8 SECRETS ABOUT SANTORINI

Santorini and some blue roofs, Photo: Jonathan Gallegos / Unsplash
Santorini and some blue roofs, Photo: Jonathan Gallegos / Unsplash

Santorini is a small island in the Greek archipelago and is located south of Thira, the main island of the Cyclades. The island of Santorini is now one of the most popular destinations on cruises through the Mediterranean. Here we reveal 8 secrets about Santorini.

1. THERE ARE NOT THAT MANY BUILDINGS WITH BLUE ROOFS

Santorini is mainly known for the houses with the blue roofs. But have you taken a closer look at the photos? There are so many beautiful photos of Santorini that you get the impression that there is a house with a blue roof on every corner. But the trick is: the photos are usually taken from a specific spot where there is a wonderful view of the town of Oia. You will notice that the same buildings are always photographed.

2. CHECK INTO THE HOTEL? TAKE YOUR TIME. AND FLAT SHOES.

Santorini feels like it’s all stairs. To get to your hotel*, you should therefore wear flat shoes and ideally only bring light luggage. It can take hours before you and your suitcase arrive at the hotel and you can check in. But hey, your hotel typically compensates you with a great view from your hotel room. A little tip: although there is no official tourist information office on the island, there are a few points of contact, like at the airport. When you arrive, you can call your hotel and ask for help with your luggage. As a rule, someone will then be sent to you to help you.

3. DOES THE MYSTERIOUS ATLANTIS LIE BENEATH SANTORINI?

Is Atlantis existing? Photo: Mikhail Preobrazhenskiy / Unsplash
Is Atlantis existing? Photo: Mikhail Preobrazhenskiy / Unsplash

One of the hottest rumors is about the legendary Atlantis. You know, the mythical city that sank into the sea in a day and a night and was first mentioned by the Greek philosopher Plato. For most scientists, it is just a myth, but many other people believe that the ruins of the sunken Atlantis can be found under Santorini. No evidence has yet been found, but who knows โ€ฆ

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4. CAVE HOUSES

Due to the weather, the former inhabitants of Santorini built their houses directly into the volcanic rock. This made it easy to survive the temperatures, whether summer or winter. Today, these cave houses still exist and you can even live in them. However, they are now much better equipped than back then.

5. AFTERMATH OF THE ANCIENT TSUNAMI

The coastline of Santorini, Photo: Tomรกลก Noลพina / Unsplash
The coastline of Santorini, Photo: Tomรกลก Noลพina / Unsplash

Today, you can still discover the after-effects of the millennia-old tsunami on the island of Santorini. The tsunami that once raged near Crete created the archipelago around Santorini.

6. SANTORINI CONSISTS ONLY OF VOLCANIC ROCK

Santorini exists because of the Minoan eruption, one of the largest volcanic eruptions in the history of the earth. Santorini and the surrounding islands were created after a series of eruptions that lasted several hundred thousand years. The original volcano erupted, slowly filling with magma and creating a brand-new volcano. This process was repeated, creating the well-known volcanic landscape on the island.

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7. WINE FROM SANTORINI

Santorini is famous for the wine, Photo: Kamala Bright / Unsplash
Santorini is famous for the wine, Photo: Kamala Bright / Unsplash

The volcanic landscape is not only beautiful to look at, it also provides a good basis for agriculture. The soil here gives the wine in particular a unique taste that is not only appreciated on the island, but worldwide. Volcanic ash, pumice and small pieces of sand and lava provide a soil full of minerals. Fortunately, as rainfall is rather low, there is another natural phenomenon: A kind of humid sea mist ensures that the wine is sufficiently hydrated. The sea air, which also contains volcanic elements, is therefore an important component of Santorini wine. Something like a secret ingredient.

8. SANTORINI’S SECRET HOT SPRING

Well, the springs of Santorini should not be a big secret. Actually, you should be able to guess it, as the island consists mainly of volcanic rock. But they are certainly not as well known as on Iceland. But watch out: if you swim through a lagoon and the water suddenly changes color from a beautiful blue to brown due to the movement, then you have found one of these springs.

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