Santorini
At a glance….
Santorini is an island of rare beauty, a place that for centuries lives in a sea of light in the middle of the Archipelago, Santorini the One.
When you sail in the bay formed by the caldera, you are totally overwhelmed and filled with awe, looking at the most admired creation of nature, a creation that is breathtaking and filled with dazzling light.
Santorini is the southernmost island of Cyclades and is located between Ios and Anafi. Thera, Thirassia, Aspronisi and the volcanoes (Palaia Kamni and Nea Kameni where the crater of the volcano exists) form the cluster of islands of Santorini.
The volcano of Santorini is one of the active volcanoes of Greece, as long with Methana, Nisiros and Milos. The great cater was formed by the volcanic eruption around 1600 BC and creates a unique atmosphere: house were built on the edge of the Caldera, not on the sea level, as in other islands. In addition, Santorini is one of the few places worldwide where architectural complexes of underground cave houses still survive inside the volcano soil.
The Caldera and the whole cluster of the Santorini islands have been characterized as an area of outstanding natural beauty. The main island, Thera, has a shape of a half moon of cluster. At the west side of the island one can see its geological history and the different phases of the volcanic activity.
There are 14 villages in Thera and 3 villages in Therassia. The capital of the island of Santorini is Fira.