'''Santorini''' is a volcanic island in the Cyclades group of the Greek islands. It is located between Ios and Anafi islands. It is famous for dramatic views, stunning sunsets from Oia town, the strange white aubergine, the town of Thira and naturally its very own active volcano. There are naturally fantastic beaches such as the beach of Perissa, maybe the best beach in Santorini, the black pebble beach of Kamari, white beach and red beach.

Understand

An alternative name for Santorini is Thira. Santorini is also a name for the family of islands surrounding Thira--once forming a single island prior to a major volcanic event in approximately 1500 B.C.E.

The small island cradles a rich variety of landscapes and villages. Visit traditional architecture in the small village of Mesa Gonia containing a mixture of ruins from the 1956 earthquake and restored villas as well as a winery at the foot of the settlement. Pyrgos is another notable village set inland with its grand old houses, remains of a Venetian castle and several Byzantine churches.

The island has no natural source of water and so water is delivered to the island via tanker from Crete.

Fira is the fiery capital, a marriage of Venetian and Cycladic architecture, whose white cobblestone streets bustle with shops, tavernas, hotels and cafes, while clinging to the rim of the caldera nine hundred feet above the its port. If arriving by sea you can take a cable car up from the port or alternatively take a trip on one of the hundreds of mules up the 588 zigzagging steps. You could also attempt to walk up the steps but be warned, they are winding, narrow in parts with only low walls, they are covered in donkey excrement and the donkeys themselves will make no attempt to avoid you.

Walking along a path for about twenty minutes will bring you to Imerovigli where you can take in the magnificent views of the island_fs unique scenery from the tiny town.

Just above Fira at the highest point of the island is the quintessentially Santorininian town of Ia, also sometimes spelled Oia, with its whitewashed walls sunk into the volcanic rock and its blue domes rising above the sterling beauty of the stunning, russet Ammoudi Bay. At dusk, the town attracts crowds of people venturing to see the sunset. Santorini's sunsets, as viewed from Oia, are reputed to be among the world's most beautiful.

Due to the spectacular and unique natural beauty of Santorini, many Greek singers have chosen the island as the setting of their videos. Greek and Brazilian TV series have been shot of Santorini, as well as some Hollywood movies (''e.g.'' Tomb Raider II). Generally Santorini is a pole of attraction for Greek and international celebrities.

Climate

The season starts on March 1 -- recommended by locals, as it's not too hot and not crowded at all. The period from December through February is very much the off-season. Over half of the businesses, including hotels and guest houses, may be closed. For those that are visiting for the cultural experience rather than to experience the beaches, this can be a great time to arrive. The weather may be cool but bargains are available and crowds non-existant.

Villages

There are several villages on Santorini Island.

  • Fira - the main stunning cliff-perched town, featuring all that Oia has, but much more overcrowded
  • Kamari - black pebble beach
  • Oia or Ia - for unforgettable sunsets, probably the most charming place on the island
  • Pyrgos - highest point on the island; picturesque monastery and streets, can compete with Oia
  • Perissa - Nice, well-organized beaches and good Greek fish taverns.
  • Megalochori -Traditional village with a lot of old white cycladic churches.
  • Akrotiri -Visit the archeological site of Aktotiri (due to an accident the facilities are closed to the public).
  • Mesaria - The centre of the island. There is a small market on the road every morning with fresh fish. Do not miss the Argiros Estate to see a 19th century house fully rebuilt.
  • Monolithos- Nice beach and a few good taverns. Very good for children, as the water is shallow.
  • Vlichada - a small village and a beach
  • Also there's Thirasia, a village on the nearby island with the same name--visited by fewer tourists. There are daily excurisions to the Kameni (volcano) Island which also reach Thirasia island.

    Get in

    Getting in from Athens by air is faster and not prone to sea sickness, compared to ferries. However, in season air tickets sell out well before most of the ferries.

    By air

    Santorini has its own airport Kamari village and next to Monolithos, with regular flights from Athens by Olympic Airways [http://www.olympicairlines.com/], Aegean Airlines [http://www.aegeanair.com/] and AirSea Lines [http://www.airsealines.com/] (a seaplane airline), as well as charters from many European cities. Flight duration from Athens to Santorini is about 30 minutes. During summer, Sky Express [http://www.skyexpress.gr/] connects Santorini with other popular islands such as Crete, Rhodes and Mykonos; check with the airline for current schedules. Seasonal domestic flights are also operated from/to Thessaloniki. From the airport there are buses to Fira, where you can change to buses for other towns. Taxis are also usually waiting at the airport, but competition for them can be keen. Many Santorini hotels offer airport transfers, usually for a fee that's more than a taxi would charge you, but some may find it worth it for the convenience.

