FAST BOAT & CATARAMAN:
The main port of Santorini is Athenios.
Santorini can be reached daily from Piraeus (5:15 hours duration).
There are also daily services that connect Santorini to Ios (30 minutes), Naxos (1:30 hours), Paros (2:15 hours), Mykonos (4 hours) and Iraklio, Crete (1:45 hours).
There are 2 weekly ferries to Sifnos (2:30 hours) and 6 weekly to Syros (3 hours).
FERRY:
There are several daily ferry services from Piraeus (9 hours duration).
There are also daily services that connect Santorini to Naxos (3 hours), Paros (4 hours), Ios (1:15 hours) and Tinos (5 hours).
There are 2 weekly ferries to Folegandros (2:30 hours), Milos (4 hours), Kimolos (3:30 hours), Syros (5:15 hours), Mykonos (6 hours).
Serifos (7 hours) and Kythnos (8 hours).
6-7 weekly ferries go to Anafi (1 hour), Sikinos (2:30 hors), Iraklio, Crete (3:45 hours), Sifnos (6 hours), Skiathos (13:30 hours) and Thessaloniki (19:30 hours)
BUS;
There are bus routes to most of the main island locations. In summer - busses’ frequency is every half an hour, while in the winter season they operate every 1-1:45 hours, to most areas. There are frequent connections from Fira, the capital of the island, to the airport. They may vary, depending on the touristic season.
Busses for Fira meet all ferries.
Busses go every hour from Fira to Akrotiri and every 30 minutes to Oia, Monolithos, Kamari and Perissa.
There are bus services to Exo Gonia, Perivolos and Vlihada.
 CABLE CAR (TELEFERIK);
The cable car serves 1200 persons per hour from the small port Fira Skala to Fira. The ship owner Evangelos Nomikos built it in 1979, and it belongs to the 14 communities of the island.
CAR & MOTORCYCLE;
There are many rental companies in Fira.
TAXI;
Taxi services go all around the island.


  
 


ANCIENT THERA:
The site is situated on Meso Vouno, or Middle Mountain, and was settled by the Dorians, in the 9th century BC.
Now the place consists of Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine temples, houses, mosaics, an agora, a theatre and a gymnasium.
 OIA:
The village of Oia, known locally as Ia or Pano Meria, once a major fishing port, was destroyed by the 1956 earthquake. It is well known for its dramatic sunsets.
The Maritime Museum houses displays of the island's maritime history, especially of the 19th century. Tel. 22860 71156
THIRASIA AND VOLCANIC ISLETS:
The islet Thirasia was the main port of Santorini, until an earthquake, in 236 BC, separated it from the main island.
There are boats from Athinios and Oia's port - Ammoudi - that leave for Thirasia.
A path goes to the Manolas, the largest village of the islet.
The volcanic islets Palia Kameni and Nea Kameni are still active and may be visited, by boat, from the ports Fira Skala and Athinios.
ANAFI:
Anafi is a small island, one-hour east ferry ride of Santorini. The island's capital is Hora and the port - Agios Nicholaos.
Kalamiotissas Monastery is situated 6 km from Hora, near the ruins of an ancient sanctuary dedicated to god Apollo.
The Monastery Rock, 470 high, is the highest rock formation in the Mediterranean Sea.
The ruined Venetian Castle, at Kastelli, east of Hora, is another interesting sight.
EVENTS & FESTIVALS:
Ifesteia Festivities, in mid-August.
International Music Festival, at the Nomikos Conferential Center (in Fira), in early September.
Name Celebration Feasts: every church of the island, on the day of the name celebration of its patron saint, organizes a bazaar and the visitors are treated with food and wine.


 
 


The beaches of the island are wonderful, as they combine black sand with red and grey cliffs falling on blue waters.
Kamari, 19 km from Fira, is the best-developed resort, with a long beach of black sand.
At Monolithos, a little seaside village, the beach is made of soft grey sand.
Perissa Beach is a very long beach situated in the southeast, below the mountain. It also has black sand and gets very busy.
Kokkini Paralia, or The Red Beach, situated below Ancient Akrotiri, with its high red cliffs, is almost breathtaking.
Vlihada, on the southern coast, is a beautiful beach, as well as Paradise and Pori, situated near Oia, on the north coast of the island.
Anafi, near the port Agios Nicholaos, is another island with beautiful beaches, one of them being palm-lined Klissidi.


  
 
Back to the top