Santorini island is one of the most beautiful islands in Greece. It is located between Ios and Anafi islands. It used to be a single island but was wiped out around 1600 BCE by an enormous volcanic explosion that destroyed the original settlements on the former island and created what we know today as the geological caldera. The official name in Greek is Thira or (Thera).
Santorini is not like any other Greek islands but it’s one of the best Greek islands!
Many celebrities visit the island every year and it has some of the most unique and luxurious hotels. It is good to know what each area offers in Santorini.
For example, Fira: The capital of the island, nightclubs, shops, restaurants, buzz.
Oia: The most famous and probably the most romantic place to stay in Santorini, not too many shops, no nightlife, but really relaxing with some amazing restaurants.
You can expect a lot of tourists though, which during the sunset time are everywhere (on the roofs, on the streets, on the walls etc.).
Imerovigli: Amazing views to the caldera, not touristic and still very close to Fira where all the buzz and shopping is.
Santorini is a volcanic island. To be more precise it is an active volcano!
In ancient times, Santorini island was known as Strongili, which means round in Greek. Strongili was the victim of an enormous volcano eruption in 1,500 BC. The eruption was so huge that many consider it to be the main cause of the destruction of the great Minoan civilization on the island of Crete, situated 70 nautical miles away.
The specialists believe that the explosion was so strong that it created gigantic waves that reached the shores of the surrounding islands and Crete. After the explosion, the centre of Santorini sank, and the many earthquakes that followed destroyed a big part of the rest of the island.
Many studies and research have been presented in our days about the volcano of Santorini, including a series of documentaries in the National Geographic. Something else that many tourists but also locals focus on is the food of the island and especially Santorini’s Golden Fava.
According to prehistoric remains of stored crops and seeds from excavations at Akrotiri, the local variety of Lathyrus clymenum has been cultivated exclusively on the island for more than 3,500 years, long before the eruption of the volcano.
As a matter of fact, Pedanius Dioscorides, a renowned 1 st -century physician and botanist, separated the species of plant from which Santorini’s fava is made from other Papilionoideae species that produce this bean in other parts of the world.
Every family in Santorini has always produced its own fava. The unique make-up of the island’s soil, the climatic conditions and, as odd as it sounds, the dryness have helped shape this product, with its velvety texture and sweet flavor. It was recently awarded Protected Designation of Origin, meaning that it needs to be grown in a particular way on certified farms and only in Santorini, and also needs to be ground by certified mills.
Another famous product of Santorini is their wine!
There are over 20 wineries on this Greek island. It’s known for the grape Assyrtiko who’s wine has been compared to some of the most expensive wines in the world.
The volcanic soils and unique ways that grapes are grown, make wine tasting in Santorini and absolute must!
If you are planning a trip to Greece, do not miss out on the opportunity to all these beautiful products that this island offers. Not to mention the beautiful scenery and amazing food!