Santorini Villages

Fira the Capital of Santorini & Firostefani 'the Crown of Fira' Museums, galleries and cultural events, the island's largest shopping center and the biggest choice of dining out and entertainment, there is so much to choose from and so many places to explore. The whole of the Fira Caldera is connected by a path at the cliff edge that starts just above the Mayor's office and finishes up on the hill at the Nomikos Conference center. The volcano can be seen from every point, as can the mesmerizing sunsets.	METROPOLIS : THE CHURCH OF IPAPANTI
FIRA BY NIGHT  Source : http://www.santonet.gr/villages/	ORMOS : THE OLD PORT
FIRA CABLE CAR	FIRA : CALDERA VOLCANO VIEW
The village of Pyrgos is built amphitheatrically on a hill that offers magnificent views of Santorini in almost all directions. On top of this hill remain the ruins of a Venetian castle (Kasteli) that was once the island's administrative center. Pyrgos is a typical example of medieval architecture with narrow, labyrinthine streets, fortified walls and hidden passages.
KASTELI (CASTLE) OF PYRGOS	CHURCH OF KOIMISIS THEOTOKOU : 'THEOTOKAKI
Imerovigli Village & Skaros Rock : 'The Balcony of Santorini'  On the road going towards Oia, it is the next village after Fira & Firostefani. Its position at the highest, most central part of the caldera gave it visual command of the whole area. It also derived importance from its proximity to Skaros Fortress. The Church of the Panagia Malteza has a marvellous carved wooden screen with icons depicting scenes from the Old Testament. There is a path from Imerovigli caldera walkway to Skaros Rock and the Chapel of Panagia Theoskepasti.
SKAROS ROCK	CHAPEL OF AGIOS IOANNIS APOKEFALISTHEIS
Oia Village : "The Place on Top of the World" The beauty of Oia is unsurpassed. Small white houses tier the hillside, interspersed by splashes of rich okra, deep fuchsia, cobalt blue, oyster pink and earthy red. Smooth winding paths interconnect, interrupted now and then by a small church, and at every corner there is something new to discover.  Oia is best known for breathtaking sunsets; if truth be told, sunrise in Oia is also magical.	KASTELI (CASTLE) OF AGIOS NIKOLAOS - OIA
OIA : THE OLD PORT
The traditional village of Karterados is built beside a stream in a ravine. Its existence is recorded back to the 17th century. The original dwellings are cave houses built deep into the rock face. During the 19th century, it was one of the large sea captain villages on the island. The name of the village comes from the Greek word 'karteri' = waiting point or ambush point, probably because ambushes were set to trap marauding pirates. The village square has a traditional windmill. On the left hand side as you leave the square, the road curves sharply to the left, and there you will discover the 'Steps of Galaios'. Barely visible from the main road is a small neighbourhood of cobbled streets, Captains houses and cave houses built into the rock.
Perissa & Perivolos - Agios Georgios : The Village & Beaches  Perissa is a seaside village on the south east coast of Santorini with several kilometers of black sand beach. Towering over the beach on the north side is the mountain of Mesa Vouno, site of Ancient Thira. Perissa connects with Perivolos, and the collective area is longest stretch of beach on the island. At the base of the mountain of Mesa Vouno, one can find the ruins of the Basilica of Agia Irini. The building dates back to the 5th century.Two hundred meters up on the slopes of Mesa Vouno is the tiny chapel of the Genethlion of Theotokou otherwise known as Panagia Katefiani.Perissa stands on the site on the ancient city of Elevsina, referred to by Ptolelmaios, geographer, mathematician and astronomer of the 2nd Century AC, as one of the cities of Santorini. The port of Ancient Elevsina is thought to be near to the Akrotiri of Exomiti.	PERISSA BEACH
THE CHAPEL OF PANAGIA KATEFIANI OVERLOOKING PERISSA	THE CHURCH OF TIMIOU STAVROU
Kamari On the south east of Santorini,  the long stretch of beach lies under the impressive mountain of Mesa Vouno. The water is deep and blue, the sand is black. A stone-paved promenade for strolling that runs parallel to the beach stretches across the crescent moon shaped bay. In 2002 an ancient Sanctuary of the legendary Achilleas was discovered. Amongst the stone ruins, a chalice of the Ionic period was found, with engravings which wrote the names of the craftsman and of the Greek hero. The excavation there, begun in 1896 by Baron Hiller von Gaertringen in the area of Mesa Vouno, revealed ruins of town which bore evidence of settlement as early as 9th century BC.	KAMARI BEACH LIES UNDER THE SHADOW OF MESA VOUNO & ANCIENT THIRA
THE BEACH PROMENADE	CAFES & RESTAURANTS LINE THE BEACH
In Medieval times, Akrotiri was one of the 5 fortified settlements on the island. Akrotiri is a village of great interest on the south west coast of Santorini. The lighthouse is one of the best in Greece. Built at an altitude of 58 meters during the Ottoman Rule in 1892 by the French company 'La Société Collas et Michel', it operated initially on oil, and its beams reached a distance of 23 nautical miles. Akrotiri is one of the most important prehistoric settlements of the Aegean. The first habitation at the site dates from the Late Neolithic times (from 4th millennium BC).	KASTELI (CASTLE) OF AKROTIRI : THE TOWER IS IN CENTER
THE LIGHTHOUSE ON CAPE AKROTIRI	VIEWS FROM AKROTIRI
More villages : Episkopi Gonia can be found at the foothills of Profitis Ilias Mountain on the way to Kamari, 6 kilometers from Fira in the south eastern region of Santorini. The village also called Mesa Gonia, is in important area for producing wines. The PANAGIA EPISKOPI CHURCH was the headquarters of both the orthodox and later the Latin bishop on the island. Episkopi Gonia was almost completely destroyed during the earthquake of 1956, and most of the inhabitants moved to Kamari.	Balos is a small cove north west of Akrotiri village. In the 19th century it was used as a small commercial harbour that serviced the needs of the community in the area. Today, one can approach the cave Chapel of Eisodion Theotokou, otherwise known as Panagia of Balos via a cement paved path. In older times, nuns used to live in caves on the Caldera cliffs, the main cave being a shrine of Agia Triada. According to local history, the caves have tunneled passage ways, and were used by the nuns as refuge or to escape from raids on the island.
Exo Gonia village is on the way to Kamari, 8 kilometers from Fira in the south eastern region of Santorini. High up on the hill one can find the Church of Agios Charalambos, which is one of the three largest churches in Santorini.	Panagia Kalou is 8 kilometers north east from Fira. The village belongs to the community of Imerovigli. The village takes its name from the Church of Panagia tou Kalou otherwise known as Koimisis of Theotokou. Panagia tou Kalou means Holy Virgin of the Good.