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Santorini - population 13,000. Rumoured to be the tips of mountains on the lost continent of Atlantis.
Whatever it is, it’s extraordinarily beautiful. Crystal clear blue skies, black sand, towering cliffs and traditional blue and white Greek buildings balancing in and on the cliffsides.
The only place in Europe to be classified as having a desert climate - as you can see - the day we went it wasn’t particularly chilly.
Lots to see, visit and do. Not too crowded when we went, as there was only one small cruise ship visiting. It gets far more crowded when there are 2 or 3 large liners pulled up.
Incredible, panoramic views from ultra-cool tavernas and bars perched on the cliff face. Prices a bit more than elsewhere on the islands, but still surprisingly reasonable. Stopped at 2 bars for drinks and a taverna for lunch. All had stunning views and reasonable prices. I must admit though, I don’t mind paying a premium for views like these.
Santorini - population 13,000. Rumoured to be the tips of mountains on the lost continent of Atlantis.
Whatever it is, it’s extraordinarily beautiful. Crystal clear blue skies, black sand, towering cliffs and traditional blue and white Greek buildings balancing in and on the cliffsides.
The only place in Europe to be classified as having a desert climate - as you can see - the day we went it wasn’t particularly chilly.
Lots to see, visit and do. Not too crowded when we went, as there was only one small cruise ship visiting. It gets far more crowded when there are 2 or 3 large liners pulled up.
Incredible, panoramic views from ultra-cool tavernas and bars perched on the cliff face. Prices a bit more than elsewhere on the islands, but still surprisingly reasonable. Stopped at 2 bars for drinks and a taverna for lunch. All had stunning views and reasonable prices. I must admit though, I don’t mind paying a premium for views like these.
Santorini, officially Thera (alternative spelling Thira), are islands that are the remnants of a volcanic caldera located in the southern Aegean Sea, about 200 km (120 mi) southeast from Greece's mainland. It is the largest island of a small, circular archipelago which bears the same name. It forms the southernmost member of the Cyclades group of islands, with an area of approximately 73 km2 (28 sq mi) and a 2001 census population of 13,670. The municipality of Santorini is composed of the islands of Santorini, Therasia, and the uninhabited islands of Nea Kameni, Palaia Kameni, Aspronisi, and Christiana. The total land area is 90.623 km2 (34.990 sq mi). Santorini is part of the Santorini peripheral unit.
Santorini is essentially what remains of an enormous volcanic explosion that destroyed the earliest settlements on what was formerly a single island, which led to the creation of the current geological caldera. A giant central lagoon, more or less rectangular, and measuring about 12 by 7 km (7.5 by 4.3 mi), is surrounded by 300 m (980 ft) high steep cliffs on three sides. The island slopes downward from the cliffs to the surrounding Aegean Sea. On the fourth side, the lagoon is separated from the sea by another much smaller island called Therasia; the lagoon merges with the sea in two places, in the northwest and southwest. The water in the centre of the lagoon is nearly 400 m (1,300 ft) deep, thus making it a safe harbour for all kinds of shipping. The island's harbours all lie in the lagoon and there are no ports on the outer perimeter of the island; the capital, Fira, clings to the top of the cliff looking down on the lagoon. The volcanic rocks present from the prior eruptions feature olivine and have a notably small presence of hornblende.
It is the most active volcanic centre in the South Aegean Volcanic Arc, though what remains today is chiefly a water-filled caldera. The volcanic arc is approximately 500 km (310 mi) long and 20 to 40 km (12 to 25 mi) wide. The region first became volcanically active around 3–4 million years ago though volcanism on Thera began around 2 million years ago with the extrusion of dacitic lavas from vents around the region of Akrotiri.
The island is the site of one of the largest volcanic eruptions in recorded history: the Minoan eruption (sometimes called the Thera eruption), which occurred some 3,600 years ago at the height of the Minoan civilization. The eruption left a large caldera surrounded by volcanic ash deposits hundreds of feet deep and may have led indirectly to the collapse of the Minoan civilization on the island of Crete, 110 km (68 mi) to the south, through the creation of a gigantic tsunami. This theory is not, however, supported by chronology, in that the collapse of the Minoan civilization did not occur concurrently with the date of the tsunami; that happened some 90 years later.
* Summary from Wikipedia
Textures from Lenabem Anna, Tanaka, Paree Erica.
Welcome to Santorini
Did the catastrophic volcanic eruption that ravaged Santorini circa 1600 BC destroy Crete's ancient Minoan civilization-and give birth to the myth of Atlantis? In 1967, archaeologists on Santorini unearthed the remains of a Bronze Age city that may have been home to as many as 30,000 people. Whether the Lost Continent of Atlantis is rooted in myth or reality, an undisputed fact remains. The eruption created a caldera and one of the most dramatic land and seascapes in the entire Mediterranean. On Santorini, white washed buildings cling to vertiginous cliffs that plunge to a turquoise sea. Part of the Cyclades Archipelago, the three island group of Santorini, Thirasia and uninhabited Aspronisi present the traveler with a unforgettable vistas.
Please see set comments for Santorini Overview
Fira Santorini: Fira is the capital of Santorini, Greece, and the most important of all villages. It is located at the west side of the island and 10 km away from the main port, Athinios.
Welcome to Santorini
Did the catastrophic volcanic eruption that ravaged Santorini circa 1600 BC destroy Crete's ancient Minoan civilization-and give birth to the myth of Atlantis? In 1967, archaeologists on Santorini unearthed the remains of a Bronze Age city that may have been home to as many as 30,000 people. Whether the Lost Continent of Atlantis is rooted in myth or reality, an undisputed fact remains. The eruption created a caldera and one of the most dramatic land and seascapes in the entire Mediterranean. On Santorini, white washed buildings cling to vertiginous cliffs that plunge to a turquoise sea. Part of the Cyclades Archipelago, the three island group of Santorini, Thirasia and uninhabited Aspronisi present the traveler with a unforgettable vistas.
Please see set comments for Santorini Overview