SANTORINI'S VOLCANIC ORIGIN remains a major subject of discussion, being also linked with the legendary lost continent of Atlantis. This theory was first forwarded by the Egyptians, thousands of years ago, and was then supported by ancient Greek philosophers Solon and Plato. Around 1650 BC, earthquakes and volcano eruptions split the island, producing a caldera filled afterwards by seawater. The eruption generated huge waves that also hit Crete with force. It is generally admitted that the catastrophe was responsible for the destruction of the Minoan civilization, on the north coast of Crete. In 236 BC, another eruption separated Thirasia from the main island, in 1570 the island's south coast collapsed and in 1707, volcanic activity created Nea Kameni islet. In 1956, another severe earthquake destroyed most of the buildings in Fira and Oia. Because the island lacks springs, water is brought in by tankers, yet it isn't drinkable. Bottled water is widely available.

BY AIR:
The airport of Santorini is 8 km from the town of Fira.
From Athens, Eleftherios Venizelos Airport at Spata, there are daily flights all over the year.
From Santorini, there are 5 weekly flights to Rhodes, 4 weekly to Mykonos and 2 weekly to Iraklio, Crete.
Aegean Airlines has regular daily flights from Athens and Thessaloniki.

Police Station 22860 22649
Port Police 22860 22239
Port Authority of Santorini 22860 22239
Health Center 22860 22237
Olympic Airways - Santorini 22860 22493
Aegean Airlines- Santorini 22860 28500

Olympic Airways - Athens 210 936-3363
Port Authority of Piraeus 210 422 6000
Port authority of Rafina 22940 22487
Port Authority of Thessaloniki 2310531505

 
FIRA;
The Archaeological Museum of Thera exhibits Cycladic figurines, Hellenistic and Roman sculpture and finds from Akrotiri and ancient Thira sites. Tel. 22860 22217
The Museum of Prehistoric Thera houses exhibits found in the excavations around the island.
Tel. 22860 23217
Megaro Gyzi Museum, opposite the Roman Catholic Cathedral, houses local memorabilia and photographs taken before and immediately after the 1956 earthquake. Tel. 22860 22244
The Thera Foundation, Petros Nomikos Center, houses "The Wall Paintings Of Thera" Exhibition, three-dimensional photographic repro-ductions of the Akrotiri wall frescoes. Tel. 22860 23016
 ANCIENT AKROTIRI;
Akrotiri is a village on the south-western part of the island. Recent excavations uncovered, in 1967, beneath the volcanic ash, an ancient Minoan city, dated 16th century BC, with paved lanes, 3 stories high buildings and rooms full with artifacts. As the case of Pompeii, the finds were in an extraordinary state of preservation.Tel. 22860 81366
 
 
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Cyclades Islands