A very special island that is unlike any other. Wild beauty, magic land, a dream come true. Where the sun rises and sets differently than in any other part of the world. Just few of the things that have been said about Santorini.
Only a 40-minute flight from the airport Eleftherios Venizelos of Athens or a 6 to 8 hour boat trip from the port of Piraeus. A whole different world awaits for you to join anytime. And, of course, once is not enough. Whoever comes to the island, definitely returns at some point.
One of the most famous tourist destinations in the world, Santorini
belongs to the archipelago of the Cyclades in the South Aegean and was, in fact, created after a huge volcanic eruption that cut in half the pre-existing large island, called Round. Its central part exploded along with the crater of the volcano and created what we now call the Caldera and is one of the natural elements that characterize the whole island.
Apart from its unique, magnificent sunsets, Santorini is well known for its internationally awarded local wines. The vineyard of the island is the most traditional in Greece. Adverse climatic conditions and especially strong winds forced the growers to adopt a unique low pruning shape, like a basket, in order to protect the grapes from both the wind and the summer heat. The area of the vineyard today is 14,000 acres and its yield is about 500 kg / acre.
Another interesting special feature of the island is the cave houses that are found nowhere else. This is a special architectural approach that has houses built inside the rock - or generally underground- as caves and they are found not only in the caldera but also in other parts of the island. Theraic earth has insulating properties so the caves are kept cool in summer and warm in winter. Also, this way of construction allows the creation of a variety of shapes with great plasticity.
Finally, another place worth visiting when you are in Santorini is the archeological site of Akrotiri, one of the most important in the Eastern Mediterranean, as well as the ruins of Ancient Thira and the museums of Ancient and Prehistoric Thira in the island's capital, Fira.
