[SantoriniGreeceWoman]Shutterstock * TRAVELING TO GREECE DURING THE PEAK SUMMER MONTHS CAN BE AN EXPENSIVE, BUSY, AND CROWDED VACATION, PARTICULARLY IF YOU FREQUENT THE TWO MOST POPULAR ISLANDS IN THE COUNTRY, MYKONOS AND SANTORINI. * A GREEK LOCAL TOLD ME, UPON ARRIVING IN MYKONOS, THAT IF I WANTED A MORE RELAXING, CHEAPER, AND MORE AUTHENTIC EXPERIENCE, I SHOULD TAKE A FERRY TO ANY ISLAND IN GREECE THAT DOESN'T HAVE AN AIRPORT. * AFTER A HECTIC AND EXPENSIVE TWO DAYS IN MYKONOS, I GOT ON A FERRY TO TINOS. ONLY 40 MINUTES AWAY, THE ISLAND WAS QUIETER, MORE ROMANTIC, JUST AS BEAUTIFUL, AND LESS THAN HALF THE PRICE OF MYKONOS OR SANTORINI. ------------------------- Traveling to Greece during the peak summer months can feel both like a dream and a nightmare. The islands are warm, sunbaked, and full of life and energy. Every beach calls you to swim in its azure waters or tan on its rocky cliffs and every whitewashed wall, blue window, and stuccoed roof is waiting to land on your Instagram feed.SEE THE REST OF THE STORY AT BUSINESS INSIDERNOW WATCH: Charity's expanding sandals are now available to buy commercially and for each pair bought a pair is given to a child in need SEE ALSO: * A religious site in the most contested city in Israel with a complicated, bloody history is the center of gravity for the Israel-Palestine conflict * An otherworldly desert in Jordan has doubled as distant planets in movies like 'Star Wars' and 'The Martian' — after seeing it myself, I can tell you it's just as breathtaking in person * One of the 7 wonders of the world is a 10,000-year-old city hidden in the desert — and in real life, it's more incredible than you can imagine SEE ALSO: ONE OF THE 7 WONDERS OF THE WORLD IS A 10,000-YEAR-OLD CITY HIDDEN IN THE DESERT — AND IN REAL LIFE, IT'S MORE INCREDIBLE THAN YOU CAN IMAGINE