Villages of Santorini

Here below the description of the main villages of Santorini.

Villages on the north of Santorini

The village of Karterados is an interesting for its architectural style with white houses that seem buried, with beautiful churches and the windmill. Inhabited by local offers tourists some accommodations, taverns and cafeterias. Karterados lies just 2 Km to the South of Fira. Its existence is recorded back to the 17th century. The original dwellings are cave houses built deep into the rock face. The village square has a traditional windmill and a memorial plaque to commemorate those who died in the Second World War. On the left hand side as you leave the square, the road curves sharply to the left, and there you will discover the ‘Steps of Galaios’. Barely visible from the main road is a small neighbourhood of cobbled streets, Captains houses and cave houses built into the rock.

On way to Oia is the village Vourvoulos, a quiet place with white houses scattered on the hill. Finikia is a village located further up was the center of trade and maritime and the place where the locals worked in the plains and vineyards. The quiet village and the social life of the nearby Oia, which is within walking distance make it ideal destination for a peaceful holiday on Santorini. Baxedes beach can be reached taking a path through a valley full of vineyards. The path leads to the beautiful church of Panagia Kyra, a perfect place to enjoy the sunset in absolute peace. To the left of the main road that goes from the Finikia to Baxedes Beach is a famous wine cellar Sigalas.

Discover the south

Village Messaria, in the central part of Santorini is located 4 km from Fira. It is a small village with houses built in the traditional Cycladic style. The main occupations of the inhabitants are agriculture, cattle breeding and the production of wine. The nearby village Vothonas will amaze you with the peace and tranquillity. Vothonas is a small rock village. Architecturally, is the strangest village on Santorini and just for that reason worth a visit. Leading off it, a tangle of paths climb up to the houses, a complex of network of open and closed excavations, a unique and untouched architectural complex.  Another interesting place is the church of St. Anna which is the oldest in the village and it was built in 1827. The carved wooden screen is decorated with scenes from the Old Testament and it is very impressive.

Pyrgos, the old capital of Santorini was constructed on the highest hill of Santorini from where you can see the entire island and the sea that surrounds it. The village is composed of traditional houses built around the Venetian Castle and the small streets follow the shape of the hill. Climing from the square up to the castle of Pyrgos, the stone houses crowd more densely together and the labyrinth of narrow vaulted lanes becomes more tortuous.

The Emporio village, situated in the plain, was for a long time, the commercial heart of the island of Santorini. Emporio is one of the larger villages of the island where the visitor can admire the ruins of the Venetian castle and some traces of another castle in the center of the old town.

Magalohori, called the big village is known for its vineyards and cellars of Vino Santo and Boutari. Most visitors go there to buy wine of Santorini. The village is striking for its white houses, the clock, the central square with some tavern and the main church with its icons and the calendar of saints consists of 365 miniature sanctified by the Church Orthodox.

Akrotiri

Akrotiri is a village located in the southwestern part of the island of Santorini, famous for the nearby beach of Paralia Kokkini-Red Beach and the archaeological site of Akrotiri. The village center is quite bare of attractions. Only in a few points, you can enter between the lanes and the houses of the old Akrotiri. The excavations in the area brought ti light the settlement known as the City of Akrotiri. You shouldn’t miss the Archaeological site of Akrotiri.

From  Akrotíri a paved road that leads to the lighthouse of Santorini. The Faros (lighthouse in Greek) was manufactured in 1892 from the French company of Lighthouses. The square tower stands 10m high above the lighthouse keepers house. To reach the Faros you turn right after the village and follow the road uphill. The splendid view overlooking the volcanoes is certainly one of the most beautiful corners of Greece!  From here you can see all of Santorini and the other islands of the caldera.