Superlatives alone simply cannot begin to do justice to the spectacular drama of Santorini’s totally surreal landscape. Santorini is so fantastic in a visually stunning sense, even pictures do not often capture its essence. Even the most calloused traveler will succumb to this stunning relic of what was most likely the largest volcanic eruption in mankind’s history.
A dormant volcano? Yes. But is the Island a barren rock? Santorini is far from that. The southernmost Island in the Cyclades group, Santorin (Thera) is an epic place, surrounded by a vast curtain-like wall of multicolored cliffs dotted with white, cube-shaped homes, and blessed with charming seaside villages. But most wondrous of all, the super-friendly locals of the Island add even more to an already unbelievable place. The warmest welcome awaits all who travel to the place many suggest was once mystical, and mighty Atlantis.
Intriguingly, Santorini is often said to be both beautiful and deeply unattractive in equal measure – blue domed churches and white cube homes seemingly roll down the cliff sides, but at the same time streets here bustling with traffic and populated with super-expensive boutiques, cafes and restaurants , tend to evoke another emotion. The narrow, winding streets are as charming as can be – but the moment you run into a bus load of tourists, paradise becomes chaos.
Worth Every Penny
Yes, you can expect to burn a hole in your wallet when you come to Santorini too. The Island is almost exclusively an up-market one, attracting cruise ship tourists and middle class families from all over Europe to its elegant beach front resorts. And nothing is cheap. This is the way of modern paradise, and particularly epic antiquity atop paradise.
But don’t be swayed. Santorini offers some of the most memorable sights and glorious sunsets you’ll ever experience. Check out Oia, a tiny village at the island’s northern tip, which offers an uninterrupted view as the sun slowly slips under the waves, below the horizon once more. Further south, at the edge of Caldera, the last moments of the sunset are often obscured by the nearby islands of Kameni, Thirasia and Nea, though it remains spectacular nonetheless.
The main port of Santorini is also the Island’s biggest village. Athinios sits at the foothills of immense Sphinx-like cliffs and is an incredibly cramped place, a scene of incredible organized chaos that remarkably always seems to cope with the non-stop influx of boat loads of sun-seeking tourists.
Hordes of tourists in such a wonderful place are of course inevitable. Go with the flow, enjoy the ride and embrace everything about Santorini. After all, your standing on what’s left of a really big bang, no theory.
Main attractions: Akrotiri, Nea Kameni Volcanic Island, Oia, Boutari Winery, Pyrgos, Antoniou Winery, Museum of Prehistoric Thera, the Santorini volcano, the Thira Foundation, and many natural and historic sites.
Currency: Euro
Taxes & tipping: Tipping is recommended
Official language: Greek
Area: 90.69 km2 (35 sq mi)
Population: 13,670
Electricity:
- Voltage: 220-240 Volts (U.S./Canada are 110-120 Volts)
- Primary Socket Type: Europlug, Schuko
- Multi-voltage appliances (laptops, etc.)
- 110-120V electronics: Plug adapter + step-down transformer
- Hair dryers, curling irons, etc.: Plug adapter + voltage converter
Other places to see & things to do: Fira, Open Air Cinema Kamari, Red Beach, Perissa Beach, assorted cafes, restaurants, outdoor excursions, but mostly the incompatible views.
Images courtesy: Andreas Karelias - Fotolia.com, DeVIce - Fotolia.com, Ljupco Smokovski - Fotolia.com
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