Santorini Guide

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SANTORINI TRAVEL GUIDE | 1


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2 |TRAVEL GUIDESANTORINI SANTORINI TRAVEL GUIDE | 3

Best Regards,

Elena Stamataki

Olympian Pantheon

Tourism Marketing Services

40 Kalokerinou str. 71202 Heraklion

Crete. Greece

Tel. +30 2811103189

www.olympianpantheon.gr

[email protected]

White stone houses, sea of cobalt blue, volcanic

sand and the Aegean breeze...Step into the master peace of a talented artist!

Santorini, is a top international tourist destinationand is seen in personal wishlists of millions of peo-

ple worldwide. It is a part of Greece, a country you

might have never visited before and probably looksnothing like what you left back home.

This small Greek island, located among numerousother in the Aegean Sea, stands out for its peculiar

geological environment and its rich history is

strongly connected to the volcanic activity. The landscape will overwhelm you, the sunsets

will enchant you and the history will fascinate you.Do not dare to resist to Santorinis magic, its in-

evitable that you will give in to it eventually, so justrelax and enjoy...

In other words, welcome to Santorini!

About santorini

History at a glance

Faces of santorini

Akrotiri

Beaches

Fun & activities

Wine in santorini

List of wineries

Significant settlements &museums

Mainland/villages/local religious festivals

Maps

Top 10 things to do

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Welcome


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aboutSantorini

The island of Santorini is a part of Greece amember-state of the EU at the southeasterend of the Mediterranean basin, cherishing

a mainland with high mountains and massive.It is located in the southeastern part of the Ae-gean Sea, just north to the island of Crete andis surrounded by a sea with countless islands.

At its previous form, before the volcanic erup-tion, it was round shaped. Today, it constitutes a

complex of five islands, which belong to the Cy-clades, with Santorini being the larger amongstthem. The others are Thirassia, Aspronissi andthe volcanic islands of Palea and Nea Kameni.

Santorini now has a half-moon shape and to-gether with its satellites covers a total area of623 km2 (34.990 sq. miles). A series of enor-mous volcanic explosions alternated the islandslandscape and formed the breathtaking steepcliffs called the Caldera and a lagoon looking seabetween it and its former four parts.

Its geological energy and its unique wild beautycontribute to why it is ranked as a top worldwide

tourist destination.The island counts 15.000 inhabitants and un-

dergoing massive tourism expansion after the1950s. The capital city is named Fira. It is worthyto see many other settlements on the Caldera,villages at its interior and its beaches with blacksand on the eastern side.

It is famous for its gastronomy and its wineryas well as its quality art and magnificent jewel-lery.


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The island cherishes a rich history intime due to one element of undis-putable significance: its volcanic ac-

tivity which has not only affected its owncourse - again and again - but allegedlythat of other islands around it. Boundto volcanic eruptions and a series ofearthquakes, visitors see nowadays thismanifestation on the layers of solidifiedlava on top of each other clearly apparent

on the Caldera cliffs, at the beaches withtheir black sand and lava pebbles of vari-ous colors and in the mainland wherethe soil contains ash and pumice.

An amalgam of alternating landscapeswhere the colors of red, black and whiteformulate a magnificent mosaic. The is-land acquired a half-moon shape in 1645BC when the volcano in its center erupt-ed, yielding smaller islands next to it, twoof which are volcanic (Palea & Nea Ka-meni isl.). Despite its volcanic past, it waspopulated by many civilizations: NeolithicPeriod, Minoans, Phoenicians, Lacedae-

monians, the Hellenistic Period when italso became an important trade centerand significant naval base, the ByzantineEmpire, the Roman Empire, the Vene-tians, crusaders, pirates and finally theOttoman rule from which it became in-dependent in 1821 and was united withGreece in 1830.

All of those tribes and eras have lefttheir mark on the island. Search for thesites and get a taste of wealthy history.

History at a glance


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If somebody were to tell you that there is a place on

earth that can offer you the thrills and fullness of anideal holiday without having to move from your room,youd surely doubt them. That is until you actually visitSantorini.

