How It's Built Santorini & Akrotiri Archeological Site

OVERVIEW

Recognize how Santorini’s architecture has evolved through the centuries by visiting cities that were built during different time periods. At Akrotiri – the so-called Pompeii of the Bronze Age – you will see the archaeological remains of homes with colorful frescoes and streets lined with commercial buildings that reveal urban life in the Minoan period. Volcanic ash from a second millennium B.C. eruption preserved the buildings. Another historical perspective awaits you in the village of Pyrgos, where you will see a 13th-century Venetian castle so well-built that it survived a 1956 earthquake that destroyed many of the buildings around it. The 15th-century castle in clifftop Oia didn’t survive that earthquake nearly as well, as much of it collapsed into the sea. The village is better known for its Ottoman-influenced winding streets and gorgeous white-washed houses trimmed in blue. The architecture is quintessentially Cycladic and the views of the ancient caldera below are spectacular.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Browse the excavated ruins of a Minoan-era archaeological site in Akrotiri.
• Meander through Pyrgos, a medieval settlement and former capital of Santorini.
• Observe the classic Cycladic architecture in the whitewashed village of Oia.
• Hear about the volcanic eruptions that have shaped Santorini, especially the one in 1956.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.