Santorini (official name: Thira)

Size: 28 square miles, highest point is 1,857 feet (566 meters) on Profitis Ilias. Daily ferry service from Piraeus and regular Olympic Airways flights from Athens to the Santorini airport at Monolithos.

Most visitors coming to Santorini (a name derived from "Saint Irene" which was applied to the island during the reign of the Venetians in the 13th century BC) lodge in the main town, Fira, which swells the islands population from approximately 14,000 to 70,000 during peak tourist season in July and August.

The island industry of tourism is paramount, but the local winery's are respected for producing some of the higher rated Greek wines, and visitors are able to tour the vineyards and wineries.

There are some archeological digs on the island (at Akrotira) that reveal multi-story homes and paved streets beneath the layers of ash from a volcanic eruption in 1450-1500 BC (the island was then known as "Stroggli") which wiped out the town and changed the shape of the island from a single round mass into five separate islands: Thira, Thirassia, Palea Kameni, Nea Kameni, and Nisida Strogilo. Habitation is thought to have ceased on the island for nearly 300 years following the destruction. Since no human remains have so far been found in the archeological excavations (ongoing since 1969), it is suggested the eruption was prefaced by warnings that caused the inhabitants to flee before the explosion.

Fresco wall paintings uncovered at Akrotira show classic imagery of birds, dolphins,and creatures from Africa which seems to demonstrate the island was a meeting place of ancient Minoan and African cultures. There is also pre-Christian religious imagery. The archeological work on Santorini is pursued each summer through the National Archeological Museum in Athens which brings students to advance the careful excavation. The discovery of the buried ancient town happened when the island was being mined for building materials fro the Suez Canal.

Santorini is one of the Cylades Islands that also includes Amorgos, Anafi, Andros, Antiparos, Delos, Ios, Kea, Kimolos, Kythnos, Milos, Mykanos, Naxos, Paros, Folegandros, Serifos, Sifnos, Sikinos, Siros, Tinos, and many other much smaller isles which make up a group counted at 220 altogether. Only Milos and Santorini are volcanic in origin, the other islands are in fact submerged mountains. There are nine volcano's all together in Greece and the Greek Islands.

Santorini is linked to various Aegean legends, one being that the volcano erupted approximately 3500 years ago, destroying Atlantis. Many historians suspect Santorini is in fact the remains of the ancient city state of Atlantis. Scientists have speculated that the 1450 BC eruption at Santorini is responsible for the destruction of the Minoans on Crete, as the wreckage from he force of the volcanic eruption damaged much of the area of the mediterranean.

Santorini sets upon a meeting of the Eurasia and the African plates of the earth, accounting for its violent history. The volcano still emits gas and steam regularly that is measured at a constant temperature of 176 degrees Fahrenheit (80 Celsius), and slabs of lava and pumice are still seen throughout the island. The volcanic haze produced by this activity makes for startling sunsets and images of Santorini are used heavily in advertising for Greek tourism throughout the world. The main beaches on Santorini are Perissa, Kamari and Vlichada which are usually quite hot and footwear is necessary to tread the ashy sand.

The official name of the island "Thira" is apparently derived from the leader of the settlement, Theras, that placed Hellenic culture on the island in 9th century BC. However, there are a number of alternative historical (and linguistic) theories about the origin of the name, most having to do with mythological tales.

[Below: The capitol of Santorini is Fira, shown here atop the peaks of the walls of the volcano that is the source of the island mass. Image credit: Wikipedia, photographer Henryhartley, August 2007)

[Below: Photo of Santorini, showing the 'caldera,' which is the slope of the volcano wall, stretching down to the water. From the sea, at a distance Santorini appears to be snow-capped because of the white-washed town of FIra. Photo source Wikipedia, image credit Simms.]

[Above: NASA image of Santorini Island.)

[Below: Map of the Aegean showing the location of Santorini)