Paros and Naxos are less touristic than Santorini. They are situated very close to each other, and it is only a short boat ride between the two. On Paros we rented bikes and spent our time navigating the whole island. We rented a room for really cheap and were fortunate to have a small kitchenette to cook on.
On Naxos we decided to forgo the bikes and rent a four-wheeler. This was a blast. We spent all our time zooming around the most remote parts of the island with the wind in our hair.
Santorini is much more touristic, but there is a reason for this. It is absolutely breathtaking, and while the other islands were also very stunning, this island just tops them all. The island is the remains of a volcanic caldera. A crescent moon - sloped down to the sea on its outer curve and ending in an abrupt cliff on its inner curve.
We stayed with a South Korean woman who was working on the island for the summer. Each day we would drive around on the four-wheeler we rented. Going to one side of the island to play in the surf of the blood red beach, visit the lighthouse, or enjoy the black sand beach. We would rush to the other side of the island to watch the sunset from Oia. Our days there were unprecedented.
