Santorini

Santorini General Information

Santorini is the place to fall in love! It's an island that has inspired poets and musicians with its breath taking sunsets and crystal waters rippling over the Caldera. With its whitewashed houses, blue-domed churches and never-ending vineyards, Santorini is Greece at its traditional best. Some theories state that Santorini was once part of the fables lost continent of Atlantis - a fact which has provided inspiration to a great many artists and writers. The black shining pebbles, the bizarre looking land formations and the black, white and red sands all form to create unforgettable scenery. As evening approaches couples head to the beautiful town of Oia to secure their own romantic candle-lit table and watch the brilliant sun sink beneath the shimmering Aegean Sea... absolutely unforgettable!

The volcanic island differs entirely from the other islands of the Cyclades. It took on its present appearance in the wake of the explosion beneath what had been a circular limestone island. A layer of ejected pumice tuff up to sixty metres in height was deposited on what was left of the island. There are hardly any trees outside the built-up areas. Vineyards dominate the landscape to which roads and trails provide good access.

Getting there

How to Get to Santorini

There are frequent daily ferries departing from Piraeus Port that take approximately 10 hours to travel to Santorini. During summer Hydrafoils are available also departing from Piraeus Port that cut the travel time in half, only taking 5 hours. The quickest available option is by plane. There are multiple flights leaving daily that only take a mere 55 minutes to arrive in Santorini. Some other major islands also have ferry, Hydrafoil and flight connections to Santorini.

Things to do

What to do in Santorini

Santorini is situated on the rim of a volcano in the middle of the sea-surrounded by steep cliffs on three sides. It is famous for spectacular sunsets and crystal waters. White washed houses and churches with blue bells, cobbled streets and magnificent views will captivate you. Sail around the volcano, visit the museums or take the cable car (or a dinkey!) from the top of the cliff down to the town. Visit the capital, Fira or Oia - a very pretty village on the top of a cliff - with cave houses and restaurants built into the cliff. The island is an exceptional destination for tourists, boasting unique natural beauty, like the Caldera and the Aegean, beaches with rare morphology, top-notch, modern hospitality infrastructure, beauty and wellness services and renowned restaurants serving international or local cuisine. The island offers numerous natural, traditional products, seaside activities, stunning Cycladic architecture, like the villages of Kastelia and Goulades, archaeological sites, such as Ancient Thera and Akrotiri, museums, as well as cultural activities and conference tourism infrastructure. The wine-related aspect of this experience is considerable, with activities in modern wineries or traditional underground wine cellars called Kanaves, such as wine tastings, seminars or gastronomic events. there are, in addition, vineyards with a unique view of the the Aegean and the caldera, an underground wine museum, and intriguing wine lists in top-class restaurants and wine shops.

Food

What to Eat in Santorini

Santorini is arguably most well known for its delicious wines. The main grape of Santorini is Assyrtiko, a precious vine with a unique heritage and grown in a striking terroir. It produces dry white wines that can be enjoyed both young and aged. It has broad structure, fresh, crisp acidity, high alcohol content, which manages to be very balanced, distinctive citrus aromas and intense minerality. The wines that are aged in oak reveal a more solid structure and increased aromatic complexity. Assyrtiko is a rare, unique, precious, internationally acclaimed, "pedigree" wine, ideal for complex dishes, fish and seafood. There is also another local specialty, called Vinsanto, which is a sweet wine made from sun-dried Assyrtiko grapes. Vinsanto is an intense, concentrated, rich yet firm wine that could age for several decades. One of the greatest wines in the world, it can match either desserts or rich, savoury dishes.

Santorini's terroir is unique in the world, shaped by the volcano of Thera, its caldera and, of course, the Aegean Sea. Soil is volcanic and porous, consisting of lava, Therean ash and pumice, with a complete absence of organic matter. There is an insular Mediterranean climate with calm winters, cool summers, droughts and strong winds, called meltemia. However, sea mists during the summer months offer the necessary hydration for the vines. In a unique ecosystem that protects the vines from illness and other hazards, Santorini's vineyard is self-rooted, anhydrous and never affected by phylloxera. Actually, Santorini is not phylloxera-free, but phylloxera-immune. Phylloxera needs at least 5 percent clay to spread, while Santorini has zero clay. Thus, it is potentially the world's oldest vineyard, dating back an estimated 3,500 years. The majority of vines are, on average, 50-100 years old or more and the yields, about 15hl/ha, are the lowest in Greece. Definitely a vineyard worth a visit!

Vines are grown in kouloures (rings) or kalathia (baskets), a traditional technique that involves wrapping canes in a low-lying basket shape, protecting the vine from strong winds and intense sunlight-a direct result of the grower's collective experience through the centuries for the adaptation of viticulture to this unique ecosystem. Since the soil has no phylloxera, the upper part of the vine, the kalathi, is usually replaced every 15-20 years, while the root system is preserved. In some cases, this results in vines whose above-ground part is a few decades old, while the root system is several centuries old, an impressive fact that underlines the uniqueness of the Santorinian terroir. The degree of human care is impressive, with all the viticultural labour done by hand, including the harvesting, which is the first in Greece, usually due at the beginning of August.