THE VILLAGES ON THE ISLAND OF SANTORINI OR THIRA IN GREECE

- The village of Fira on Santorini - The center of the activities is the capital Fira which is positioned high on the edge of the caldera rim. Stairs lead down the crater wall, 587 steps, to the old port of Skala Fira. You can walk or you can go by donkey, but there is also a cable car. Skala Fira is a place where the cruise boats moor. Allthough Fira can be seen as a tourist centre it still has enough charm left to pay it a visit. Even if it was just for taking a drink on a terrace and enjoying the views. It is a photegenetic and picturesque place and there are views from Fira to the neighbouring island of Anafi. The big attraction in Fira is the view over the caldera and the vulcano. There are telescopes on some of the places so you can take a better look. Along the edge of the caldera and in the many small and narrow streets behind it you find all kinds of small bars, tavernas and shops. Like in many of the villages on Santorini there are many churches with domes and there are characteristic cave houses: dwellings that are cut into the rocks. The most famous and most photographed church is the 18th century Agios Minas church with its blue dome and white clock tower. There are also two Archeological Museums in Fira. In the old museum there are mainly finds to be seen that date from the post Minoan times and in the new museum next to the bus station there are Minoan frecoos on display that have been found in Santorini. There is also a town museum. The best time to exlore Fira is in the mornings when it is not so hot and so busy yet and the sunrise gives the buildings a beautiful glow. In the cause of the day the village will fill up with tourists that are armed with cameras ready to take their pictures and not until the end of the afternoon the peace will more or less return. In the evening the village comes to life again and the bars and the clubs in Fira fill up.

- The village of Oia on Santorini - Oia is the most important settlement hanging on the the caldera cliff on the north side of the island. Oia is without any question the most picturesque village on the whole island of Santorini and it is famous for having the most beautiful sunsets in Greece. Oia is a little bit less crowded and a little bit nicer than in Fira. Like most of the villages in Santorini Oia was heavily damaged during an earthquake in 1956 but it has been rebuilt in a high quality. Down at the caldera cliff is the tiny port of the village (Amoudi) with its fish tavernas. Oia has two beaches that you can reach by stairs. They are the small black pebble beaches that are called Amoudi and Armeni. There are beachchairs and umbrellas for rent and compaired to the beaches at the popular beach resorts on the east side of Santorini they are very quiet. For much more information and many more pictures of the villages on Santorini - click here.

A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION ON THE ISLAND OF SANTORINI OR THIRA IN GREECE

Okay, you are reading on, so you maybe are still making up your mind about Santorini....I say you should go! Santorini is often described as the most spectacular of all the Greek islands (and maybe it is so because of the landscape). You can agree or disagree and you must make up your own mind about it when you visit the island. It is more crowded and a bit more expensive than most of the other Cycladic islands though. The landscape, the archeological site of Akrotiri and the legend of Atlantis keep attracting the tourists. People see it on the tv and read about it in magazines and books. The island has been made so romantic everybody wants to see it. The island of Santorini is also known as "Thira". The name Santorini dates from the Venetian times, the name Thira is older and this is actually the official name of the island. Because nobody knows better and for most people the name "Thira" doesn't mean a thing the island is still commonly referred to as Santorini. Most of the island is rather treeless and dry and on some parts tomatoes and grapes (for the famous Santorini wine - grown on the vulcanic soil) are grown. In the greyish landscape spread like little white dots are the villages. Interesting ones are the villages of Pirgos and Akrotiri. Akrotiri, situated in the south of Santorini, is still largely a traditional village and south of it lies the Minoan village that many people come to see. Santorini - the explosion - The legend of Atlantis took shape because the vulcano-island of Santorini exploded in 1500 BC (I keep bumping into different dates during the research and since I wasn't there myself "give or take" a century) taking part of one of the earliest civilizations, the Minoan civilization, and its settlements with it down to the bottom of the sea. The later discovery of the Minoan harbour town of Akrotiri has put Santorini on the archeological map. The town was buried under a pile of ashes during the explosion. This explosion also created terrible rains of ashes and a tsunami that headed for Crete. On Crete too many things were destroyed including (they believe) the Palace of Knossos. The tsunami that destroyed large parts of the island of Crete and the ash rains that covered the land changed life for ever and ended the Minoan civilization. The site of Akrotiri is large and not all of it is excavated yet. The people of Akrotiri were so technologically advanced that the legend of Atlantis was born. There were street drains and the houses had inside toilets. The houses look quite modern and are brightened with beautiful fresco's.

