Your Guide to Visiting the Underrated Greek Island of Folegandros

If you are planning a trip to Greece, you are probably overwhelmed with the many Greek islands to choose from. Anmol and I spent months going back and forth debating which islands we should visit during our honeymoon in Greece and Turkey. After much deliberation, we made the tough choice to opt out of visiting the famous Santorini in favor of the lesser-known, and often-overlooked-Folegandros Island. Here is why we couldn’t be happier with our decision to do so.

Is Folegandros Worth it?

Like many other Greek islands, Folegandros has its share of beautiful hotels, stunning beaches, and incredible sunset views, which, on its own, make it worth a visit. However, what makes this island truly stand out from many of the other nearby options is that you can get all of the above without the crowds and crazy prices. The island’s less-touristic nature allows you to soak in the experience of being on a Greek island without the overwhelming feeling of tourism and chaos.

After spending 2 nights and 3 days on the island, we fell in love with Folegandros. It had everything we were looking for in a Greek honeymoon destination- Beautiful cliffside scenery, stunning sunset viewpoints (though we did get some unlucky cloudy weather), relaxing beaches, a fun (but not overcrowded) downtown area, and ample restaurant and food options. Enjoying all of this while having very little to do by way of tours and must-see sites allowed us to slow things down and take in the beauty of being on a Greek island.

What Kind of Trip is Folegandros Best For?

If you love slow travel or are looking for a romantic island retreat, Folegandros is the place for you. On the other hand, if you are someone who needs many activities or a bustling downtown area, this may not be the best island to add to your itinerary.

I’d also add that visiting an island like Folegandros requires you to let go of some FOMO. Unless you are visiting Greece with an unlimited amount of time, you will probably have to skip a more popular island to visit this one. Social media has taken over our travel decisions, and it’s often hard for us to say no to a popular place (like Santorini) in favor of the road less traveled. While places do become popular for a reason, they don’t always have to be visited. If you are looking for something different and are ok with this, Folegandros should certainly be considered!

How Many Days are Enough?

You should spend at least 2 nights here, with 3 or 4 nights being ideal for a more relaxing visit. The beauty of this island is its slow-paced nature, so it would be counterintuitive to try to rush a stay here.

Is a Day Trip to Folegandros worth it?

Many people opt to stay on the more popular island of Santorini and then visit Folegandros via a day trip. While this is a good way to see both places, I personally feel like a day trip would not be enough time. As I have repeated many times in this post, Folegandros is not an island with a ton of things to do. Instead, its charm is in its slow-paced, less touristic vibes. Coming to the island for a few hours and just walking around may not allow you to experience the charm of the island.

Getting to Folegandros

You will need to take a ferry to get to the island. Tickets can be booked via Ferryhopper.

If traveling during the peak summer season, you should book your tickets well in advance.

Getting Around

Folegandros is very small and you can certainly get by without a car. Beaches and smaller towns like Ano Marie are accessible via bus or public transport from the downtown Chora area. If you would like to roam around at your own pace and leisure, you could also pick up a rental ATV for the day.

If you plan to stay well outside of the main downtown area (Chora), having a car or ATV would be recommended.

Where to Stay?

The most convenient location would be staying near or in Chora (this is where we stayed). Here you will be close to most of the food options and public transport, making it easy to get around and see things.

We stayed at the Polikandia Hotel which we loved. The staff were amazing (and gave us a free bottle of honey when we left!), the rooms were fantastic, the common pool and breakfast area had the feel of a resort, and the location could not be beat. Not to mention, this property has an outstanding 9.9 rating on Booking.com!

If you are looking for a more remote stay, Ano Marie may suit you better. I would recommend looking at Airbnb’s in this area.

What to Do?

I caution myself from advising too much regarding a Folegandros itinerary because we loved coming to this island and winging most of our day. As an avid travel planner, this was a nice change of pace. This being said, here are a few suggestions to get you started:

Picnic and Sunset at the Church of Panagia: This church is the iconic centerpiece of Folegandros, and it can not be missed! Sitting up on the high cliffs, the church is the perfect spot to catch a Santorini-like sunset (only with no crowds!) over the beautiful island and surrounding water. To add to the experience, you can bring a little picnic or a bottle of wine and enjoy it by the cliffside as you watch the sunset. Bonus tip: Most people leave after sunset, but if you wait a little longer, you can enjoy an aerial view of the entire island lighting up (happens once it turns dark)
Wander through Chora: The charming main “downtown” area of the island. We loved hopping into the small stores here and trying out some of the local bars in the evening.
Beaches: Folegandros has its fair share of beautiful beaches and several of them are easily accessible via bus or your own transport. If you want to visit some of the island’s more remote beaches you will have to take a boat tour.
Ano Marie: This is the second biggest town on the island and has a more local/residential feel compared to Chora. If you have time it is worth a visit (from what we heard). We ended up skipping this however in favor of relaxing.

Overall Experience

If you can’t tell, we loved our time in Folegandros and 100% think it’s worth visiting. While it may not be for everyone, we certainly feel no regrets in spending part of our honeymoon here. So often, when we travel, we get caught up in always needing a packed itinerary, but sometimes it’s the slower-paced destinations that truly leave a lasting impact on us. Having less to do and more time to enjoy what you do can be a blessing in disguise. This was definitely the case with Folegandros.