• Oia sunset

The Castle of Oia is the most famous place for the sunset sightseeing! It is said that the best sunset view of Santorini can be seen from the Castle. Most of the visitors gather to the Castle area before the sunset preparing their cameras or embracing their beloved persons and gaze to the west waiting for the sun to start curving towards the sea.

Then, the sky seems to have been painted with various colors like yellow and orange which turn to pink and then purple as it gets dark and the sun becomes a small glittering dot in the very point where these colors meet each other, get mixed and turn to white! The scenery is incredible… Sometimes, the steam from the sea makes the atmosphere slightly dim as if wrapping it with a diaphanous veil.

Everybody is trying to enjoy every single moment of that spectacular natural phenomenon during which the colors have their own party! Most of the spectators are trying to capture as much as possible of it in order to keep the remembrance alive for ever. However, no picture can transfer the majesty of the original sunset of Santorini. This is the reason for which the Castle gets so crowdy during the sunset time.

After the colors performance the sky gets dark and the houses are lightened. The moon let its silver rays get reflected in the black sea while the villages sparkle in the darkness. Santorini keeps being charming even after the sunset!

• Santorini hiking: the scenic hike from Fira to Oia

Walking along the caldera will surely be the most scenic route in Santorini Island, Greece. In fact, there is a hiking path that lines up half of the volcanic caldera, from Fira up to Oia via Firostefani and Imerovigli. Following this Santorini hiking path gives gorgeous view to the famous volcano and the Aegean Sea and also allows visitors to see the four most important villages of the island.

This 10 km hike is easy to follow and takes about 3-4 hours. Starting from the centre of Fira (also known as Thira), the capital of the island, hikers pass the Orthodox Metropolitan Church, the Catholic Cathedral and the main shopping street of Fira, heading to the north. On the left hand is the Aegean Sea and the volcano, so you will surely make many stops to get photographs. Next village is Firostefani, which has actually become a continuation of Fira.

Following the inland road through Firostefani, hikers shall pass the Monastery of Saint Nicolas, founded in the 17th century and hosting important Byzantine icons. Continue through Imerovigli, a truly picturesque village, much less busy than Fira.Hike are up to the famous Skaros Rock to get the most breathtaking sea view.

Next stop is Oia, the most picturesque village in Santorini. This scenic hike ends at the Castle of Oia, where you can enjoy the most romantic sunset in the world.

The best season for Santorini hiking is generally from March to early June, and from September to October. During these months, the weather is proper for long hikers as it is not too hot, like in high season months of July and August, or very cold as in off-season winter months. Suggested hiking time is the afternoon: start from Fira early in the afternoon to arrive in Oia at sunset time.

• Ancient Thera

Ancient Thera is an ancient city and capital on a ridge of the steep, 360 m high Messa Vouno mountain in Santorini. It was named after the mythical ruler of the island, Theras, and was inhabited from the 9th century BC until 726 AD.

The ancient city consisted of a street almost 800 m long and especially wide for its time extending in a southeastern direction and containing several imposing buildings. A small cul-de-sac branches off at right angles and at its termination, high up on the mountainside, were the headquarters of a garrison stationed in the city. After about 200 meters of street the city expands to cover an area of about 100 x 100 meters on an exposed plateau high above the rocky coast. Residential areas are grouped around an Agora which is across from a theater built into the lower slope. Separated off and facing the sea at the eastern tip of the plateau is a small sacred area with temple grounds and public facilities. All buildings are constructed of the local limestone of the mountain itself. Wood was rare on the island and seldom used for building.

The archaeological site of Ancient Thira is open daily except Mondays from 08:30 am until 14:30 pm.

• Akrotiri Archaeological Site

Akrotiri is a Minoan Bronze Age settlement on the volcanic Greek island of Santorini.

The settlement was destroyed in the Theran eruption about 1627 BC and buried in volcanic ash, which preserved the remains of fine frescoes and many objects and artworks. The settlement has been suggested as a possible inspiration for Plato’s story of Atlantis. The site has been excavated since 1967.

The Akrotiri excavation site is of a Minoan Bronze Age settlement on the Greek island of Santorini, associated with the Minoan civilization due to inscriptions in Linear

A, and close similarities in artifact and fresco styles. The excavation is named for a modern village situated on a hill nearby. The name of the site in antiquity is unknown.

Akrotiri was buried by the massive Theran eruption in the middle of the second millennium BC (during the Late Minoan IA period); as a result, like the Roman ruins of Pompeii after it, it is remarkably well-preserved. Frescoes, pottery, furniture, advanced drainage systems and three-story buildings have been discovered at the site.