THE BEACHES AND NATURIST BEACHES OF THE ISLAND OF SANTORINI OR THIRA IN GREECE

Since Santorini is a vulcanic island most of the beaches are not brilliant. Normally the beaches on Santorini consist of small black pebbles and they are usually not very large. Exception to the rule are the beaches that are situated in the southeast of the island. There are sometimes some negative reports about the beaches on Santorini but personally I think they are not that bad. There is something for everyone. Too bad that most beaches are dark in color, but they're really not all bad and they are not all just pebbles. The beaches of Perissa and then further south are quite beautiful and close to Fira and Oia you can also find nice (and sometimes large) beaches if you just look around. And yes, sometimes a beach is in the wind, but that happens on all the Greek islands. If you are smart you then go and look on the other side of the island. There is always a beach to be found that is not affected by the wind. Nor are all beaches on Santorini are crowded, what you might think of an island that attracts so many tourists. Everybody can find a beach that suits him / her. - Perissa and Kamari Beach - The beaches in the south eastern part of the island, Perissa and Kamari are much wider and larger and these are the two places where most of the accommodations can be found. Perissa is more a village for the independant traveller and there are hostels, pensions and rooms for rent. It lies next to the village of Emporio and is well protected from the Meltemi wind that can blow over the Cyclades in the summertime. Perissa is protected from an any wind that comes from the north because it is placed next to the Profitis Ilias mountain. Kamari is more a place for expensive hotels. Because the beaches are colored black it can get very hot when the sun is shining on it. Maybe it is a good plan to bring your beach sandals. - Red Beach - More beaches can for instance be found in the south near the village of Akrotiri (Red Beach and White Beach). Picturesque Red Beach or Kokkini Ammos has reddish sand and a steep and highrising black and red rock / lava cliff behind it. The beach is not so very large so it can get crowded quickly. Small boats leave from Perissa and from Akrotiri and bring you to Red Beach. From all the people that come to Red beach not everybody is staying. Some of the visitors just want to take a look, make a picture or two and then go on to do other things. The Red Beach is a sight on its own. It is favorite by many visitors because of its natural beauty and cristal clear water, and because it is not so over-commercialized with tavernas yet. - White Beach - Next to Red Beach is the smaller White Beach or Aspro Paralia which is only accessible by boat (sometimes you read you can get there on foot but you would really need a parachute for the last part down the cliff). This beach is is a a pebble beach - an many of these pebbles are quite large - which is surrounded by high white cliffs. These beaches (Red and White - two of the most famous beaches of Santorini) can be reached by kaik (a traditional Greek wooden boat) or Red Beach also on foot from the village of Akrotiri in about ten minutes. Red Beach and white beach are not far away from the ruins of the Minoan city. In the area of Red Beach there are some hotels, whereas at White Beach there are none at all. - Monolithos Beach - The beach of Monolithos is close to the airport and is more or less an extension of Kamari Beach. Here it is more quiet than on some of the nearby other beaches. There are a few hotels in the area, but unfortunately although the beach is nice, there is very often a strong wind blowing here. Monolithos Beach has fine black sand and it is shallow, so it is also suitable for families with small children. Monolithos Beach is an organized beach with facilities and there are sunbeds and umbrellas for hire. There are tavernas and there are possibilities for all kinds of watersports on Monolithos Beach. For the people that love the shade but don't want to immediately rent an umbrella there are also some trees on the beach you can lie under. - Kouloumbo Beach - Cape Columbo of Kouloumbo Beach in the northeast of the island is one of the most isolated an quiet beaches. It consists of a large strip of black sand. High waves beat down on the