Travelers have been warned that a breathtaking Greek island—long considered one of Europe’s most sought-after sunny getaways—has turned into what some are calling “one long queue for the toilet.” This was reported by the Daily Express.

Travel content creator Mambo Italiano shared a video filmed at 7 a.m., showing large crowds of tourists—men, women, and children—standing in lines that stretched along the streets at a well-known photo location.

“Social media trends have transformed the most beautiful places on earth into endless lines that feel like the restroom queue at a concert, where everyone waits for hours to take the exact same photo and show it to people who don’t really care,” she complained.

The footage was recorded in Oia on the island of Santorini, located in the southern Aegean Sea, roughly 200 kilometers from mainland Greece.

The video reveals a queue winding around several corners before reaching its final point: a scenic overlook facing the crystal-clear sea and Santorini’s iconic Greek Orthodox churches with their blue domes, offering a spectacular panoramic view.

“There are far too many tourists. It’s one of the worst places I’ve visited. Other parts of Santorini are beautiful,” one user commented. Another agreed:

“I have to agree—there are much better spots on the island. Oia is nice for photos, and that’s about it.”

A third commenter suggested that people no longer travel simply to experience and appreciate destinations.

“They go to these places just to take pictures and post them on social media for likes and attention. The goal is basically: ‘Look at me, I was here and you weren’t,’ or ‘See how special I am.’ That’s the real reason behind these long lines—not to admire the view, but to show off,” the user wrote.

According to data from Greek Trip Planner, Santorini welcomes approximately 3.4 million visitors each year, arriving by plane, cruise ship, and inter-island ferries.

“Those 3.4 million annual visitors equal about 220 tourists per resident each year—or, put another way, 107.8 tourists for every 100 residents at any given time during peak season,” the source added.

Tourism News

For the first time, Hellenic Seaplanes has launched direct air connections between Greece and Albania, a move that could mark the beginning of an entirely new regional transport network.