Santorini Σαντορίνη

The island’s dramatic cliffs are what remains of a vast volcanic eruption around 1600 BC, one of the largest in human history. Buried under ash, the Bronze Age town of Akrotiri was preserved with multi-storey buildings and frescoes, often compared to Pompeii though far older.

Santorini is busiest in summer, particularly at sunset in Oia. A private plan, with a late-afternoon winery visit, dinner booked on the caldera edge and a quieter sunset spot such as Imerovigli, makes it feel like a different island.

Highlights

• Caldera views from Imerovigli
• Sunset in Oia
• Akrotiri archaeological site
• Assyrtiko wineries
• Private caldera sailing

Best time to visit Santorini

May–June, September–October. Late spring and early autumn have warm sea, long light and fewer cruise passengers. July and August are hot and crowded. From November to March many hotels and restaurants close and ferries are less frequent.

What to do

Akrotiri

A Bronze Age port town preserved beneath volcanic ash, now sheltered by a modern roof. Excavation began in 1967 and the site reveals streets, drainage and wall paintings.

Tip: Visit in the morning before tour groups arrive.

Wine on volcanic soil

Santorini’s assyrtiko vines are trained into low baskets (kouloura) to survive wind and drought. We arrange tastings at family estates and at the larger wineries with caldera terraces.

Oia, without the crush

We time Oia for the late afternoon and suggest dinner at a reserved table, so the sunset is a meal and not a scramble for a wall.

Private catamaran or sailing yacht

A half-day sail around the caldera, with swimming at the hot springs and a lunch of grilled fish.

Where to stay

• Imerovigli: The highest point on the caldera rim; quieter than Oia with the best sunrise views.
• Oia: Iconic cave suites and sunset terraces; busy by day.
• Kamari / Perissa: Black-sand beaches on the east coast, less dramatic but calmer.

Getting there

• Direct flights from the UK operate seasonally (typically April–October); year-round access is via Athens, about 45 minutes by air.
• Ferries run from Piraeus; high-speed services take roughly 5 hours, conventional ferries 7–8 hours. Timetables vary by season and weather.

Local tips

• Book caldera-view hotels many months ahead for June–September.
• Strong summer winds (meltemi) can delay ferries; keep a buffer day before international flights.

Detail from Greek sources

• Greek archaeological sources date the Akrotiri settlement from the middle of the 5th millennium BC to its destruction in the Late Bronze Age, around 1627–1500 BC. A series of earthquakes in the early 17th century BC damaged the town before the eruption buried it.
• Spyridon Marinatos announced the discovery of the prehistoric settlement on 15 September 1967 and excavated until 1974, testing his 1939 theory that the Thera eruption contributed to the decline of Minoan civilisation. Excavation has since continued under Christos Doumas and is not complete: the excavated area is only about 10,000 m².
• Imported goods found at Akrotiri, from Egypt and the Syro-Palestinian coast, show it was a busy trading port. Finds from the excavation are held in the Archaeological Museum of Thera in Fira.

Greek-language sources: in.gr (el): Spyridon Marinatos, the first excavations at Akrotiri; SKAI (el): Exploring Akrotiri on Thera.