To visit Santorini for three days is not enough, but it is all that is needed for the visitor to get a very good idea of this unique island and plan their return. Read below in detail which parts of Santorini you absolutely must visit during your stay, even if only for three days on the island, so that you can be sure that you have seen the most important part of it – although you should not doubt that Santorini still has a lot to offer you show!
Fira
Fira is the capital of Santorini, located in the middle, on the eyebrow of the caldera and gathers not only most of the services, but also the visitors. Throughout the year the small town is buzzing with life: Supermarkets, grocery stores, shops, banks and public services are located around the central town square, Theotokopoulos Square, while travel agencies, hotels and rooms for rent, restaurants and bars you can find it in almost every alley, especially in the caldera.
Museums, churches, monuments, galleries, the traditional neighborhoods where the island’s architecture stands out, all are found in. abundance. The same abundance prevails in the entertainment options, as apart from the restaurants and cafes, many of which seem to “hanging” from the caldera, Fira also claims the top spot in Santorini’s nightlife, as there are many bars and clubs operating in the alleys.
In Fira, visitors have the opportunity to enjoy yet another unique experience. From Gialos, the old port where the cruise ships dock when they visit the island, a cable car starts that takes its enchanted passengers to the top of the caldera. An alternative option for those who want to go down to the small port, walk among the small shops and taste fresh fish in the taverns, is the 600 stone steps.
If someone does not want to walk the distance themselves, they can use the donkeys, the lovable animals that have been used for this purpose for many, many years. From Gialos one can also board a boat for a tour of the Volcano, Palaia and Nea Kameni and Thirasia, while many admit that no one can understand the greatness of Santorini without seeing the caldera and from the sea.
Oia
Oia of Santorini is the most famous settlement of the island, known all over the world for its unique sunset, when the sun sinks into the blue sea behind the volcano. It is built in the northernmost part of the caldera and is a traditional settlement, with all-white houses , captains’ houses and caves, bright colors, and the blue domes of the churches to decorate the image.
It has all the tourist infrastructure of a modern destination, a rich market with shops and public transportation that connects it daily with many routes, especially in the summer months, with Fira, the capital of the island, which is about 11 kilometers away. The main street, parallel to the caldera, is paved with marble and, together with the alleys perpendicular to it, constitutes the heart of Oia. The village has become synonymous with the sunset of Santorini, as everyone gathers on the roofs and terraces around the castle of Agios Nikolaos to face the soeveryday, but at the same time uniquely impressive spectacle.
The most famous church in the village is Panagia Platsani, almost in the center. The Entrances of Panagia, Agios Nikolaos, the Resurrection, Christ the Hero are some of the churches worth seeing. Going down to the sea, on the small island of Amoudi is Agios Nikolaos Peramataris, while near Armeni one can see the white chapel dedicated to the Holy Seven Children.
The volcano
There is no other island in the world like Santorini and its uniqueness is mainly due to the volcano – so it makes no sense to visit the island and not see this natural phenomenon up close. It is active, while the Minoan Eruption is considered the largest in world history. Since then the Santorini volcano has erupted many times over the centuries, constantly changing the image of the island, creating and destroying various small islands around its perimeter.
When the locals say volcano, they mean the small island of Nea Kameni, almost in the center of the circular perimeter formed by Santorini, Thirasia and Aspronisi. In Nea Kameni, after all, one can see vapors coming out of the bowels of the earth, while only about 60 years ago its most recent lands were formed, during the eruption of 1950. Right next to it, Palaia Kameni is the island that was formed before from about 2,000 years ago, during the eruption of 57 AD.
Today, visitors to Santorini have the opportunity not only to gaze at the volcano from the cliff of the caldera orsee it by sea from closer, but also to walk it. Boats to the volcano start both from Gialos, the old port of Santorini below Fira, Athinios, the modern port of the island, but also from Ammoudi, the port of Oia.
The first stop is in Nea Kameni, followed by Palaia Kameni, where visitors can dive into the warm waters with a yellowish color due to the sulphur. These excursions usually end with a stop in Thirasia, before returning to Santorini. See all the private tours we offer.
Prehistoric settlement of Akrotiri
The prehistoric settlement of Akrotiri in Santorini is one of the most important archaeological sites in the entire Mediterranean and is located in the south-eastern part of the island, at a distance of 15 kilometers from Fira. The part of the city that has come to light dates from the Late Bronze Age, i.e. at the end of the 17th century BC. The findings lead to the conclusion that it was an important center of the time, a cosmopolitan port with commercial relations with mainland Greece, the rest of the Aegean islands, but also Egypt and Syria.
The definitive end came from the so-called Minoan Eruption of the volcano, estimated around 1615 BC, while the findings show that the inhabitants had been “warned”: No human skeletons were found, few jewels and valuable objects were found, while on the contrary jars and other useful tools and utensils placed under thresholds to protect them.
Today, the visitor to the archaeological site can see a very representative sample: Multi-storied buildings, some public and some private, with their courtyards fully exposed. Public roads pass between them, while, based on the research, free spaces that functioned as squares emerge. Part of the drainage system is also distinct, while the way of construction of all the buildings is typical, based on the building materials of Santorini and complex techniques, which ensured both insulation from the weather conditions and anti-seismic protection, in such a sensitive area.
