Greeks Beautiful Volanic Island
Santorini is the southernmost island in the Aegean Sea. You can get there from all the main airports in Greece, or get to Athens and then pick up the ferry. Finding cheap flights couldn’t be simpler and there are all sort of good deals available this summer.
Santorini is 37 square miles of pure beauty. If you can, visit in September – it’s a perfect time to go, with temperatures around the 24-28 degree mark. The crowds have gone, the prices are back into realistic figures and it’s an opportunity to see one of the worlds most enchanted islands.
A Volcanic Island
The island has had a turbulent history. About 400,000 years ago, all the local islands were part of one single land mass. Santorini was created after one huge volcano exploded and then caved in on itself. The island has an elemental beauty, with white painted villages climbing up the volcanic cliffs. Its dramatic views, stunning sunsets and charming villages are a feast for the senses. It does have some touristy places, but it’s not hard to get an authentic feel of the place, once you are beaten track. Villagers still use donkeys to get about, the church bells ring out from blue topped domes and the tiny houses cling to the almost vertical rock face, painted bright white and decorated with pink and red geraniums. Santorini is known for its incredible sunsets, where the skyline changes from orange, to garnet red and through to a deep lavender. A great way to see the sun dip below the horizon is to treat yourself to a night cruise – and you can watch the whole island sink into the dusk. Or if you like heights go to the village of Oia and watch the sky change from one of the many vantage points.
Places To Experience Island Life
So, what is there to do? The village of Fira houses the museums and galleries. Oia Village has lots of tavernas, where you can sample fresh-caught fish of the day, or try one of the local delicacies such as the stuffed courgettes or the Apaxti – which is the islands own cured ham. Great with a dish of olives! Oia has an air of romance about it – it’s incredibly pretty, nearly all of the houses are festooned in flowers, grown in every conceivable vessel – old oil cans and glass jars are favourites for displaying bright colours against the eye watering, bright white plaster walls.
Take a scooter or bus to Megalochori with is beautiful vaulted houses and white churches. You’ll be walking on streets made of “Calder Imia” (stone-cobbled narrow pathways) so it’s advisable to wear comfortable shoes.
Akrotiri will offer you a fabulous view of the Caldera and then stop off at Perivolos Beach, where you can lap up the sun on the only black sand beach on the island. Make sure you don’t arrive in the middle of the day, because the sand will be too hot to sit on. The swimming is good here, and there are tavernas near the beach, so at the hottest part of the day you can take some shade and sample the local fish dishes. Pyrgos Village sits on top of a hill, and was once the capital of the island. There is a Venetian Castle here and the streets are tiny, steep and curve back on themselves – marvellous for leg muscles. The village has some 33 church buildings, including the Monastery of Profitis Ilias.
If you enjoy local wines, consider a visit to the Wine Museum Koutsogianopoulos. It’s situated 8 meters below the ground, and is made up of a labyrinth of passages, depicting the history of the local wine and the people who produced it from about 1660 to the early 1980’s. You can sample a few of the best wines at the end of the tour.
And for Children?
The bigger hotels on Santorini are geared up for children with sports, and childrens’ clubs, but the island doesn’t yet have lots of tourist style entertainment on hand – it’s more a place to enjoy the stunning scenery. Children might love the black, white and red beaches, but you need to get their early before the heat of the day sets in, or you can visit the Islands Water Park, where there are pools and slides galore. Monolithos, Perissa and Kamari beaches are great for children; Monolithos is a protected beach with a shallow, level walk into calm waters – great for first time paddlers. Perissa and Kamari are lovely beaches but they do have some steep underwater steps which can take you unawares, so this one is recommended for more experienced swimmers. There are real, rather than plastic adventures to be had in this wild and rugged landscape and they’ll have an opportunity to use their imagination – get them started on how the island began, and let them enjoy the sense of freedom.
Santorini is such an unusual place – however, if you find that you still want to explore you can take a ferry or catamaran to Paros or Naxos – just half an hour away on a Catamaran. Flights and holiday offers are readily available, so take a week away and experience this magical place in the late warmth of the summer sun. Gorgeous!