Santorini Included in Wanderlust’s “The Travel Green List 2026”

Santorini has long captured the global imagination with its dramatic caldera, white-washed cliffs, and world-famous sunsets. However, its immense popularity has also made the island a focal point in the global conversation about over-tourism. In a major nod to the island’s efforts to protect its unique landscape, Santorini has been officially included in “The Travel Green List 2026” by the prestigious British travel magazine Wanderlust.

As one of the world’s most respected and longest-running travel publications, Wanderlust uses its annual Travel Green List to spotlight the destinations, projects, and people fighting to ensure travel remains a force for good. In the newly released 2026 edition, an international committee evaluated hundreds of entries worldwide, focusing heavily on how iconic destinations are actively combating over-tourism and shifting toward regenerative travel.

Santorini’s inclusion highlights its practical steps toward managing heavy visitor numbers. Specifically, the magazine praised the island’s implementation of a strict berth allocation system and a mandatory cap of 8,000 cruise ship visitors per day. By regulating the rhythm of cruise arrivals, the initiative aims to relieve pressure on local infrastructure during peak hours, preserve the island’s fragile ecosystem, and fundamentally elevate the experience for the travelers who visit.

In response to the international accolade, the Municipality of Thira (Santorini) released a statement: “This particular distinction serves as recognition of the ongoing actions being implemented in Santorini, aiming for the sustainable operation of the destination.”

As global travelers increasingly seek destinations that balance hospitality with heritage preservation, Santorini’s recognition proves that even the world’s most heavily visited islands can pave a greener path forward.