Whitewashed towns balanced on plunging cliffs, scorching black-sand beaches, and sharply stratified geological rock formations make Santorini’s landscape nearly as dramatic as the volcanic cataclysm that created it. This eruptive past—and stark beauty—has led some to believe that Santorini is the lost continent of Atlantis. The island, also called “Thira,” was an outpost of Minoan society from 2000 BC until around the turn of the 17th century BC, when an earthquake destroyed the wealthy maritime settlement of Akrotiri. All hope of recovery vanished when a massive volcanic eruption spread lava and pumice across the island around 1625 BC. The destruction of Santorini heralded the fall of Minoan civilization, and the volcanic eruption may have led to a tidal wave that leveled the ancient Minoan palaces on Crete. Yet the volcanoes greatly enriched the island’s soil, bestowing upon Santorini a greener landscape than that of its mostly barren Cycladic neighbors. Beauty this stunning couldn’t be kept secret for long, and armies of tourists pour into Santorini from across the world in parades of weddings, honeymoons, and family vacations. Due to its popularity and the cost of importing water and produce, however, the prices on the island are as steep as the cliffs of the caldera.
Santorini has had its share of catastrophes—it acquired its present shape in one of the biggest volcanic eruptions in recorded history, and an earthquake in 1956 razed many of the island's buildings. Since then, tourism has allowed for Santorini to rebuild itself; in fact, most of the island's annual income is still earned during its high season. Many establishments close for the winter, and people have to live off money earned in August—partially explaining why Santorini is one of the most expensive islands in Greece.
Today, Santorini is close on the heels of Mykonos and Ios in its popularity with partiers, who come to revel nights away on the steep cliffs of the caldera in Fira. The island is also popular with honeymooners who come to gaze at sunsets in Oia and window-shop in the town's jewelry stores and art galleries. The island's black sand beaches are perfect places to tan the day away, while hiking trails up to the ruins of Ancient Thira and boat tours to active volcanoes elevate any adventure seeker's heart rate. Due to this versatility, armies of tourists pour into Santorini from across the world. Due to this popularity and the cost of importing its water and produce from the mainland, however, the prices of the island are about as steep as the cliffs of the caldera.
Fira is Santorini's principal town, set against a steep caldera, or volcanic cliff. Its center is Plateia Theotokopoulou, a small square with plenty of travel agencies, banks, and cafes. To get here from ...more
Official road names are pretty rare on Santorini, so the addresses for the following accommodations are actually the towns they are located within. For more specifics, look to the direction section of ...more
Museum of Prehistoric Thyra, Fira (☎ 23217), “A masterpiece by an avant-garde painter” which combines “restraint in color and drawing with freedom of composition, intense movement, varied poses ...more
The best-known beach on Santorini is Red Beach, a small strip of pebbles and black sand under towering red-brick cliffs. You'll have to climb a small ridge to get here, but the beach, overflowing ...more
Cafe NRG, Ethnikis Stavrou, Fira (☎ 24997), NRG (read: energy) has got some of the biggest and best crepes around. The menu items are more like suggestions than anything binding, so feel free to build ...more
There's a reason Ethnikis Stavrou in Fira is also known as simply the “bar street.” You're not likely to find nightlife anywhere else. Koo Club, Ethnikis Stavrou, Fira (☎ 22025; www.kooclub.gr) ...more
Cine Villaggio, Kamari (☎ 32800; www.villaggiocinema.gr), If you can't get by without seeing Hollywood flicks every now and then, come here for your fix—the films are in their original language, with ...more
TOURIST OFFICE:Tourist Information Booth provides maps and general information. (Fira, in the plateia☎ 25940 h Open 8am-10pm.) TOURS:Pelican Tours sells ferry tickets and organizes ...more
Flights ( $ From €80. h 1hr., 8 per day.) between Athens and Santorini National Airport ( JTR) (☎ 28405) are operated by Olympic Airways (☎ 28400), Aegean Airlines ...more
Local buses (☎ 25404 www.ktel-santorini.gr) connect most towns on Santorini. From the Fira bus station, buses head to: Akrotiri ( h 30min., 10 per day. $ ...more
From Profitis Ilias, the ruins of Ancient Thira are a 1hr. hike away. (Open Tu-Su 8:30am-2:30pm. €2. EU students free.) This challenging trek gives hikers the opportunity to unleash their inner mountain ...more
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For 52 years, we have published the world’s favorite budget travel guides, written entirely by students and updated every year. With pen and notebook in hand and a few changes of underwear stuffed in our backpacks, we spend months roaming the globe in search of travel bargains.
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