Santorini Island

Santorini Island

This is the hottest spot in the Cyclades in more ways than one. Tourists turn up in droves to take in this startling island volcano with its breathless views, sulphurous air and volcanic nights. The island is a magnet for cruise ships and the main town of Thira a must for cruising tourists. Expect to burn a sizeable hole in your wallet if you want the best views in the best bars and prepare to be slowly grilled on the burning black volcanic sands.

In Thira itself white cube houses and blue-domed churches spill down the terraces in an appealing mish-mash that was extensively rebuilt by cement mixers after the latest 1956 earthquake. Terraces with staggering views of the caldera are stuffed with cafes and bars where watching the nightly sunset is a very popular, if very expensive pastime. And there lies Thira's biggest disappointment - nothing is now left of the quiet tavernas, the old kafenia or the tiny grocery shops. They have all been supplanted with trendy boutiques, expensive jewellery shops and outrageously pricey bars belting out brainless club music and selling enough fast food to fill the caldera itself - the ridiculously named McZorbas restaurant says it all.

Santorini Island

This is the hottest spot in the Cyclades in more ways than one. Tourists turn up in droves to take in this startling island volcano with its breathless views, sulphurous air and volcanic nights. The island is a magnet for cruise ships and the main town of Thira a must for cruising tourists. Expect to burn a sizeable hole in your wallet if you want the best views in the best bars and prepare to be slowly grilled on the burning black volcanic sands.



Thira The island capital of Thira overlooks a magnificent caldera above some 300m of sheer black, red and brown stratified cliffs. Cruise ships anchor by the dozen in the bay below but the harbour is little more than a quayside facility and you wouldn't wish to get stuck there for any length of time. Embarking tourists are pestered with offers of a mule ride up a steep, zigzag staircase or they can opt for the swifter and more sedate Austrian-built cable car. It is not advisable to walk the 600 or so steps. The staircase path is heart-stoppingly steep and those not brushed aside by galloping mule teams must tramp through copious mule droppings. It is no more advisable to mount a mule, though the saddles do seem popular with monstrously overweight Americans. The grim-faced riders can be seen bouncing along, scraping thighs and legs against the rough stone walls. Mule owners know full well their business does not rely on any customer satisfaction - there is always the next cruise ship. Riding a mule down is an even bigger mistake. The animals career downhill at speeds that suggest they would like nothing better than to see their burdens catapulted over the low walls and into the sea below.

	In Thira itself white cube houses and blue-domed churches spill down the terraces in an appealing mish-mash that was extensively rebuilt by cement mixers after the latest 1956 earthquake. Terraces with staggering views of the caldera are stuffed with cafes and bars where watching the nightly sunset is a very popular, if very expensive pastime. And there lies Thira's biggest disappointment - nothing is now left of the quiet tavernas, the old kafenia or the tiny grocery shops. They have all been supplanted with trendy boutiques, expensive jewellery shops and outrageously pricey bars belting out brainless club music and selling enough fast food to fill the caldera itself - the ridiculously named McZorbas restaurant says it all.

Though the island abounds in volcanic pumice, shops still manage to sell 'rare' pumice to the gullible. The most expensive shops flank the main axis while most nightclubs can be found near the main staircase offering beautiful views to the heaving crowds as they down fabulously priced drinks to the strains of deafening music. The village winds like an artery along the caldera rim. A catholic cathedral dominates and a nearby convent sells hand-made rugs and embroidery. The north of the village is less volatile, more peaceful and well worth exploring. The museum is a bit of a washout as the fabulous frescos found during excavations at Akrotiri in the south have all been carted off to Athens. But the Megaron Gyzi museum is worth a poke around if only for old maps of the Cyclades and photos of Thira before the 1956 earthquake.

Perissa Below the mountain you can easily make out the black sands of Perissa. The pretty setting below the seaside mountains has attracted holiday developers in force. Apartments have sprung up in ramshackle fashion well back from the beach so that many holidaymakers face a long and tiring trek to the the sands which stretch to the south for around 5km shelving very steeply into the sea. The black sand tends to get very hot very quickly and by midday the shade-free resort can feel more barbecue than beach. Eucalyptus groves provide some shade in the resort centre (if you can say it has one) while bars and clubs provide an even shadier nightlife for the young clientele. Perissa has a rough and tumble air that attracts younger holidaymakers and sports a huge camp site to house them. It is also a popular day trip target for those based in beachless Thira on the other side of the island.



top
©2004 Odyssey Tours