The view from your hotel room is equivalent to a tourof all the Greek islands, a sip from the santorini wineto all the flavors of the Mediterranean and a look at itsclear sky to a thousand falling stars and a thousandwishes.

And since you have secured the key el-ements to a perfect holiday, dont worryabout the rest: the island is known forthe high level of services and innumer-ous facilities offered by its luxuriouslodgings.But if you decide to leave you kindomafter all, you ll find that comfort, as wellas quality, are concepts inherent to theisland.

faces ofSantorini


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faces ofSantorini

From the deep blue of the Aegeansea to the light blue of the clear

sky, the bright white of the Cy-cladic islands and the various reds ofthe sunset, the colors of Santorini be-come images, words and creations sounique as the feeling of a long walk inCaldera, the view from Imerovigli, thesight of the volcano from Firostefanior the magic of nature in Ia.

Santorini was an inspiration to thegreat Nobel Prize winner poet Odys-seus Elytis, as well as to hundredscountless other known or less known,professionals or not, art lovers. Many

of them chose to settle permanentlyand work in Santorini, ushering re-markable art spaces and giving theisland a strong creative impulse.

A visit to the painting, photography,pottery, silversmithing and sculpturegalleries is a dreamy tour to the beautyof Santorinis landscape and perhapsan impetus for personal creation.

Dont miss out on this experience.


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In 2013, visitors and tourists alikehave an additional reason to visit thisunique island of Greece, especially forthe gourmands among us. Santorinidedicates 2013 in gastronomy, thus,granting us numerous opportunities tobe marvelously dined with delectabledishes and wined with its ambrosia.

Without doubt, Santorini is a culinaryhaven due to the locally sourced, de-licious agricultural products grown involcanic soil, watered by the sea andthe evening humidity.

Taste the unique fava split peas,tomataki cherry tomatoes, white egg-plants, capers, broad beans, zucchini,cucumbers and melon. Grate the spe-cial green cheese over a dish of fresh

faces ofSantorini

barley pasta and enchant your palate.Dip the traditional crispbread into ex-tra virgin olive oil and add a pinch oforegano.

Feast in the freshest fish and sea-foods you have ever tasted and ac-company them with the immense va-riety of local wines. Finish your perfect

day on the island by sipping slowlyon the prestigious Vinsanto aperitif.Whether you go traditional or gourmet,it is certain that you will be delighted bythe food here and you will be spoilt forchoice of tavernas and restaurants atyour disposal.

Santorini is waving the flag of theleading gastronomic destination of thecountry...and beyond.


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The unique in taste and quality prod-ucts of Santorini, are grown on the vol-canic soil of the island, watered by thesea and the evening due.

The most renowned local culinarydelight is of course the Santorini wine.The rocky, volcanic soil of the islandcreates unique, unruly and erotic fla-vors of the legendary strains of theAegean.

The most prestigious of all is a raresun-dried wine called Vinsanto. Thefamous white wines of Santorini arecharacterized by an excellent balanceof fruit, alcohol and acidity and ac-company ideally the delicacies of thelocal cuisine. Capers, broad beans,small fruited tomatoes, white egg-plants and green cheese star in localrecipes, which can be tasted in variousversions, authentic or more gourmet,in the numerous restaurants of theisland.

Whether you chose a traditional tav-ern or a luxurious restaurant you willenjoy a dish cooked with special careand always with the same goal: to en-chant your palate.

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The cosmic lady of the Cycladicislands, dressed in the colors ofthe Aegean, welcomes its visitors

with plenty of appetite for fun. A bit ofHollywood, the entire Greek jet set anda breeze of the class of Greece in the60s wander in Caldera, walk up anddown the narrow streets of Imerovigliduring warm summer nights or swayto the funky rhythms of the beach barsand the crowded clubs in Fyra.

In the day time they lye right nextto you on the white terraces enjoyingoriginal cocktails and local wine by thesound of classical music or live jazz,relax savoring the lunar landscape ofSantorini.

