Fira the capital of Santorini is built on the edge of the caldera at the west side of the island, at an altitude of 250 meters and was founded in the late 18th century. At Oia you get the best sunsets, and both Oia and Fira are excellent towns for just strolling around and shopping.
Imerovigli It is located about 2 miles north of Fira and south of Oia.
Akrotiri is an ancient town that was buried when the volcano erupted 3500 years ago. Archaeologists are still excavating it, but you can walk around in the little street quarters and see the buildings almost like they were back then.
In Pyrgos a few kilometres from the capital you can see the medieval fortress Kasteli and admire a 10th century church and a monastery both with beautiful Byzantine icons and relics. The village of Messaria is also located close to Fira (about 3,5 km) and is surrounded by vineyards, you should visit the two small churches that are built in caves.
Ancient Thira is situated on top of high cliff just above Kamari, and there is also an old church there from 1100.
a Greek island unlike any other
Santorini is perhaps the most fascinating and most talked about island of Greece in the Aegean. Only the name of the island is enough to unfold in mind pleasurable connotations, volcanic landscape, gray and red beaches, dazzling white houses, terraces with panoramic sea views , stunning sunsets, wild fun. All this, together with remnants of lost civilizations discovered in the volcanic ash justify the epithets with which visitors identify Santorini and fairly is called, magical, indescribable, astonishing.
Approaching the island by boat the immediate impression obtained is this is a Greek island unlike any other.
Today, Santorini is the only inhabited Caldera (volcano cauldron) in the world. The sunsets at Santorini, viewed from the Caldera, really are breathtakingly beautiful when seen as a backdrop to the volcano.