    By sea

    Take the ferry from Piraeus past Paros and Naxos to the new port on Santorini. More details in the Cyclades article. There is also daily connection between Heraklion city of Crete and Santorini during high season.

    If you prefer sea, most popular and recommended transport are high-speed catamarans, like Hellenic Seaways Highspeed (bright-red Vodaphone-logo boats). The Pireaus-to-Santorini trip takes only 4.5hrs, comparable in duration to air, and more stress-free.

    Ferries dock at the port of Athinios, where buses and taxis meet each arrival to transport passengers to Oia, Fira, and elsewhere. All vehicles climb up a very steep, winding road (it makes seven 180 degree turns) to get anywhere from Athinios.

    If you travel by cruise ship, the experience will surely leave you with lasting memories. Cruise ships that reach the island of Santorini do not anchor at Athinios port, but one or two miles away from the old port of the island. Locals with fishing boats transfer cruisers to the old port, which seems not to have changed over the last 50 years. From there you can either use the cable car to reach the town of Fira, which will take no more than 5 minutes, or if you like small adventures you can ride a donkey, which climbs up a small path on the cliff to Fira. The latter option will last longer, but is definitely a unique experience.

    Get around

    The island is amply serviced by '''independent buses''', which cost between 1 and 2 euros depending on where you're going to and from. They fill up quickly (even outside of high season), but they are a great, efficient way to get around the island. '''Boats''' also run between major coastal towns on the island. Cars can be rented from about 30 Euros a day. Scooters and 4-wheelers (quads) are available to rent starting at about 15 Euros per day. You must have a motorcycle license to rent a scooter in Santorini.

    Some hotels advise booking a '''taxi''' in advance, as there are not enough available taxis on the island during high season. As is the rule in the Cyclades, taxi fares are typically shared between multiple passengers, so don't be surprised if your cabbie picks up more passengers during your trip.

    It takes about 50 minutes to drive the island from end to end (from Vlichada to Ia).

    The island is small enough that it can be thoroughly explored by foot or by bike. Bike rentals are available.

    See

    Santorini is one of the great natural wonders of the world, and its main attraction is the landscape and seascape of the island itself. The configuration of the present, roughly semicircular island is the result of an enormous volcanic explosion which occurred probably around 1630 bce, literally blowing the top off the island and changing what had been a typical half-submerged mountain of an Aegean island into a flooded crescent caldera, in the middle of which a few small smoking islands still bear witness to volcanic activity. Some have speculated that this event was the inspiration for the myth of Atlantis. The towns of Fira, Ia (also known as Oia) and Thirasis cling to the steep cliffs facing into the caldera bay. Tours to the central "smoking" islands are readily available and one can see and feel steam vents and recent (1950s) lava flows.

    Another popular reason for coming to Santorini are the legendary sunsets, some of the most spectacular in the world. Ia is one of the few places on the island which is both close to a sea and offers a good view to a sunset over the sea: in other towns, the sun disappears behind the volcano.

    Additionally the town of Fira is stunning.

    Be sure to explore the areas outside of the towns. There is beautiful countryside where tradition still survives. Cave houses (both abandoned and occupied), gardens, vinyards, small family business, and tiny churches are there to be discovered.

    Santorini ranks among top destinations for wedding celebrations for at least 4 years -- primarily for sunset and peace, like those in Oia. Couples often arrive with few friends, stay in Ia (places like Fanari Villas). Groups often arrive in the beginning of the week -- judging by demand for cabrios and number of corteges seen on Mondays compared to weekends.

    While the island is full of medium- and top-cost hotels and villas, there are still lots of abandoned caves and modest private houses where noone seems to live for a long time -- even in western Oia where every inch seems to be occupied by some villa. And this doesn't seem to change for years, judging by 2001-2005.

  • '''Thirassia''': small island near Santorini; place with more authentic villages, buildings and even churches. Take a look at hymnasia: in the yard, pupil painted children on the walls.
  • '''Boat excursions''': volcano island ('''Nea Kameni''') - hot springs ('''Palia Kameni''') - Thirassia
  • :From Ia: departure from '''Ammoudi bay''' at 10:50AM (starting point and final end); a bit later from '''Armeni bay'''. 1hr 30min at volcano island; 45min for hot springs; 2hrs for Thirassia (incl. time for lunch). Meals are not included, normally the guide advises you to visit Captain Jack self-service tavern, which is so-so; it's smarter to wait half an hour and have your meal on Santorini where competition is higher and choice is better. Expect to pay around 15 euro for the excursion.

