The volcano's pit, bored by a succession of major eruptions going back to more than two million years, is made of five separate islands: Nea Kameni, Palea Kameni, Therasia, Aspronissi and Thera, the main half-moon shaped isle in the cavity of which lies the main port and the city of Fira.
Santorini is a kind of trip to a land of dreams and timeless tales. The mythical history of the island makes it, actually, one of the possible locus of the rise and fall of Atlantis: this famous land narrated by Plato in Timaeus and Critias , on which a divine descending civilization was living and has been engulfed by water following a disputing with Olympus Gods.
Thus, tackling Santorini is also reviving one of the oldest myths of humanity and of lost golden age.
Besides, the felling of vertigo you get in Santorini is probably linked to the real subterranean activity. In fact, the island is located in an extremely sensitive region where african and european continents confronts one another following the motion of tectonics, at the origin of earthquakes and volcanism. During past times, Santorini never stoped being alternately emerged and swallowed up: several eruptions got rid of or created new isles, like Palea Kameni, a quite recent one, and Nea Kameni, sprung in the course of the 18 th century.
On the archeological site of Akrotiri, the "prehistoric Pompei", 5.5 miles south-west of Fira and facing Creta, history lovers and dreamers would experience a perfectly preserved antique city. With its two or three-storied buildings, its frescos, shops and streets, Aktori uncovers a part of the mystery touching the minoen civilization and somewhat enlightens the myth of Atlantis. You can notably find out how the last inhabitants of Thera, then constituing the minoen civilization, hastily left the place at the first wave of the iruption that would bury their island.
Near Akrotiri, on the external side of the crescent, hides one of the most bewitched beaches ever, "Red Beach" , a narrow strip of black sand lying in a creek surrownded by great red cliffs. One gets there on foot, climbing and walking round a few abrupt rocks, at the bend of which one suddenly discovers this natural splendour, where black as coal sand almost burning as lava plunges in the crystal-clear waters of the Cretan Sea.
Cave dwelling hotels made of pumice
The most beautiful site of Santorini is probably the village of Oia (prononced "ya"), set high up on the northern slope of the crescent. 6 miles away from Fira, the access to Oia is picturesque and giddier and giddier as you approach the village. With its white houses and luxury cave dwelling hotels dig in the volcanic ash, sometimes with multiple floors. With its fancy boutiques, jewelers, pools and jacuzzis built on the edge of void, Oia offers a dreamlike panorama, espacially at night, when the bay, the volcanic piton of Nea Kameni and the other islands surrounding the crater are observable from wherever you are standing.
Diving into the heart of the volcano
Nea Kameni, is a sleeping yet active volcano, generating hot smoke ans gas up to 220 degrees that you can observe over organized excursions. You can climb and walk on these almost burning rocks and their breathtaking colors.
On Palea Kameni, located on the west cost, swimiming diving in the hot sources is a very popular activity. However, the distance from the boat to the sources is reserved to quite experimented swimmers.
Caroline Plat
© 2003