The grandeur of Santorini guaran-tees lovers of quality and luxury aunique experience of cosmopolitanholiday and offers those who are look-ing for cosmic thrills countless optionsfor entertainment and fun, while main-taining a high level of services.

faces ofSantorini


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18 |TRAVEL GUIDESANTORINI SANTORINI TRAVEL GUIDE | 19Akrotiri

Whether you are a lover of his-torical and cultural tradition, afan of admirable myths or a

mere observer of the evolution of hu-manity, you must not leave the islandwithout paying a visit to the archeologi-cal sites of Santorini.

The archeological site of Akrotiri, oneof the most important sites in Greece,is open to visitors after eight years of

restoration work. Following a cycleroute, you can discover part of the wellpreserved ancient city that used toextend to 200 acres and was denselypopulated by 30.000 people.

The remarkable accomplishmentsof an extremely advanced civilizationwere buried under the volcanic lava ofthe Minoan eruption, which occurredin 1613 BC. An olive branch buriedin ash symbol of the ancient greekcivilization indicates the exact dateof the eruption. But the major natural

destruction that took place proved tobe a miraculous salvation for arche-ologists. The excavations, lead by thepassionate archeologist Spyros Mari-natos, who lost his life while workingat the site, brought to light remarkablefindings, that reveal details from theeveryday life and activity of a civiliza-tion dating back to the 17th centuryB.C.!

As you walk through the ruins try to


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mentally reconstruct the city and traveltrough time. A guide will definitely helpyou decode the hidden secrets of thecity. Otherwise, a few tips about thesite might come in handy in this mindgame!

The structure was dense and hadmultistory buildings. The interior of thehouses was decorated with rich andmulticolored frescoes, clearly influ-

enced by Minoan art style. Volcanic ashpreserved the shape of many objects,which were reconstituted through theircasts. The most noteworthy is a wood-en table Luis Quatorze style, which isrevealing to the sophistication of the in-habitants, whereas the must preservedin a barrel, reveals the continuity of civ-ilization: the wine variety produced bythe residents of the ancient city is thesame that has made Santorini winesfamous worldwide: Assyrtiko!

The residences had organized ware-

houses, craft rooms, excellent ur-ban planning, a fully developed watersupply system and drainage system,which went down the paved streetsand connected directly to the insideof the houses. The building materialsthat were used were stone, clay, mudbricks reinforced with straw, wood andplaster inside and out. The floors wereinsulated with wood, mud and plate.


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The most impressive finding is be-yond doubt the well preserved fres-cos, which decorated mostly the upperfloors of the buildings. Most of themare kept in the National ArcheologicalMuseum in Athens, but some of themare now exhibited in the archeologicalmuseum of Santorini. The paintings re-flect a refined and rich society. Womenwere dressed elegantly and luxuri-

ously and wore make up and jewelry,even though no jewelry were found inthe site, due to the organized evacua-tion of the city. The fresco of the blueape, a species found in Ethiopia, revealthe contacts of the residents with dis-tant lands, as the society of Akrotiri wasmostly engaged in maritime trade.

The multicultural society developedin Santorini was undoubtedly an ex-tremely advanced civilization. Its mostimpressing attainments were theV-shaped keel that allowed boats to

travel longer distances in high speedand the hollow lost wax casting. Andfor those who are searching for thevindication of a legend, read betweenthe lines of Platos writings: Atlantis, acircular island, inhabited by a goldensociety highly advanced both sociallyand technologically with a great navalforce, was sunk in just one day and justone night of true misfortune.

Does it ring a bell?


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BeachesPerivolos PerissaThe long beach that stretch-es in the southeastern partof the island is divided intotwo successive bays, namedPerivolos and Perissa. Thethick, black sand, and thedeep, crystal water are itscharacteristics. Along the

coast there are trendy res-taurants and picturesquetaverns, well organizedbeach bars for chill out orintense fun. Here, one canalso test ones skills in allsorts of water sports. Theaccess to the beach and theparking is easy. The beachis the ideal scene for ro-mantic weddings and beachparties that are often organ-ized during summer time.

