Santorini

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Santorini is probably the most spectacular island in Greece and a geologic wonder. Several of the villages we visited (eg. Fira, Oia, Akrotiri) sit next to cliffs atop the caldera and offer spectacular views of the crater created from a 16th-century BC volcanic eruption.

According to archaeologists, the first human presence on the island dates back to the Neolithic Period. Santorini hosted a significant civilization around 3600 BC. Discoveries made near Akrotiri revealed the existence of an ancient Minoan colony. The settlement was similar to those found on the island of Crete (like Knossos), with many wall ornaments and pottery depicting naturalistic landscapes of animals and humans of the same ancient Minoan style.

In ancient times, Santorini Island was known as Strongili, which means round in Greek. Strongili was the victim of an enormous volcano eruption around 1600 BC. The eruption was so powerful that many consider it the prime cause of the destruction of the great Minoan civilization on the island of Crete. The experts believe that the explosion was so strong that it created gigantic waves which reached the shores of the surrounding islands and Crete. After the eruption, the central landmass of Santorini sank, and the subsequent earthquakes destroyed a large part of the rest of the island.

Jacqueline and I tried to visit as much of the island as we could. As has become popular in recent years, we rented a 4-wheeler to get around the island. Originally, I was going to rent a motorbike, but availability was slim. I was quite happy to have taken the 4-wheeler instead as the cliffside roads were daunting. In the short time we were there, we did a pretty good job of hitting the major sites. We briefly went to Fira on the west side of the island and Oia in the north. Oia is extremely picturesque and sits near the northern tip of the island. Stunning views of the caldera and the classic postcard pictures that everyone craves. I wish we could have spent more time there. We caught a sunset near Akrotiri (though there are many places to catch a great sunset). We also managed to visit the Akrotiri Lighthouse and the famous Red Beach. Our accommodation was right near Perissa Beach which was also lovely.

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