A Glimpse into History

Welcome to Santorini, one of the most captivating islands in the Mediterranean. You’re standing on the traces of an ancient civilization and a cataclysm that reshaped history. More than 3,600 years ago, there was no caldera before you—only a round, flourishing island known as Kalliste, “the most beautiful.”

One of its most remarkable cities was Akrotiri, a thriving city with multi-story houses, advanced plumbing, and stunning frescoes, a refined culture closely tied to the Minoans of Crete. Around 1650 BC, the volcano erupted in a cataclysmic explosion. The heart of the island collapsed into the sea, forming the caldera you see today. The inhabitants, warned by early signs, escaped, but their world vanished beneath the ash, preserved like an Aegean Pompeii. Over the centuries, the island lay deserted, shrouded in legend.

The Phoenicians were the first to return, followed by the Dorians led by the hero Theras, who gave the island its ancient name, Thera. High on Mount Mesa Vouno, they built their city, safe from pirates. Over the centuries, Santorini came under the sway of great powers—Athens and its Delian League, Ptolemaic Egypt, Rome, then Byzantium, which brought Christianity.

In the Middle Ages, the Venetians seized control after the fall of Constantinople in 1204, and it was then that the name Santorini appeared, inspired by Saint Irene. Over three centuries, Venetian families like the Sanudo, Crispo, and Barozzi fought for dominance, building castles and churches. In 1579, the Ottomans took over, but the islanders preserved their traditions, especially their unique winemaking, with vines trained low to the ground in basket-like shapes to withstand the wind.

In 1821, Greece won its independence, and Santorini officially regained the name Thera. But on July 9, 1956, tragedy struck again: an earthquake killed 48 people and destroyed more than two thousand houses. Thousands left for Athens, nearly emptying the island. In the 1960s, however, archaeologists uncovered Akrotiri, bringing its hidden treasures to light. Tourism soon followed, drawn by this extraordinary history and the island’s volcanic beauty. The people of Santorini rebuilt, painting their villages white with blue domes, creating the iconic image the world knows today.

Yet the volcano beneath your feet still breathes. In 2025, new tremors reminded everyone that Santorini is alive and unpredictable. But it is this raw volcanic force that has shaped its wines, its fertile soil, and its breathtaking landscape. Here you stand, witnesses to four thousand years of history, on an island that has inspired the myth of Atlantis and continues to fascinate the world. Every sunset mirrored in the caldera’s waters—born of fire—is a timeless reminder of nature’s power to create and to destroy.

Enjoy your journey across this unique island, where every stone holds a story, every view hides a mystery, and eternity is measured on the scale of volcanoes.