Santorini

Candid tips & insights

 

NEXT Top 100 Wonder
Top 100 Wonder rankings
NEXT Greece Wonder
MENU

---

Why
Santorini in Greece
is special

Yes, Santorini swarms with summer tourists, but the setting of this Greek Isle is so picturesque and geologically striking that you should visit Santorini on your first trip to Greece.

The white-washed villages are perched on Santorini’s high steep volcano rims and the views of the sheer cliffs and deep-blue bay are breathtaking. Together, they make Santorini a jewel of Greece.

---

Santorini has
dual meanings

---

Geography

"Santorini" defines the group name of all the islands you see on the map below. It  is also the name used to identify the largest of those islands. This creates confusion among travelers.

Santorini was named by the Venetians in the 13th century to honor Saint Irene.

---

Volcano

---

Santorini landscape

It was fashioned by a colossal volcano eruption some 3500 years ago. Click the link below to learn the fascinating story and the geological definition of "caldera".

The mighty Santorini volcano

---

The most popular
cliff-perched villages
of Santorini

All are spectacularly perched on high cliffs overlooking the caldera bay.

---

Fira

It is the biggest, busiest and most touristed. Still, it has retained some of its alluring qualities.

---

Oia

This village is in northern Santorini. It appeals to those seeking a more peaceful and laid-back ambiance for their vacation in Greece.

---

Other villages

Imeroviglia and Firostefani are also popular. They are located between Fira and Oia.

---

The most popular
seaside villages
of Santorini

---

Kamari and Perissa

They are moderate-sized sea resort villages. They are less charming than the cliff-perching towns, but have wide beaches directly on the Aegean Sea.

---

Cruise tourists

---

Many visitors are cruise passengers.

Deep harbor
Their giant ships can sail into the caldera bay because it's quite deep.

Landing
Cruise tourists land at a wharf at the base of the caldera's cliff. Fira is directly above, but a long way up the cliff.

Reaching Fira
Cruise and yacht visitors can walk up a zigzagging pathway, but it's exhaustingly steep and long. On my first visit to Santorini, the only other option was to ride a donkey up that footpath. It was fun, but is not for everyone. There is now a new option: modern cablecars. For those who want to make the ascent the old way, the donkeys are still around. They have been unofficially dubbed the taxi of Greece.

---

Dining, reveling

and sleeping

---

Restaurants

Santorini has many interesting restaurants. Some have outdoor terraces overlooking the caldera bay. They are great spots for viewing the celebrated Santorini sunsets. The experience will be one of your most treasured memories of Greece.

---

Nightlife

It's lively in Santorini, especially in the village of Fira. For the young, the clubbing-till-dawn culture is well entrenched.

---

Accommodations

There are hotels for all budgets. However, whatever the rate, late-made hotel reservations are hard to come by for July and August. This is more true here than anywhere else in Greece.

---

NEXT Top 100 Wonder
Top 100 Wonder rankings
NEXT Greece Wonder

---

My other two
Santorini pages

Santorini Volcano History in Brief
More Santorini tips

---

More Greece
features

Greece Wonder Guide
Clickable Greece Wonder Map
Greek Phrase Guide
Greek Cuisine Guide

---

Other pages & sections
that may interest you

Top 1000 Wonder list
Wonder Guides to 17 countries
Special Topic Guides
Site Map
About Howard Hillman
What Readers Say
Email me your opinion

---

Explore my
candid country, region
and other travel guides
Click links for tips & insights

©2009 HQP / Hillman Quality Publications