Santorini

    Santorini lies at the southern tip of the Aegean sea and it is the southern border of the Cyclades islands. It has a surface area of 76 square kilometres and a coastline with a total length of  69 km. When we say Santorini we usually mean the complex of five islands, Thera, Therasia, Aspronisi, Palaia Kameni and Nea Kameni. The west side of Santorini consists of the steep cliffs of the Caldera, which is made up of different layers of volcanic soil dated from different volcanic eruptions, that stands 300 meters above sea level. The terrain has a sloping inclination from the West to the East where it becomes even with the sea level. On the eastern side of the island we find the farms of the island. Santorini, due to its unique nature, is a place very hard to describe and categorize. The visitors of Santorini who first enter the immense volcanic caldera would be overwhelmed by a feeling of awe. Santorini's caldera is a nature's creation that balances fire, earth and water in such a way that you have the impression that you witness the miracle of creation. The volcanic magma (lava) has created an incredible wild landscape that you could only witness here in Santorini.

Santorini's name

   Herodotus (a great Ancient Greek Historian) tells us that the island of Santorini was initially called Strongyle (meaning the round island) and later Kallisti (the most beautiful of the islands). According to the historical records, Santorini was first settled by Phoenicians and their leader Cadmus. Then it was settled by the Spartians who created a colony that named Thera (named after their leader Theras). The name of Thera is currently the island's official name. The name of Santorini originated at the time of the Crusades (after the fall of Constantinople in 1204). At that time the conqueror of the archipelago, Marco Sanudo, offered Thera and Therasia to the Venetian Iacomo Barozzi who ruled the islands till 1335. The Venetians erected a chapel in honor of Santa Erene at the area of Riva, on the island of Therasia. In 1335 Santorini became part of the “Duchy of the Archipelago”. In 1492 Santorini was taken over by Venice. On 1537 the island was taken by the Turks after winning the Venetians. After the Greek revolution of 1821 Santorini became part of the modern Greek State.