Santorini, Greece Inspiration

Fun facts about Santorini, Greece, that all visitors should know

Along with the four smaller islets, nearby Santorini forms a small volcanic island archipelago. It is located in the Cyclades in the Aegean Sea. There are over 200 islands in the Cyclades.

Santorini is the result of a volcanic explosion. It was so violent that it resulted in one of the world’s largest calderas with a diameter of over 6 miles. This massive eruption is believed to have occurred around 1600 BC, and only side pieces of the previous island remain. The powerful eruption caused severe damage to Crete Island, 70 miles away, and destroyed Knossos Palace.

You may ask, What is a caldera? It is a large depression at the top of the volcano, formed by a violent eruption that destroyed the upper part of the volcanic cone.

What you see may be misleading

It is assumed that the main cities of Oia and Fira have been around for centuries. This could not be farther from the truth. In 1956, a powerful earthquake destroyed most of the island’s buildings. Today’s structures are part of a grand design to bring more tourism to the island. We would say it was successful, maybe too much.

One of the oldest civilizations of the Bronze Age, the Minoans, lived on the island before the mass eruption. This was a thousand years BC. These were amazingly advanced civilizations with indoor plumbing and sewers.

The name of the island comes from the 13th-century character of St Irene. It was originally called Strongoli.

Tourism is the core of Santorini, for the good and the bad

Tourism is the number one source of income for residents. Demand has become so high that many hospitality workers arrive seasonally from Athens. Tourist season was from May to September, but as Santorini’s popularity grows, so does the season.

One of the biggest issues causing over-tourism is cruise ship traffic. On some days, there will be 4-5 cruise ships arriving during a 24-hour period. Masses of people load onto the buses, making it very difficult to move around in places like Oia and Thira.

Lots of beaches? Wrong

Santorini has a few beaches, but there are many more beautiful islands with beaches in Greece. There are three beaches people visit: red, black, and white. They are more of a rough pebble-type beach with black sand.

Why are the buildings whitewashed? Santorini gets hot, very hot. The white paint keeps the building cool. Test it to compare a non-painted or darker-painted building to a white one. The difference is surprising. There are other stories of why the buildings are painted white, but all we know is that they are part of the Santorini Inspiration.

Santorini is home to some of the oldest vineyards in the world

Wine-making in Santorini is among the oldest in the world. The vineyards are virtually impervious to disease and grow under harsh soil and conditions. Local winemakers use the humidity in the air to help irrigate the vines. As a result, the harvest is very small as each plant produces a few grapes.

The wines are fantastic and hard to find outside of Santorini due to limited production. There are dozens of wineries to visit on the island. The most popular wine is the sweet wine Vinsanto, which many restaurants on the island will offer a complimentary glass at the end of a meal. How is that for Santorini Inspiration?

Faith is strong on the island

This is a profoundly religious island, and you find churches everywhere. Unlike mainland Greek Catholicism, it is the dominant faith on Santorini.

There is almost no rain in Santorini, and it is pretty humid. The water on the island absolutely should not be consumed, and bottled water should be the only source of drinking water.

Santorini is unique because it is one of the few civilizations on Earth built into volcanic rock.

There are castles too!

Enjoy visiting castles? Santorini has several. The Venetians were a strong presence here, evident in the Greco-Roman buildings, and used these castles as fortifications to protect against enemies.

On the Caldera side of the island, there are two main ports. Fira Port sits at the base of steep, sheer rock walls that rise 980 feet above sea level. The trip up is no small feat. The road itself is a narrow, winding road with one hairpin turn after another. But for the more adventurous, you can walk up the steep steps, ride a sky car, or even hop onto a donkey.

ATV’s are big here

Renting ATVs is common for tourists on the island to get around. The island is only 11 miles long, and parking is limited throughout. An ATV solves many of the issues that cars have, but there are also many stories of accidents. If you are visiting in the off-season, we recommend bringing a car, as there is a lot to see on this island, and it makes a short visit more convenient.