coast here. This is one of the beaches on Santorini which is not organized (no beachchairs and umbrellas). Of all the beaches in this part of Santorini Kouloumbo Beach is the best and the prettiest. An option for the visitors that want to avoid the big crowds and don't care about the extra luxury of sunbeds and umbrellas. Since there is nothing on the beach (except sand and the sea of course) it is very wise to bring at least one big bottle of water and some sunscreen if you don't want to return home feeling dehydrated and looking red as a lobster. - Perivolos Beach - The beach of Perivolos is not far away from Perissa beach and here it is also reasonably quiet. Actually Perivolos Beach can better be looked at as some sort of extension of the beach of Perissa and the beach of Agios Georgios Beach which lies south of it. The long beach of Perivola has more a dark grey kind of sand instead of the black and it consists of both pebbles and sand. The last three beaches are organized beaches with facilities. There are beachchairs and umbrellas for rent and there is a good choice in tavernas, kafenions and accommodations. There are possibilities to do all kinds of watersports as well. The distance to Perissa Beach is three kilometer and it can be reached by bus, taxi or if you like you go on foot. - Agios Georgios Beach - Agios Georgios Beach is situated in the south of the island at a half a kilometer distance of Perivolos Beach. There are plenty of small tavernas and a good choice in different kinds of accommodations set along the beach and beyond. The distance to Perissa Beach is aproximately three and a half kilometers and Agios Georgios is more quiet than its nearby neighbour. Like the other beaches Agios Georgios is also organized and so you can rent beach chairs and umbrellas and you can try out all kinds of watersports. On this part of the island it is one large stretch of sand and one beach will smoothly turn into another. Sometimes it can be hard to see where the first beach ends and where the second beach begins. - Vlihada Beach - Next to Agios Georgis and the last in the row is the beach of Vlihada. This is a very picturesque beach which is surrounded by high rising white/ yellowish cliffs. Vlihada Beach is situated next to a harbour with small traditional wooden kaiks where ducks swimm around in the water and fishermen kill time mending their nets. The beach of Vlihada is also an option for people that like it a bit more quiet, because you will not run into as many people here as you might do on Perissa Beach or Kamari Beach. The facilities are limited but there is one small cafetaria on the beach. Maybe not a bad move to bring a large bottle water with you when you go here. There are sunbeds and umbrellas for rent but only at the beginning of the beach. - Mesa Pigadia Beach - This beach is situated in the southwest of the island of Santorini off the main road to Akrotiri close to the lighthouse. You can reach the beach over a dirt track. The distance from the main road is aproxemately 1 kilometer. On Mesa Pigadia it is a littel bit more quiet than on some of the other beaches because it is more out of the route. The beach is not very large and in consists of sand with pebbles and also with larger stones on it. Mesa Pigadia Beach is surrounded by high white cliffs. There are a couple of cave-houses that are sometimes used to house fishing boats (during the winter time). You can also reach Mesa Pigadia Beach by excursion boat from Akrotiri. On the beach of Mesa Pigadia there is also a restaurant. - Amoudi Beach and Armeni Beach - These two beaches are two popular beaches that are situated below the village of Oia. Amoudi Beach is one of the most charming beaches of the island of Santorini and it can be reached by stairs (214 wide steps). It is set at the foot of high rising red cliffs and has a spectacular view over a rock that is standing in the cristal clear water. Amoudi Beach comes with a small harbor and there are fish tavernas and kafenions. Both beaches are easy to reach from the village of Oia. Armeni Beach is a small beach that is a little bit more difficult to reach than Amoudi. It is 286 steps down (by donkey or by foot). Don't forget that after you have gone down you need to climb back up. For many more beaches and more pictures of the beaches on Santorini - click here.