Agios Georgios Following alongside thebeach of Perivolos you willfind a smaller bay namedAgios Georgios. The beachis isolated and quiet forthose whod rather take aswim in privacy.

The excellent services andthe exquisite infrastruc-ture of the hotels in San-

torini will certainly temptyou not to move from yourroom and enjoy a swim atthe hotel swimming pool.Think again!The volcanic activity, thepersistent Aegean windsas well as the force ofthe sea have formed theunique physiology of thebeaches in Santorini.

Black, golden and redsand, white flat rocks anddeep blue waters com-pose the diverse sceneryof the coast of Santorini.

The excellent services andthe exquisite infrastruc-ture of the hotels in San-

torini will certainly temptyou not to move from yourroom and enjoy a swim atthe hotel swimming pool.Think again!The volcanic activity, thepersistent Aegean windsas well as the force ofthe sea have formed theunique physiology of thebeaches in Santorini.

Black, golden and redsand, white flat rocks anddeep blue waters com-pose the diverse sceneryof the coast of Santorini.


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Vlyhada

Vlyhada is probably the most

characteristic beach of the

island. The white, sculpted

cliffs, as if plucked out of a

science fiction movie, sur-

round the beach, creating a

sense of privacy and relaxa-tion.

Take some time to explore

the surroundings, as the

shaped rocks by strong

winds and the vehemence of

the waves can be of particu-

lar interests to nature lovers;

The effect of nature has cre-

ated stunning sculpts in the

sand and on the rock, rival-

ing the creations of high ar-

tistic inspiration.In Vlyhada you will get the

chance to enjoy your swim

in peace and get isolated

only if you wish to, as well

as savour fresh fish bites ac-

companied by chilled beer in

its taverns.

Red BeachGetting there might be a bit of ahassle but once you set foot atthe Red beach you will feel asif you are entering a Star Trekmovie set!The deep red cliffs surround-ing the bay create an extrater-

restrial sensation, reminiscentof images from Mars.If you enjoy snorkeling you willdefinitely find a swim thereinteresting: the red sea bed isquite a sight!For those who cant be both-ered to walk you may get thereby boat.

White BeachRight next to the Red Sea thereis the White Beach.It is more peaceful, smaller insize but just as rewarding.The sight of the carved whiterocks is breathtaking.


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KamariFor those who are seekingcomfort and fun, Kamari isthe ideal option. Five kilo-meters of black sand ex-tending at the eastern partof the island right next tothe airport, numerousbeach bars, taverns andwater sport centers as

well as a marvelous viewof the Mesa Vouno (InnerMountain) form the uniquescenery of Kamari.

KoloumboKoloumbo is the choice ofthe locals who know theisland well for two mainreasons: firstly because itis quiet and isolated andsecondly because the rockat the end of the beachprovides some coolnessduring the hot summer

days. Dont forget to carrywater with you.

Mesa PigadiaNo matter how windy it is,the sea at Mesa Pigadia isalways calm.Take some time to discoverthe cave that connects MesaPigadia with the White Beachand the marvels of nature.

AmmoudiIt is beyond doubt the mostpicturesque bay of the is-land, situated right underOia. Dont leave Ammoudiwithout tasting the deliciousfish bites of the taverns righton the seafront.

MonolithosA sandy beach with shallowblue waters and all ameni-ties is the perfect choice fora relaxing swim and ideal forfamilies.


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Fun& Activities

If you consider yourself theadventurous type ofa traveler then Santorinimight just be an idealholiday destination for you.Depending on your mood,as well as your appetite for

action, the island offers sev-eral options for funand activities, mainlyrevolving around the sea.

BOAT TOUR TO THE VOLCANOLeaving Santorini without visiting thevolcano is like leaving Paris withoutvisiting the Eiffel Tower. Its history,morphology, agricultural production,the beauty and the tragedy of the

landscape are all linked to the vol-cano of Santorini, active for 2,5 mil-lion years to our days. Boat cruisesdeparting daily from the ports ofFyra and Oia (Ammoudi and Armeni)are sailing straight to the island ofNea Kameni. Some cruises provideguided tours to the island, focusingon the craters and the history of thevolcano.


