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Photo: Rt44, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
At the end of the 1800s, the volcanic earth here was excavated to provide material for the construction of the Suez Canal. There were traces of a prehistoric settlement then, but it wasn’t until 1967 when archeological excavations at the so-called ancient Akrotiri started. Archaeologist Spryridon Marinatos, a professor at the University of Athens, brought to light 3-story buildings and masterpiece-wall paintings. This is the most popular archaeological site in Santorini, and one of the best preserved sites in all of Greece, owed to the same factor that caused its destruction. After the eruption in the 17th century BC, the whole island was covered with volcanic material, destroying a society while protecting remnants of their daily life. The entire site is covered with a giant canopy.
Akrotiri is a Cycladic Bronze Age settlement site on the volcanic Greek island of Santorini. The name comes from the nearby village of Akrotiri, the name of the site in antiquity is unknown.
© OpenStreetMap contributors
Κόκκινη Παραλία
A popular bathing spot, with colourful sand composed of pulverised black and red volcanic rock. The unstable volcanic rock is prone to landslides however, and parts of the beach are occasionally inaccessible due to landslide risks. The beach can be reached from Ancient Akrotiri by a hiking trail, approx. 800 m. The first few meters of the water near the shore are quite gravelly, so be prepared to step on some stones. Women are frequently topless. The beach is extremely popular, mostly with locals, although there are no facilities such as showers available. The tavernas built into the caves on Red Beach seem to have no electricity or running water, so if you eat or use the washrooms there, bring along hand sanitizer!
Ruins of a Venetian castle in the centre of Akrotiri. The Republic of Venice, occupied Thira in 1207, and soon constructed this fortress, along with several other fortifications and watchtowers across the island. Before, the site used to be a Byzantine watchtower. Due to its excellent location, the castle became the best defensible position on Thira. The Ottomans failed to conquer the castle during the Ottoman-Venetian wars and it remained in good condition, but was reduced to rubble by the 1956 earthquake.
A natural cave. Caution: the volcanic rock is very unstable, it is not recommended to enter without a guide.