Santorini is considered to be the most sought after place for a romantic getaway in Greece, since there are not many places in the world where you can enjoy exquisitely clear waters while perched on the rim of a massive active volcano in the middle of the sea!
This is Santorini – Greece’s most beautiful island
– could it be the lost island of Atlantis?
Santorini has surely been in your dreams long before you’ve even been here…
The whitewashed houses floating more than 300 meters above the sea and the irresistible sunset.
You travel here to nurture your soul and rest your eyes on beautiful views. If there are two of you, there are few places better for your love life.
Santorini was originally one large island, but was divided after the violent volcanic eruption around 1600 BC. Thera, as the island was then called, was part of a grand culture like the Minoans from Crete. According to legend, there are many indications that Santorini is the lost island of Atlantis, as a large part fits the description.
Video of Santorini – Greece’s most beautiful island
The article continues below the video.
Santorini is one of the southernmost islands in the Cyclades and perhaps one of the islands where the landscape offers the deepest drama. The western side consists of high cliffs straight down into the water and forms one of the insides of the volcano which had its last eruption around 1600 BC.
The city of Fira (Thira) is tastefully built along the steep slopes and appears to have climbed up the volcanic black slopes onto the plateau in flight from the dark blue sea. It is also where one of the most beautiful sunsets can be seen and it is when you are sitting at the top of Fira in the cool Mediterranean evening that your heart for this country opens fully. The eastern side, on the other hand, is flatter and here are the fertile parts of the island and several of the bathing beaches.
Santorini offers both luxury and everyday life. If you want to spend on accommodation with a fantastic view and comfort, you will find it here. For the budget traveler, as on all islands, there are rooms to rent at prices adapted to the season.
The Cyclades
Many of the classic postcard motifs from Greece are from the Cyclades, where the white houses with the blue details make up basically all the buildings.
In every city, stone-paved alleys wind between the houses and it is easy to fall in love with the simple and beautiful.
The sea around the islands is azure blue and the sandy beaches are white and wide with the exception of Santorini with its volcanic black hot sand.
Among the most beautiful sunsets to be enjoyed take place here and it is easy to fall in love with the Cyclades and the warm summer evenings here.
The name Cyclades comes from the Greek word for ring, kyklos, and you can say that the islands lie in a circle around the sacred island of Delos, hence the name.
The Cyclades consist of roughly 20 larger inhabited islands (as well as a number of smaller uninhabited ones) and form parts of a sunken mountain chain, which makes them mountainous in character.
In ancient times, the islands were covered with forest, but heavy logging due to the enormous need for materials for shipbuilding led to soil erosion and thus the barren nature of the islands. With the help of terraces, olive trees and vineyards now grow on most islands, which are also important sources of income.
The northernmost island is Andros and the southernmost is Santorini. Other islands popular with beer bums are Naxos, Paros and Mykonos.
The Cyclades are easy to reach via any of the ports (Piraeus or Rafina) around Athens or by direct flight to Santorini. The administrative center of the archipelago is the island of Syros with the city of Ermoupolis located four hours by boat from Piraeus.
