Santorini back in business??

Seismic activity does not care about people's opinions. You have to wait and see. In the meantime do not book anything you cannot cancel.

I think it is much of a wait and see at this point. I also have plans to visit Santorini in September with free hotel cancellation. I am not really worried right now, but I am not booking any day trips just in case I have to reschedule that part of my trip. I do already have airline tickets from London to Santorini and Santorini back to Athens. I could perhaps get those changed for a fee, but its too early in the year for me to make those kind of decision.

Living here, I’ve experienced firsthand the uncertainty that comes with all this media frenzy. The truth is, no one really knows why there’s been an increase in seismic activity lately, and that uncertainty is what led many of us to leave Santorini for a while. A lot of us went to Athens for a few weeks, but now most have returned.

The reality is that nature doesn’t follow a schedule—earthquakes and natural events are unpredictable. Since we can’t control that, the likelihood of a major earthquake in September is no different than in any other month or year.

So the real question is: does the minor risk outweigh the experience of visiting? If you're thinking about risks, flying these days might actually be more of a concern than coming to Santorini.

As George_santo said, it looks like things are returning to normal. Here is an article from Greece: https://greekreporter.com/2025/02/25/seismic-activity-santorini-declines-thousands-return-greek-island/

I too have seen in articles and social media that thousands have returned to Santorini, which hasn’t been reported n the news media. It’s seismic activity and nothing more. It’s been happening for more than a millennia and will continue for and other millennia and then some.

One important point to highlight is that Santorini was never fully evacuated. Instead, the island was placed under a state of emergency, similar to what was done during COVID. Authorities made this decision for several reasons. First, they wanted to prevent an excessive number of people from being on the island in case a major event occurred. Additionally, they noticed that as locals, frightened by the earthquakes, began leaving, more criminals arrived to take advantage of empty homes and businesses. The emergency measures were likely implemented to curb this growing security threat as well.

I understand that fear is natural, especially when facing the unknown. But life will return to normal once people move past the concern and start booking their trips again. Until then, our businesses remain open but operating below capacity.

For more details, you can read the full article here.

Thanks for all of the comments. My concern is more imminent. We are scheduled to arrive in Athens 4/15 and after driving around Athens and the Peloponnesus Peninsula for 17 days we were headed to Santorini, Paros and Mykonos for another 12 days. We have everything booked (we always do our own) but are wondering if we should re-do for September. This is our first trip to Greece, we are retirees and hate to go and then find out we have to forego any of these islands. Any thoughts (especially Mr. George Santo). Thanks for any suggestions.

Following. We are on a two-week trip to Greece next month and will be in Santorini for two days in mid-April. While DH is business as usual with this scenario and not terribly concerned, I'm anxious about perching for two nights on the crater rim in Firostefani. One thing I've read is that there still hasn't been time to assess the damage that's been done to property from the swell.

This article sounds like it was written to attract tourists back to Santorini: https://www.travelandleisure.com/greek-islands-earthquakes-summer-2025-tourism-impact-11696876 Since the earthquakes have subsided, the hotels are back in business. If they are really hurting for tourists, maybe you can call the establishment and negotiate a favorable price.

...are wondering if we should do it again in September.

There have been earthquakes in Santorini for thousands of years, and there is as much chance of a major earthquake in September as there will be in April or 10 years from now.

So, postponing your trip, regardless of the date, is pointless.

You could also postpone your trip to the Peloponnese because of the earthquakes (which are less publicized than those in Santorini).

https://www.ekathimerini.com/news/1263679/earthquake-strikes-western-peloponnese-no-damage-reported/

Or to Athens because of the atmosphere:

https://www.ekathimerini.com/news/1264204/saharan-dust-hits-athens/

Regarding the protective measures on Santorini, the Greek Civil Protection Agency introduced emergency measures last Friday for a period of two months, primarily concerning access and movement restrictions on the island.
The decree is available in PDF (in Greek) with maps:

https://atlantea.news/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/20250201267.pdf

It is specified, among other things, that:

In Oia, in the area marked B on the map, all residential use, hotel operations, and short- or long-term rentals are temporarily suspended.

In Ammoudi and Thirassia, all residential use, hotel operations, short- or long-term rentals, and all store operations are temporarily suspended.

Access to and stay on the Ammoudi - Cape Agios Nikolaos hiking trail is prohibited.

Access to and stay on the Oia - Ammoudi hiking trail is prohibited.

It says nothing about oia! The only areas that they have forbidden are areas that its obvious in danger. Like a restaurant standing at a bottom of a 100 meter cliff..

This is a recent update from GTP who are a reliable source

https://news.gtp.gr/2025/03/17/santorini-eyes-tourism-revival-with-new-campaign-dmmo-after-seismic-activity/

The strong earthquakes in Santorini and the surrounding Cycladic islands have subsided. However, authorities have implemented safety measures that will remain in force for the next 2 months, including restrictions on access to certain affected areas. While most of the island is expected to operate normally, it’s best to stay updated on official travel advisories. I’d recommend booking accommodations and activities with flexible cancellation policies just in case :)

We were in Santorini earlier this week, and I just wanted to report that it is very much up and running, with some exceptions of shops and restaurants that aren't open before Easter. We had been told by our hotel that rim pools were not to be filled (because of the weight) as part of an initial precaution but that was changing right as we arrived. Things seemed generally busy in Fira and big crowds at the viewpoints in Oia! We spent two nights at Lithies in Firostefani and it was a dream. Thank you to the two or three travelers who recommended this place to me! It was absolutely the accommodation and view highlight of our two-week trip to Greece. We rented a car to see a few villages on the island, including Oia, which I did not care for. It was ideal to appreciate Santorini by arriving by ferry and just focusing on the incredible geology, trails, and views out of Firostefani and Imerovigli as the island’s best microcosm.