  • Faros. A lighthouse near Kamari and Perissa
  • '''Red Beach'''- it's worth taking the Red Beach/Akrotiri bus from Fira and then climbing over the very rocky trails to get here (though there are water taxis and various schooners that make their way here as well). Red Beach earns its name from the iron-rich sedimentary rocks in the cliff face towering above you, as well as the red sand. It's quite crowded; you can rent an umbrella and a pair of chaise lounges for 7 euros, though there is also some good free space nearby that gets packed by midday. The first few meters of the water near the shore are quite gravelly, so be prepared to step on some stones. Women are frequently topless. Many distant yachts can be seen from the beach -- it looks really romantic at sunset time. Great snorkeling - an abundance of sea life is present, as with Perissa. The tavernas built into the caves on Red Beach seem to have no electricity or running water, so if you eat or use the washrooms there, bring along hand sanitizer!
  • '''White Beach'''- available only from the sea; get there by boat from Red Beach.
  • '''Vlichada'''- relatively uncrowded. An umbrella with 2 chaise longues cost ?10. (5? (July, 2007) if you go to the left side of the beach).
  • '''Amoudi'''- this is not really a beach with sand, but is a wonderfully secluded swimming area reachable from Oia. There is a road around the far side of Oia that leads down to a small parking lot. From there, you can reach the swimming area on foot past a few small restaurants. There is also a platform on a large rock that people can swim to and dive off of.
  • Wineries

  • '''Volcan Wines Museum & Winery''': ''+30 0286'' 31322. open 12PM-8PM.
  • '''Santo Wines''': [http://www.santowines.gr]; open 9am-sunset
  • '''Argiros Estate''': Mesa Gonia near Kamari
  • '''Roussos winery''': Mesa Gonia near Kamari
  • '''Boutari winery''': Megalochori
  • '''Hatzidakis winery''': Pyrgos
  • '''Antoniou Winery''': Megalochori
  • Do

  • Horseback riding in Exo Gonia
  • Scuba diving. Even non-qualified divers can dive up to 14 metres down on a wreck next to the volcano.
  • Caldera Cruise and Oia Sunset
  • Plan your weddings in santorini
  • Historic Sights

    Akrotiri, in the south, a roughly 3,500 year old Minoan town preserved in volcanic ash like Pompeii, is one of Santorini's "must-sees". The excavation site is covered by a roofing system, which makes it something that you can comfortably visit no matter what time of year. The ruins, are extremely well preserved. Streets, buildings, stairs and even second floors of buildings are still visible. Visitors can stand in the ruins and look at Minoan pottery and frescoes, and with a little imagination, feel what it would have been like to live in ancient Greece. Due to an accident in September 2005, the excavation site is closed to the public in the whole season of 2006 and is expected to be opened again in early summer of 2010.

    Ancient Thera, the Classical city of the island is located on Mesa Vouno, 396 m. above sea level. It was founded in the 9th century B.C. by Dorian colonists whose leader was Theras, and continued to be inhabited until the early Byzantine period. The preserved ruins belong to the Hellenistic and Roman phases of the city. The residential area and the larger part of the cemeteries were excavated by German archaeologists between 1895 and 1902. The cemeteries on the NE and NW slopes of Sellada were excavated by N. Zapheiropoulos in the years 1961-1982.

    Fira has the '''Museum of Prehistoric Thira''' that contains some of the artifacts, which were found in the ruins of Akrotiri. So first visit Akrotini, where the items came from and then Thira to understand what the items are. The museum has more pots, pottery and other household items than you can shake an antique stick at, but the highlight is the frescoes of the blue monkeys -- a mystery since historians say there is no evidence that there were ever monkeys on Santorini.

    Also in Fira, near the cable car station, is the '''Archeological Museum''' that contains artifacts from various eras. Most of the exhibits are dated from the Classic and Roman period from the ancient town of Thera and it's cemeteries.

    Architecture

    The Cycladic Islands are world-famous for their picturesque towns of cubic white-washed homes and blue-domed churches. Santorini is especially famous for the towns of Fira and Oia, whose white and pastel-colored homes and churches-- seemingly stacked on top of each other-- are perched on the cliffs of the caldera. Many of these traditional homes are built on cliff-side caves, thus having a much larger interior than their exterior would suggest. The architecture of Santorini's picturesque towns is typically Cycladic, but with strong neoclassical and baroque influences visible in many of the island's churches and public buildings.

