Why You Should Visit Santorini and Not a DUPE

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Recent Tiktok trends are all well and good. Let’s face it we love scrolling through the feed. But recently, the travel dupe coverage on major sites like Conde Nast Traveller is calling for travellers to visit Paros instead of Santorini. Is this really a fair comparison?

Both Paros and Santorini are in the chain of Greek islands called the Cyclades. Therein stops the similarities.

To even try to compare Paros and Santorini as travel dupes requires a lot of fascination. They are TOTALLY DIFFERENT!

Santorini is a unique island first of all. It was formed after the cataclysmic eruption of the volcano; the largest eruption known to planet Earth. This has left a dramatic caldera, sea-plunging cliffs and a volcanic geology that you’ll only see in Santorini.

Paros as beautiful as it has a totally different landscape. Check out some images of the two islands and you’ll see they are totally different. So how can Paros be a Santorini dupe ? I guess it’s a Greek island but that’s where the similarity ends.

The beaches in Paros are the typical white sand and turquoise waters. The beaches in Santorini are volcanic in nature. Expect dark black sandy beaches. These two islands couldn’t have more different beaches.

The accommodations on the islands of Paros and Santorini are also very different in style. Expect cave houses dug into the cliffside in Santorini and more cubic-style Cycladic accommodation in Paros. There is some overlap here but the same can be said for most Greek island accommodations.

So is Paros a Fair Santorini Alternative (Dupe)?

No. The two islands are totally different and both deserve to be visited. The experiences will be totally different for the visitor and that’s why they often are included on a Greek island hopping holiday. They are total contrasts.

The fact however is major publications that influence travel behaviour have reported that Paros is a Santorini dupe.

It goes to show that travellers should research further and not be taken for a ride by these influential travel publications.

For more information on Santorini and how it totally differs from Paros check out this cave house blog.