Santorini’s group of islands is consisted of Thera, Thirasia, Aspronisi, Palea and Nea Kameni (Volcanoes) islands and is located in the most southern part of the Cyclades in the Aegean Sea. Up until the beginning of the 20th century shipping, textiles, tomato production and viticulture were all flourishing. Towards the end of the 70’s tourism began to develop, bringing economic relief to the island. The impressive caldera dominates the west part of the island while the marvellous dry climate and the almost continuous sunshine create year-around conditions which are perfect for observation, photographs and videos under an extraordinary variety of natural lights and colours that give the visitor the exceptional advantage of reaching the interior of the volcano by boat.
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Fira is the capital of Santorini and the main transport hub of the island. Although it gets very busy in summer, it still offers some of the greatest view to the volcano and the famous caldera of Santorini. The capital town of Fira perches precariously on top of vertical cliffs. The view over the caldera and the romantic pull of those sunsets make this a favourite for honeymooners. The volcano can be seen from every point, as can the mesmerizing sunsets. Apart from the museums, galleries and cultural events, it has the island's largest shopping center and the biggest choice of dining out and entertainment.
Oia, pronounced "Ia", is the most famous of all villages of Santorini. It is world known for its quite life and the fantastic sunset. Obviously the most beautiful and picturesque village of Santorini. The beauty of Oia is unsurpassed. In fact, it is almost impossible to describe in words. Small white houses tier the hillside, interspersed by splashes of rich okra, deep fuchsia, cobalt blue, oyster pink and earthy red. As seen on a zillion postcards, the characteristic classic view of Oia, is the bright white and blue of the church contrasting with the deep blue of the Aegean Sea in the background. Oia, is beautiful, exquisite small town and an ideal place for those seeking peace and quiet.
Pyrgos is a mountainous village. It has being built on a hill which offers a full 360 panoramic view of the island.
It is situated 7.5 km south-east of Fira. It has a population of 500 inhabitants. At 4 km of Pyrgos one can also admire the monastery of Prophitis Ilias, the most famous of the island, where a small collection of ethnographic material and old icons is exhibited.
Located approximately 14km away from Fira town, Perissa is easily reached in around 10-15 minutes by bus or road. Buses leave regularly from Fira market square and stop at pickup points all along the beach road of Perissa. The beach of Perissa is the longest in Santorini: a very impressive length of 7km that stretches to the next beach of Perivolos. In addition to the beautiful black sand beach with all kinds of shops, accommodations and water sports facilities worth visiting is the ancient site with buildings and ruins from different time periods. There is an ancient theatre, the ancient market, the ruins of a temple of Apollo, a shrine of Egyptian deities and many buildings from the Hellenistic period.
in addition to the well organised beach you can visit a church of the 11th century with significant Byzantine frescos and sculptures from an earlier church. From Kamari, a winding switchback road takes you up to to the ancient settlement of Thira on Mesa Vouno mountain. If you have rented your own motor transport, it is possible to drive up this road until you reach the parking area where you must continue on foot. If you prefer, you can take one of the many coach tours which leave from Kamari to the parking area of Thira. Either way, if you wish to see the ancient archaeological site, it will involve the final stage being completed on foot. The path is uneven and rocky so ensure that you are wearing sensible shoes and, if necessary, have a walking stick to assist you for the final part of your journey. The archaeological site is not fully excavated and, although interesting, it has to be said that the site is more scenic than archaeological. So, if you think you can’t manage the final walk to the top, don’t leave a trip up Mt. Mesa Vouna off your itinerary. The views are absolutely spectacular
Santorini has its own airport with flights from Athens and elsewhere. It's also served by traditional ferries from many locations in Greece and the Greek islands. Santorini also enjoys a high-speed hydrofoil making regular stops on the island. Many companies offer quick trips from Athens to and from Santorini.
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