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PRIVATE CRUISESPrivate cruises are without adoubt the most luxurious andeasy way to discover the hid-den beauties of Santorini, aswell as the neighboring is-lands.High performance sailingvessels, with their own cap-tain and crew upon request,

guarantee the ultimate sailingexperience in the deep blue,welcoming, waters of the Ae-gean Sea.

WATER SPORTFor those who often imag-ine themselves on their skis,waving to the shore from afar,looking sporty and tanned, thesport centers located right onthe beach at Kamari, Perivo-los and Perissa provide allamenities and equipment forwater sport. Water skiing,

canoeing, jet skiing, windsurf-ing, boogie board, waveriding,as well as beach sports suchas beach volley and beachsoccer are available at thelarge organized beaches ofSantorini. The seabed of thered and the white beach areof special interest and uniquebeauty.


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HIKINGFor the daring types who enjoya bit of a workout during theirholiday, the footpath that leadsfrom Fyra to Oia is an ideal op-tion.

The footpath was originallycreated and used by peas-ants in order to facilitate theiraccess and their work at the

vineyards. It is created in sucha way as to magically protectthe hikers from the strongwinds usually prevailing in theisland.

As you walk along the pathSantorini, unfolds in front ofyour eyes in all its beauty: end-less vineyards from one sideand a breathtaking view of theCaldera from the other. Put onyour walking shoes!

WINE TOURSEleven modern wineries keep ata high level the long winemakingtradition of Santorini and consti-tute at the same time an impor-tant as well as exciting sightsee-ing in the island. Most of themare open to visitors and unlessyou have visited at least two ofthem during your stay you are

not entitled to claim that you vereally made the most out of yourholiday in the island.

Depending on your priorities,some wineries offer excellentguided tours to the vineyards,others have interesting exhibitsconcerning the winemaking pro-cess throughout the years, or anamazing view to match an amaz-ing glass of wine, but all of themoffer exceptional wines to tasteand take home.


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Wine is strongly linkedto Santorini s gas-tronomic history. The

archaeological evidence provethat wine cultivation dates backalmost 5000 years, and thatsome of the islands varie-ties were in fact developed inthe ancient times, preservedthroughout the years because

of the volcanic soil of Santoriniand its durable vineyards thathave never been affected bydiseases.

The vineyards, in this island,are quite unlike any otherin the world. The groundsuniqueness and the islandsextremely inhospitable climatehas made cultivation devoted

to the original techniques.The kouloura vineyard is

basically a coil of vines thatsits directly on the ground andover time comes to resemblea basket. Its aim is to protectthe vines and their fruit frombrutal winds as well as harshsummer sun and to absorb thehumidity of the sea.

Santorini produces mostlywhite wine, and some reds,almost exclusively from indig-enous grape varieties. Domi-nant among these is the whitegrape Assyrtiko, which isgrown using ancient dry-farm-ing methods and produces dry,full-bodied white wines withcitrus aromas combined with


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a pleasing mineral character.Athiri is an ancient greek

variety, producing medium-bodied wines with delicatearomatic qualities.Aidaniproduces pleasantly

aromatic wines with mediumbody and nice acidity.

Among the red varieties, themost noteworthy is Mavrotr-agano, which produces deep

red colored wine with intensetannins and gives aromas offresh red fruits and spices.Lastly, Mandilaria also pro-duces a wine of deep redcolor and has medium bodyand aromas of dark red fruit.

But Vinsanto is in fact thecrown jewel of Santoriniwines. A sweet dessert wine,made from a blend of Assyr-

tiko, Aidani, and Athiri that isaged in oak casks for at least 3years, taking on rich flavoursof caramel and Angostura bit-ters while maintaining incred-ible acidity. In the followingpage you will see the islandsbasic wineries, most of whichoffer tour to their facilities andwine tasting events.

If you wish to find out more

about the history of wine andthe life of Santorinis vine-growers you can visit the winemuseum of Koutsogiannop-oulos.

Do not neglect to visit atleast one winery before leav-ing the island. It will give you aunique inside not only on San-torinis gastronomy, but on theislands culture as a whole.