HOW TO GET TO SANTORINI OR THIRA IN GREECE - THE JOURNEY TO SANTORINI

Santorini has got an international airport and so there are flights from Athens and from several cities in Europe. The easiest option would therefore be to arrive in Santorini bij plane. Fly to almost any Greek island from Athens with - Aegean Airlines or - Olympic Air. The journey by ferry from Piraeus takes quite some time but it is also possible to take a fast ferry from Crete or combine Santorini with one or more other islands in the Cyclades thus cutting the trip by sea into smaller parts.

FERRIES TO AND FROM SANTORINI - ISLANDHOPPING FROM SANTORINI

From Santorini there are regular ferries (as well normal as socalled "superfast ferries") to Piraeus on the mainland and to other islands in the surroundings, such as Naxos, Paros, Milos, Kimolos, Sifnos, Serifos, Kea, Anafi, Mykonos, Syros, Ios, Crete and others, The possibilities are endless. There is also a connection to the opposite island of Thirassia a couple of times a day. You can check the times and prices and if you like you can book a ticket ahead on the site of Ferries in Greece. Especially if you want to be on a superfast ferry during the high season this could be a good plan.

SANTORINI OR THIRA ISLAND - FACTS

- Thera, or Santorini (Greek: Thira), is a Greek island in the Aegean Sea belonging to the Cycladic island group. It lies north of Crete, south of Naxos and Paros, and actually consists of three islands (Thira, Thirasia and Aspronisi) that were made during eruptions of the volcano in the middle of the islands. This created a ring-shaped archipelago. In the year 2000 Thira had around 7100 inhabitants. The capital is called Thira. Santorini is the Venetian name and comes from Saint Irini or St. Irene, a saint in exile that died on the island in the third century. About the emergence of the island, there are various speculations. For example that Santorini would have been the island of Atlantis, and Plato with his story about Atlantis would have been inspired by the volcanic eruptions of the the island. Furthermore, the cloud-column and the fire caused by the eruptions of the volcano of Santorini could have been what Moses has seen during his trip through the desert. Several of the plagues that struck Egypt could have been directly or indirectly related to these eruptions, as darkness came on the Egyptian land and water became undrinkable. - The volcanic eruptions in the Minoan period - In the Minoan period a huge explosion occurred, according to investigation in the year 1628 BC. This lava steam was so huge that the old city of Akrotiri disappearde below 50 meters of pumice and stone. The volcano also dropped into the sea and caused a tsunami with meant a massive destruction and disater on Crete. This wass likely directly or indirectly the cause of the end of the Minoan civilization two hundred years later. In the (fully filled with seawater) caldera eruptions later formed other small islands formed. The latest eruption was the mid-20th century.

ACCOMMODATIONS ON SANTORINI IN GREECE - HOTELS, APARTMENTS AND STUDIOS IN SANTORINI

Accommodations in Santorini come in many shapes and sizes. With a few exceptions, you could say that once you have views of the caldera you pay a premium. A Hotel with a swimming pool and overlooking the sea located at Fira or Oia are generally quite expensive. You can therefore choose to stay on the other side of the island near for instance the beach of Kamari or Perissa. The view of the caldera is of course what most people come for, but in the resorts on the east coast of the island the accommodations are generally a lot cheaper.

Santorini Hotels - Best Western The Museum Spa Wellness Hotel in Oia

Here we stayed a few days in May 2013, the Best Western The Museum Spa Wellness Hotel. It is situated in the pedestrianized center of Oia on the "main road". We had a two-room apartment here with a living room with two sofa beds and a kitchen, and a separate master bedroom. On the terrace outside there were seats where you could watch people walk by while sipping a glass of wine. Behind the hotel was a nice large pool. The breakfast buffet was very good and you could have it either in the breakfast room or behind the hotel at the pool area. Send an e-mail to the Best Western Hotel in Santorini - Telephone: +30 22840 71490

Santorini Hotels - William's Houses in Akrotiri - very good and not expensive!

