset Mecca of Oia is touristy. Staying just a scenic 20-minute walk away in Finikia is touristish.

The village of Finikia is on the caldera-side of Santorini island, directly east of Oia. This pedestrian village still maintains its well-preserved, authentic architecture. Unlike Santorini, Finikia is quiet, affordable, and feels very local. There seem to be more locals than tourists in Finikia, whereas Oia has more tourists and foreign workers than locals. 

We chose to stay in Finikia because it is only about a 25-minute walk to the heart of Oia. This meant that we could enjoy Oia on our own terms, and when the crowds at sunset immersed the village in an ocean of selfie-sticks (click here to see how insane those crowds are), we could leave… literally just walk away. Or when we were tired of dodging Instagram model hopefuls who were blocking entire footpaths while they obtained their perfect picture, we could leave. Or, when we became utterly disgusted by tourists who were blatantly disregarding “No Trespassing” signs so that they could climb on the roofs of private homes for that perfect photo, we could take no part in that and leave. (Seriously… please stop being so rude. You’re an embarrassment to all tourists. Even the touristish ones.)

Seriously… please stop being so rude. You’re an embarrassment to all tourists. Even the touristish ones.

Finikia, itself, is a quiet, sleepy village. You will find friendly locals going about their day… grocery shopping, doing laundry and tending gardens. The pedestrian footpaths and white-washed buildings give the same appearance as Oia, just without some of the iconic blue-domed structures. The village has three tavernas for dining, a beautiful church, and a supermarket. (Don’t let the word “supermarket” confuse you. For Americans picturing a Super Walmart, this is actually quite the opposite. It’s more like a building the size of a house’s garage that sells food, souvenirs, clothes, toys, liquor, hardware supplies, and beauty supplies, stacked up, floor to ceiling, under one small roof.)

We wandered around the paths of Finikia for quite some time, enjoying the peace and quiet. We enjoyed a lunch at Krinaki made up entirely of dessert, with a side of mushroom and cheese skewers in a honey carob sauce. The server looked at us like we were crazy and had a good laugh, but after a week in Crete, where dessert is always gifted by the taverna, it was a treat to have a variety to choose from! Besides, we are grown-ups and can have dessert all day if we want to.

Finikia’s temperature in the summer is cooler than Oia, as well. Oia is located on the caldera cliff, so breezes are only coming from one direction. Finikia is positioned at the top of the caldera ridge, allowing for a much-needed cross-breeze. We were in Greece in early August, and the sun beat down and reflected off the white buildings and pathways, causing the temperature to exceed 100-degrees-Fahrenheit so the Finikia breeze made a real difference.

Finikia will give you that Cycladic cave house experience with a local feel, just a few minutes’ walk from the Instagram hub of Oia. It’s the best of both worlds.

Finikia will give you that Cycladic cave house experience with a local feel, just a few minutes walk from the Instagram hub of Oia. It’s the best of both worlds.