Santorini

The crescent-resembling island of Santorini (also known as Thera), with its unique beaches with black sand and red cliffs, is all that remains of the old island which was blown apart thousands of years ago by a volcano that is still active today. The volcanic explosion wiped out the early settlements and created the spectacular landscape of the geological caldera that formed in its centre. A theory is that the devastating explosion, that presumably ended the Minoan civilization of Crete, sparked the popular myth of the Lost Atlantis. The archaeological site at Akrotiri is of particular interest, where Minoan-influenced frescoes of the Bronze Age are remarkably well preserved.

Santorini's remarkable physical beauty, marvelous relics along with its elegant restaurants and shops give it a more sophisticated image. Being one of the most popular of the Greek Islands, Santorini draws vast amounts of visitors and the island is packed with tourists each summer, being also a popular one-day stop for Meditteranean cruise ships. The graphic sunsets during August, owing their color to the volcanic dust, are a spectacular daily event. is a Santorini is also famous for its favoured strong white wine, coming from the vines that grow sparsely on its sulfurous volcanic ground to which it owes its unique flavour.