Here we stayed in May 2013, William's Houses in Akrotiri. Something different than Oia or Fira, which are the most touristic spots of the island. Here you are away from the crowds. Akrotiri is located in the south of Santorini. William's Houses is two kilometers away from the famous "Red Beach" and you can also climb down to a few small beaches. Along a path from the road A few 100 meters away lies the path to Caldera Beach. The welcome was very warm, the rooms were beautiful and elegantly furnished. Friends of ours were in a studio, we had booked a two bedroom apartment for ourselves. There are also maisonettes. Our apartment had a large balcony with sea view and it was fully equipped. There was even a washing machine. We were given a daily list that we could fill out telling them what we wanted for breakfast, and at what time. In the morning it was than placed on our terrace. Next to William's Houses is a good restaurant and a 1-minute walk away is another one. Next to this restaurant is also the path down which leads to two small beaches and a church. Located in Akrotiri Village of Santorini, Willam's Houses features studios and apartments with a balcony overlooking the Aegean Sea, the Volcano and the Caldera. The property lies within 2.5 km from the red sandy beach and offers free Wi-Fi in all areas. Elegantly decorated with soft colours and white furnishings, the air-conditioned units of William's have a seating area and a kitchenette with fridge and cooking hobs. Each studio and apartment is equipped with a safe and a flat-screen TV, while some also include a washing machine. Guests can start their day with a la carte breakfast served daily in their room. Restaurants and mini markets can be found within a short walk from the property. William's Houses is situated 2 km from the Archeological Site of Akrotiri and 11 km from the capital Fira. Ormos Athinios Port is at 9 km, while Santorini International Airport is 14 km away. Car rental services can be provided and free private parking is possible on site Check availabilities and prices & book William's Houses on Santorini - click here.

Santorini Hotels - Villa Roula - Perissa Beach - very cheap and good ratings

This accommodation looks really nice, has good ratings and is very cheap. Roulla Villa, situated just a short walk from Perissa Beach, offers a large outdoor pool with Jacuzzi facilities and weekly Greek theme nights. This family-run hotel is designed in the traditional style of Santorini. Each of its comfortable rooms features en-suite bathroom and a fully equipped kitchen. Guests can choose to stay at Roulla Villa and enjoy a refreshing swim at the pool or walk to the nearby Perissa Beach. The 7-kilometres long beach, featuring black sand, is one of Santorini's most impressive beaches. At the pool bar area guests can relax with a drink while enjoying the Mediterranean sun or join in with the fun and dancing at Roulla's popular Greek night. Roulla Villa provides rental services, for those wishing to further explore the island of Santorini. There is also a local bus stop just 50 metres from the hotel with frequent buses connecting with the other parts of the island. Check availabilities & prices and book Villa Roula on Santorini - click here.

Soulis Apartments - Kouloumpos Beach

Soulis Apartments, found in the picturesque village of Oia, merely 100 metres from the beach of Kouloumpos, combine modern comforts with privileged location all year round. The complex consists of 20 newly built traditional apartments. Each features air-condition, fully equipped kitchen with a refrigerator, TV and balcony with view to the sea and the famous sunset. Soulis Apartments provide guests with free shuttle service to the port and the airport as well as free transfers to and from Oia. Guests may also benefit from the free wireless internet connection available in the entire hotel. Around the traditional settlement of Oia there are beautiful beaches with clear blue water, among which are Armeni, Amoudi, Kouloumpos, Baxedes and Ori. Note: the description says that the hotel is situated in Oia, but it is really just outside (why else would there be free transfers to and from Oia? Understandably: Oia has the magical sound). This is a place that I would choose myself. It is very quiet and the beach is absolutely fabulous: a quiet and large sandy beach that is surrounded by a high cliff. It is also suitable for naturists! On this side of the island you have the beautiful sunsets that you can enjoy in peace and quiet. Check availabilities and prices & book Soulis Apartments on Santorini - click here FOR MORE HOTELS, APARTMENTS AND STUDIOS ON SANTORINI - CLICK HERE.

© Hans Huisman, https://www.angelfire.com/super2/greece/ 2013