    The arts

    While Santorini cannot claim a prominent art collection, why not see some local and international artists work by visiting the '''Art Space Gallery and Winery''' in the small village of Exo Gonia, on the way between Fira and Kamari. Art Space is a winery built in 1830, an old canava. Also an museum with old installations for raki and tomato-juice. Owned by the same family (Argyros) for three generations.

    Scenery and nature

    The landscape here --the blue sky, the little white houses perched on gigantic rocks on hills that plummet to the sea, the lemon and orange groves, the pink and white churches that look like pastrycakes, the faces and warmth and expressiveness of the Greek people -- little wonder this may be the most photographed scenery in the world.

    Buy

  • '''Atlantis Books''', [http://www.atlantisbooks.org/]. The largest selection of English language books on the island. Also stocks Greek, German, French, Italian, Spanish, and Dutch.
  • Santorini is one of Greece's most prominent ''wine regions'', whose '''wines''' enjoy special designation of origin status from the European Union. The method of growing grapes (with vines close to the earth and individual vines spaced far apart from each other) is unique to the island, with its dry soil and windy climate. Wineries open to the public are located throughout the island.
  • Buy Santorini wines on Iama Wine Store in Oia.Very nice shop with all Santorini wines and over 350 labels of other Greek and international wines.
  • Eat

    Santorini specials include: the white aubergine; fava; [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caper caper]; a variety of '''ntomatokeftedes''', with whole slices of tomatoes fried in batter. Another must-try is fresh fish grilled in tavernas, esp. those close to a sea.

    If you decide to eat or drink in a taverna overlooking the caldera or having a good view to a sunset, expect prices to be higher than a similar establishment in one of the many side-streets as you are charged extra for the view ?- but what a view!

    For those who enjoy the Mediterranean diet--fresh fish, vegetables, and meat dishes can be found at several moderately priced restaurants (average $50 for two) in Imerovigli, Oia, and Fira. To save money, stay away from places that are overtly commercial and go to the family run fish taverns located nearby the smaller beaches and communities.

    '''Gyros''' here are reported to be 10 times better than in the US and half the price.

    Don't miss the traditional '''fried tomato balls''' of '''ntomatokeftedes''' and be sure to ask for local tomatoes in your salad. They may be the best tasting you have ever had. Santorinia is particularly well known for its '''cherry tomatoes'''.

    Drink

    Wineries

    Tour local wineries and enjoy the local wines, well thought of, if not world famous. A combination of climatic factors and the tastes of those who have occupied and lived on the island have formed an eclectic cuisine.

    Sleep

    Santorini island could be divided into two parts, the western side of the island and the eastern. Santorini mainly owes its popularity to the western side. This is where the caldera is, and the villages, like Fira and Oia, that are built on the cliff. On this side of Santorini most hotels have terrific views of the caldera, volcano, the sea and sunsets. There is of course a drawback that you have to keep in mind before making your reservation. The majority of the hotels built on the caldera have many stairs, which is usually annoying for tourists not willing to climb up and down all the time. Some of them do not accept children under 13, because they do not offer any childrens' facilities, due to their dangerous location on the cliff. There are hotels that are specially oriented to couples and honeymooners. Most of Santorini luxury resorts can be found on the western side of the island. Note that not all hotels which are on the western side of the island offer views, as some of them are located in town.

    The eastern side of Santorini resembles the rest of the Greek islands. There are many beach hotels, especially in Kamari, that also attract a lot of tourists, mainly youngsters and families. These hotels usually offer larger rooms and pools than those on the other side of the island.

    Keep in mind that the room rates are fixed, by many hoteliers, according to the view of the room, which makes the hotels on eastern side of Santorini much cheaper than those on the western side.

    Moreover keep in mind that booking your accommodation in advance would be very helpful, as most hotels have few rooms (usually not more than 20) and quickly fill.

    Most of the island's hotels are closed during winter. They open during or after Greek Orthodox Easter (April or May) and usually close by the end of October. As in other Greek Islands, July, August and September are considered high season.

    Contact

    There are some local radio stations in Santorini, mainly in Greek language. When in Santorini, turn your radio at: Volcano Radio at 106.4 MHz and Top Melody Fm Radio at 104.9 MHz.

    Internet

    You can find internet cafes in Kamari, Perissa, Thira (wireless access also available) and in Oia.

    Stay safe

    Santorini is relatively crime free: you are quite unlikely to be pickpocketed. On the other hand you may feel you have been ripped off by some restaurant or bar bills.

    Physically the cliffs and low walls guarding large drops pose a danger to children while the elderly may encounter problems with the many steps. Cave exploring can be fun too but it is not recommended to deviate from the paths because of the unstable rocks made of Tufa.

    Get out

    Move on to Crete, Naxos, Paros or Ios.