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PIRGOS

Oia

AMMOUDI

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ARGYROSESTATE

EPISKOPI GONIA+30 22860 31489

www.estate-argyros.com

BOUTARIWINERYSANTORINI

MEGALOHORI+30 22860 81011

www.boutari-santorini.gr

CANAVAROUSSOS

EPISKOPI+30 22860 31349

www.canavaroussos.gr

DOMAINE SIGALASBAXES-OIA+30 22860 71644

www.sigalas-wine.com

GAIA WINESEXO GONIA+30 22860 34186

www.gaia-wines.gr

GAVALAS WINESMEGALOHORI+30 22860 82552

www.gavalaswines.gr

HATZIDAKIS

WINERY

PYRGOS

+30 22860 32466 www.hatzidakiswines.gr

KARAMOLEGOSARTEMIS WINERY

EXO GONIAel.: +30 22860 33395

www.santoriniwinery.com

KASTELI WINESVOTHONASTel.: +30 22860 32047

[email protected]

KOUTSOGIAN-

NOPOULOS WINERY

& WINE MUSEUM

VOTHONAS+30 22860 31322

www.volcanwines.gr

SANTOWINESPYRGOS+30 22860 22596+30 22860 22233

www.santowines.gr

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WineriesList of


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Significantsettlementsand cherished museums

The Santorinian Caldera cliffhas a height of 300 metersand a length of about 30 Km.

Alongside those cliffs, we findfour significant settlements -Akrotiri, Fira, Imerovigli andOia - all cherishing housedmuseums and open-spacemuseums.Both types together, repre-sent the islands history andculture covering the archaeo-logical aspect, the medievaltimes, the naval history and

the musical culture as part ofan ever-changing civilization,to mention only a few cases.

In the settlement of Akrotiri,we feast our eyes to the openmuseum of Ancient Akrotiridepicting urban life in the Mi-noan period. Excavations havebrought into light elaboratearchitecture, vivid frescoes,40 buildings, the ancient citysmain street with stores andwarehouses, countless vases,pots and tools.

In Fira, we visit the Archaeo-logical Museum to see greatfindings of the flourishing pe-

riods of Santorini. Sculptures,marble statues and figurines,inscriptions, ceramics andpottery masterpieces.We continue along the Cal-dera to reach Imerovigli andSkaros rock, another openmuseum of a majestic medi-eval castle ruined by multipleearthquakes and a volcaniceruption. Skaros was once the

capital and the castle protect-ed everyone from pirate raidsand was never conquered

during its 600 years of exist-ence.Finally, in Oia we visit the Na-val Museum hosting maritimeitems and rare documents ofits rich naval past and pres-ence and the Museum of an-cient, Byzantine and post-Byz-antine musical instrumentsfrom 2,800 B.C. till the early20th century.


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The villages in the interior ofSantorini are absolutely wor-thy to see for their beauty

and picturesque architecturalcharacter but also in orderto experience the traditional,local feasts and festivities ofreligious genre presentingvisitors with local delicacies,plenty of local wine and folk-lore music and dancing.The best period for this, isaround the 15th of Augustwhen all churches are cel-ebrating and welcome tour-

ists and visitors alike. In anycase, each church celebratesthe name of the Saint whose

name it bears, meaning thatthere is always an opportunityfor a traditional feast through-out the year.Emporio village has a strongmedieval character with well-preserved traditional houses.Karterados is a picturesquevillage distinguished byunique architecture of 19thcentury elegant ship-ownermansions and beautiful land-

scapes of vineyards. Megalo-hori lies on a hill creating alabyrinth of steep alleys and

streets and surrounded byuncountable vineyards. Adoreits white Cycladic houses, thenumerous churches and a di-vine main square.Vothonas presents traditionalhouses carved out of rocksand white domed churchesalong its stone-paved alleys.The local festivals of AghiaAnna church and the chapelof Panagia Tripa will introduce

you to the essence of San-torinis traditions. Messaria isa quaint village surrounded

by vineyards with magnificentneoclassical buildings and re-stored mansions. Drink Greekcoffee at its main square un-der the trees.Mesa and Exo Gonia villagescherish the Byzantine churchof Panagia Episkopi and tradi-tional houses.Last but not least, the medi-eval settlement of Pyrgos upon a hill with panoramic views

