Greece is a country with a lot of pleasant surprises from a tourism point of view, but perhaps most notably, with many beautiful islands. The few thousand islands come out of the sea in a unique way and manage to please tourists with their landscapes, sands, sea and their fairytale-like atmosphere.
Of all the islands, however, there are a few that stand out. One of them is Santorini — a holiday destination that, although not very cheap, is loved by a growing number of tourists.
Also known as Thira, Santorini is remarkable for its spectacular landscapes and buildings, and for being formed on a still active volcanic crater. Tourists come here to admire the romantic sunsets, the special landscapes and delight in delicious food and impressive wines.
What can you see on this island?
There are plenty of great places to visit on Santorini, some of which being:
Thira Village
This is the most important settlement in Santorini, being the capital of the island. It is located on the west of the island, on a cliff that is 260 meters high. From here, the image of the volcano is amazingly impressive. In 1956, the village was destroyed almost entirely by an earthquake caused by the island’s volcano. Fortunately, some of the 18th century buildings have been able to remain intact and make the subject of today’s visits. Thira is distinguished by white buildings with windows, doors and blue roofs that make it one of the world’s most unique villages.
Oia Village
If you want to see a really special sunset, then this village is the perfect location. It is located 12 km north of the Thira village and is the most picturesque place on the island. It is an elegant village, with beautiful houses and very narrow streets, and is surrounded by taverns, cafes and shops, where you can relax, admiring the view around you. Very quiet, Oia has attracted over time a lot of artists who have decided to find a home here.
Ammoudi Port
A delightful port that serves the Oia village, built around a natural bay. The harbor is not as crowded as the villages of Oia or Thira, but you can find here some taverns as well as a lot of recreational and fishing boats that you can rent in order to admire the beauty of the Greek island.
The Firostevani Village
If you want to take the perfect picture of Thira, you have to get to the north, where Firostefani is. From this small village you can see the volcano in a truly new perspective. You will find here plenty of restaurants, hotels and cafes, all of them colorfully vivid and extremely appealing to tourists arriving here. Keep in mind that most shops, cafes and taverns here are located on the main street.
The Imerovigli Village
This village is surely not as popular and crowded as the villages we’ve mentioned earlier, but it is definitely worth paying a visit. This is outlined by the village’s own name — as Imerovigli means “place to be seen”. In fact, the name comes from the fact that in the past it was the village where locals could see the pirates approaching. Imerovigli is the village where you can get to discover a lot of local traditions and traditional buildings. Obviously, there are plenty of cafe places, taverns, shops and restaurants overlooking the caldera. An impressive thing that you can see on Imerovigli is a giant cliff on which a castle was built in the 13th century. The castle was abandoned in the early 1800s.
Tourists who arrive in Santorini can also visit the Village of Pyrgos, which used to be the capital of the island until the 1800s. All the areas offer the same things: locals from which you have to learn, beautiful buildings and wonderful landscapes.
If you travel to Santorini, you must know that there are two really beautiful beaches on the island. One of them is the Red Beach, unique because of its black and red volcanic rocks, and the other one is called the Vlychada Beach — a long, rocky beach with a breathtaking scenery.
Before getting on the first plane, there are a few things you need to know. First of all, if you plan to visit during the summer, make sure you bring a whole arsenal with you — plenty of protective creams, sun hats and swimming shoes. The summers here are very warm and if you do not pay attention to this, you may turn your vacation into an unpleasant moment.
In terms of food, a meal can reach approximately 20 euros for a person, and you’ll usually find beer for around 3 euros, so you should bring a fairly consistent budget if you want to truly enjoy your trip to Santorini.
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