Santorini or Thira is the muse of the Aegean. The southernmost island of the Cyclades is one of the most popular destinations in the world and not unjustly as its beauty is incomparable.
The volcano of Santorini sculpted thousands of years before its impressive wild landscape and created a modern paradise for travelers arriving from all over the world to admire the view from the breathtaking caldera, to fall in love with the most beautiful sunset and the Aegean Sea.
To swim in beaches with red sand and black pebbles.
Picturesque and cosmopolitan with a frantic nightlife, faithful to the traditional cuisine and the local fine products but also a pioneer in high gastronomy, Santorini has it all!
If you want to visit the island that has been identified with the Greek summer, welcome to beautiful Santorini!
Arriving at the port of Athinios you will immediately understand that you have arrived in a place different from the others! The capital of the island is the beautiful Fira.
Picturesque with Cycladic architecture, houses perched on the steep cliff of the Caldera and views of the volcano compose a cinematic landscape. You will find there luxury accommodation, restaurants, cafes, shops and of course bars that operate until the morning!
Next to Fira, are the equally picturesque settlements of Firostefani and Imerovigli. Believe us, you will not get bored for a moment to marvel at the incredible view they offer.
The preserved settlement of Oia is known for its amazing sunset. Every day thousands of people from all over the world gather in the picturesque alleys and the castle of Oia to watch the sun sink in the sea, a magical moment for every romantic soul out there.
Other settlements of Santorini are Emporios, Karterados, Messaria and Akrotiri, everyone has something special to offer you. While if you want to get to know a little of the cosmopolitan Santorini, choose to visit the coastal settlements of Perissa, Perivolo and Kamari.
The beaches of Santorini are as special as it is. In each one you will meet something unique! In the rare beauty of Kokkini Paralia, surrounded by red and black rocks you will find yourself on a red sandy beach with black pebbles and dark blue waters.
In Vlychada you will think that you are swimming in a crater of the moon as the huge white rocks with the strange formations and the black pebbles create a lunar landscape.
In the popular Kamari, Perivolos and Perissa you will find large beaches full of beach bars, cafes, shops, restaurants and taverns to enjoy all day near the sea.
The White beach is also impressive with the contrast of the black sand and the steep high white rocks, equip yourself with supplies and take the boat to visit it.
Equally impressive with crystal clear waters and volcanic shores are the beaches of Monolithos, Gialos and Paradise.
Activities
If you visit Santorini do not forget to visit the neighboring island of Thirasia by boat or sailboat, go to Nea Kameni where you can walk to the crater of the volcano and enjoy the thermal spring with the healing mud in Palea Kameni.
For an unforgettable view of the wild steep cliffs of the Caldera, take the cable car from Gialos to Fira and you will feel awe in front of the power of nature that sculpted this landscape!
If you are a fan of hiking, Santorini offers the opportunity to walk on beautiful routes with stunning views of the imposing landscape. We suggest the route at the eyebrow of the Caldera from Fira to Oia where you will admire the majestic volcanic beauty of the island to the fullest.
Have you associated your summer vacation with water sports in the crystal clear waters of the Aegean? Santorini is the ideal island to enjoy your hobby.
Many beaches of the island have water sports centers (windsurfing, water skiing) and diving schools to explore the mysterious seabed of the island.
The reef in the Adiavati area, the caves in Mesa Pigadia and the Rock of Indiao, the shipwreck in Palia Kameni and Armenis for wall diving are some of the enchanting diving spots of Santorini.
An island with a long winemaking tradition, Santorini offers the visitor the opportunity to taste the wines of the local vineyards in its visitable wineries. This is an amazing experience for wine lovers!
Every summer, concerts and festivals are organized on the island with great interest, as well as a variety of cultural events at archeological sites and museums. You will always find something that will catch your interest!
Sights
What to do first in Santorini?
Arriving on the island you will surely be curious to know how this primordial landscape was created and what civilizations inhabited this divine place. We will suggest you to visit some of the museums and archeological sites of the island to know its important history!
At the Museum of Prehistoric Thira, one of the most important in the country, you will find impressive finds from the prehistoric city of Akrotiri.
At the Archaeological Museum in Fira, the whole history of the island will unfold before your eyes through ornate sculptures, inscriptions, clay figurines and vases.
But if you want to feel the real energy of the island, visit the archeological site in Akrotiri. A real journey through time awaits you among the ruins of the settlement covered by the lava and ash of the volcanic eruption.
Finally, climb Ancient Thira, a not so well known place, at 369 m. And admire the beautiful view next to the ancient ruins!
You will get to know the tradition of Santorini at the Folklore Museum in Kontochori, in a cave building of 1861. The manual professions come to life in front of you, old books and manuscripts as well as lithographs will take you to the authentic past of the island.
In the Traditional Village “Santorini that left” in Pyrgos, you will meet a complete representation of Santorini houses, mansions and farms and you will learn how a family lived in Santorini in the old days!
Surrounded by the sea, Santorini offered moments of great glamor for the naval history of the country. If you want to discover it visit the original Naval Museum in Oia which is housed in a beautiful 19th century captain’s house.
Wine and Santorini have been together for years. So do not forget to visit the unique wine Museum of its kind, which is located 8 meters below the ground. An amazing experience awaits you there.
Take a tour of the place, learn the daily life of the local winemakers and the winemaking history of the island and at the end you will be rewarded with an “intoxicating” tasting of local wines.
Santorini has been identified by many with the Lost Atlantis. For an unforgettable interactive experience with dioramas and new augmented reality technologies, visit the new Lost Atlantis Experience Museum.
The land of Santorini with its volcanic rocks is a fertile ground for the production of local products of exceptional quality.
You will find the traditional recipes with local products in most taverns and restaurants of the island. In Santorini you have the option to try tempted Mediterranean cuisine with pure ingredients in restaurants of high gastronomy.
We suggest you try Santorini fava with oil for appetizer, “married” with tomato, onion and caper or with eggplant sauce. You will find this primordial fruit only in Santorini for this and the variations are innumerable. Favo meatballs, fava soup and fava rice are all delicious.
In the local salads you will find Santorini tomatoes everywhere. Try it in combination with capers, barley nuts, katsouni (cucumber) and goat cheese or tomato meatballs and you will not be disappointed.
The diamonds of the Thera land have no stopping. You will find the white aubergines with the sweet taste and the soft texture in moussaka and eggplant salad but their best version is the koskosela, the local strapatsada.
For those who love special flavors, we also recommend sweet recipes such as desserts that include tomato and eggplant.
If the sea breeze whets your appetite, visit one of the beach taverns and try a brand. The brandada is a fluffy cod fillet with batter accompanied by garlic and eggplant. Other delicious dishes are atherina pies and savory fish fried in vinegar with garlic.
Other amazing Santorini recipes are the sponge, the rabbit egg-lemon, the stuffed zucchini and the psarolia.
If you come to Santorini do not forget to combine all the above with the local wines as the island has a long tradition in viticulture and the Thera land gives birth to some of the most special varieties of wine.
Assyrtiko, Athiri, Aidani, Mavrotragano, Mantilaria and the sweet Vinsanto are some of them. Get ready to fall in love with the island with the “intoxicating” wines!
And to leave you with a sweet taste of the beautiful Santorini, try the festive confetti, Santorini pudding and melitini!