Mainland,villages& localreligiousfestivals


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of the island, presents tradi-tional houses built around theVenetian castle and significantchurches - Theotokaki, AghiaTriada, Aghia Theodosia andthat of Archangel Michael -hosting important festivals.Do not omit to see the nightturn into day during the an-nual representation of thevolcano eruption at the end

of August with use of largequantities of fireworks.

Unique architecture onthe islands churches andchapelsSantorinis architecture isfeatured uniquely through-out its settlements and is

not only manifested in noblemansions, old windmills andcolorful houses. Walking thestone-paved alleys and driv-ing along its roads, you willsee hundreds of churches atall directions varying in sizeand color, although mostlypraising white-washed wallsand blue domes.Aghios Stefanos church in

Mesa Vouno is the oldest onthe island built in 5th cen-tury. The Orthodox Metropolischurch located in Fira built in1827 is the largest, cherishingmagnificent frescoes and mo-saic floorings.Do not omit to visit the churchof Kimisi tis Theotokou / Pa-

nagia Episkopi (Assumptionof Virgin Mary) located inMesa Gonia and built in 1115in order to see outstandinghagiographies and marblesculptures. The monastery ofProfitis Elias built in 1712 alsoconstitutes a great example oftraditional ecclesiastical ar-chitecture and hosts a collec-tion of ethnographic material

and old icons.As far as chapels are con-cerned, there are plenty ofthose too and located in bi-

zarre places. In Vothonas vil-lage you will find PanaghiaSerghina and Panaghia Tripaschapels within a cave, whileyou will have to climb up thesteep, rocky hill above Per-issa beach in order to visit Pa-naghia Katefiani chapel.The Monastery of Holy Trin-ity in Pyrgos, the DominicanConvent in Fira and the Mon-

astery of Aghios Nikolaos inFirostefani built in 1651, alsoconstitute architectural jewelsworthy of your visit.


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INFORMATION

PARKING

CABLE CAR

TAXI

BUS STATION

TOWN HALL

HOSPITAL

PORT

BANK

POST OFFICE

FIRA MAP


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INFORMATION

CHURCH

PARKING

BUSSTATION

HOSPITAL

PORT

SUNSETVIEW

POSTOFFICE

TOWNHALL

NAVYMUSEUM

POLICE

OIA MAPKAMARI MAP


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Top 10things to do Top 10things to do1 Visit the atmospheric settlement ofOia and enjoy the most magnificentsunset from the upper edge of the is-land and its Castle.

2 Visit Faros at Akrotiri and see thewhole of the Caldera and Santorini is-land spreading in a half-moon shape infront of your eyes.

3Go on a private cruise or a boat tripto the volcano, the thermal springs, theisland of Thirasia and along the Calderafor a chance to see Santorini from a dif-ferent angle that will fascinate you.

4Explore the villages in the mainlandfor acquiring the zest of traditional life.

Visit Pyrgos in the heart of Santoriniand acquire a bird-eye-view from Kas-teli medieval castle.

5Engage to an interesting wine tour atone or more of the awarded wineries.

6 Visit the atmospheric spot of Skarosrock in Imerovigli for a gorgeous sunsetand a thrilling sensation.

7 Dine at a restaurant or traditionaltavern and feast to the unique flavor ofthe local products that grow deliciousagainst the difficult weather conditionsand the scarcity of water.

8 Dine in Ammoudi just after sunsetand taste fresh fish and local wine in thebeautiful and tranquil setting of its smallport.

9Explore the archaeological sites of Ak-rotiri and Ancient Thira for an amazingvoyage back in time.

10 Walk along the stone-paved footpaththat joins Fira and Oia which unfolds ma-jestic landscapes of endless vineyardson one side and breathtaking views ofthe Caldera on the other.


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Documents

Santorini Guide