• MATI Art Gallery

ΜΑΤΙ’s  aim is to share fine taste and contemporary perceptions about art with the international community of art lovers. The unparalleled selection of artwork that you will find in our gallery ranges from sculpture & installations to drawings & jewelry. The personalized approach that we like to develop with our clients has enabled us to build a rich portfolio of commissioned works in museums & public spaces, private collections, hotels and other commercial buildings. Our 27 years of experience guarantees and secures hassle-free fully insured worldwide shipping, always making sure we provide an outstanding service.

• Caldera Cruise

Experience Santorini’s beauty, hot springs and beaches on a catamaran cruise. Select a daytime or sunset cruise, and sail around the island and caldera (flooded volcanic crater) on a deluxe catamaran. Stop to bathe in the Nea Kameni springs; swim, snorkel or unwind at beaches; and enjoy unlimited Santorini wine and Greek beer, plus a Greek meal prepared on board. On the evening cruise, be treated to awe-inspiring sunset views. A cruise is essential when you visit Santorini, and with numbers limited to 16, this offers a small-group experience.

Sit back and admire Santorini’s caldera and sugar-cube clifftop houses as your vessel pulls away from dock. Relax and enjoy the sea breezes, and take snaps of the views as your catamaran cuts through the waves of the Aegean Sea. Sail at the Red Beach. Pause here and enjoy time to swim, snorkel or simply sunbathe on the decks.Then, drop anchor at the hot springs beside Nea Kameni, Santorini’s ancient volcano. Step ashore and submerge yourself in the warm pools, whose waters are thought to have medicinal powers that help alleviate skin and bone conditions.

Back aboard, cruise along the coast to Santorini’s southern beaches. Head for the White Beach, and, if you wish, leave the boat to swim in the crystal waters. If you fancy checking out the undersea life, use the supplied snorkeling equipment and set off in search of colorful fish and other underwater sights.

If you choose the sunset cruise, soak up the sight of one of Santorini’s magical sunsets. Snap pictures or just enjoy the moment as the sun sinks below the horizon in a blaze of orange, gold and pink.

• Volcano Tour

Santorini is gifted with a unique natural beauty and a wild scenery created by the volcanic eruptions. As it is extremely famous for the beautiful caldera, the island is also known for the two small islands of black lava positioned at the centre of the basin of Santorini which are, geographically, the youngest islets in the Eastern Mediterranean. Nea Kameni especially is a pole of attraction for tourists for its healing hot springs. The yellow waters there contain a large amount of sulfur and are characterized for their therapeutic purposes. Today, Agios Nikolaos which is the small cove in Nea Kameni islet is a true health source.

Santorini villages perched on high cliffs offer a breathtaking view to the caldera and the young islets, especially during the amazingly coloured sunset. Tourists can visit the volcano by taking one of the daily cruises advertised in any village. One can walk upon the solid black lava sides of the steaming volcano and explore the whole area which is quite impressive. Nea Kameni is the central one, and once on its shore, after a walk of 20 minutes in the lunar scenery, visitors will discover the volcano’s crater and other openings bursting with sulfur steam. The area also offers an incredible view of the beautiful villages hanging on the cliffs. The oldest volcano, Palea Kameni also has hot springs.

• Scuba & Snorkeling in Santorini

Go on a snorkeling excursion trip to discover the hidden beauties of Santorini’s crystal clear waters. An easy and fun experience for all!

You can start your excursion in the beautiful fishing port of Vhilhada where you can start exploring the underwater life.

Find out about the available experienced guides who can be around to check on you for your safety, and they will do their best to offer you a unique experience in Santorini. Give yourself a chance to snorkel in crystal clear waters, in the stunning volcanic rock formations to take a closer look to the unique marine life including fish, octopus, eels and squids.

• Santorini Cultural Village (Pyrgos)

Cultural Village is a contemporary cultural and gastronomic space in Pyrgos, Santorini. The founder, Yiannis Chrysos, created a museum in order to offer the visitors the experience of the domestic, rural and traditional ways of life in Santorini in the past.

The aim of the new generation that manages the space the last five years, is to give a new lease of life in collaboration with Yiorgos Hatziyannakis owner of the renowned “Selene” restaurant located in the same complex.

Today the Cultural Village visitors can be accommodated in the refurbished guesthouses, take a tour in the museum ”Santorini of the past” and in the traditional family canava, enjoy lunch, dinner and the vast selection of the celebrated Santorini wines at “Selene Meze & Wine” and for fine dinning, in fact a unique gastronomical experience of new Greek cuisine, indulge in “Selene” restaurant. What is more our visitors can attend various events, participate in seminars, cooking classes and wine tasting and select original souvenirs from the new Gift Shop and from Selene’s Delicatessen. The Cultural Village offers an integrated cultural and gastronomic experience to its guests.