History of Santorini

The human presence on the island seems to have existed since the middle of the 3rd millennium B.C. The excavation at Akrotiri has confirmed that man’s activity on the island continued until the eruption of the volcano in around 1600 B.C., which entirely buried the island beneath very thick layers of pozzolanic ash. Thera became an important point on the communication route between the East and the West of that era and adopted the Phoenician alphabet for writing the Greek language. In Hellenistic times the island’s strategic position made Thera a precious base from which the warring campaigns of the successors of Alexander the Great were launched in the Aegean. Within the Roman Empire, it was nothing more than an insignificant small island.
However, Christianity reached the island and an organized church already existed by the 4th century A.C. The name Santorini was given by the Crusaders after the church of Agia Irini (Santa Irene) which some say was at Perissa and others say was at Riva on Thirasia.

The Famous Volcano

Visit the volcano of Thira which is still active! The present-day crescent shape of the island is a consequence of the activity of the volcano in prehistoric times feeding the myth of the lost Atlantis. Santorini is essentially what remains of an enormous volcanic explosion dating back 3,600 years and which created the current geological caldera; a giant central lagoon, more or less rectangular, and measuring about 12 by 7 km, surrounded by 300 m high steep cliffs on three sides. The mild activity of the volcano after this major eruption has built up two small islands within the caldera, Palea and Nea Kameni visited by hundreds of people every day during the tourist season. The impressive caldera dominates the west part of the island while the marvelous 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 colors.

Included:

✅ Round trip boat tickets Heraklion – Santorini – Heraklion

✅ Tours in Oia, Fira and Pyrgos

✅ Professional guide

Not Included:

❌ Optional Volcano Tour (20€ per adult / children 4 – 10 years old pay 10€) – Paid on the spot in cash

❌ Personal expenses