Early in the morning we entered the caldera of Santorini from the island’s northwest entrance with the dazzling whitewashed houses hanging off the cliffs above. The calm waters of the caldera, the warmth of the morning sunlight, and the peaceful tranquility around us made it difficult to believe that thousands of years ago a ferocious volcanic eruption occurred here, the magnitude of which has characterized it as one of the biggest and strongest geological disturbances in the history of the world.
We reached the main port by tender and drove to the village of Oia on the northernmost side. We couldn’t believe that we had Oia for ourselves and the locals. It was luxury, and we tried to capture as much as we could of its atmosphere: the cave houses of the cliffs, the small churches with the blue domes, the main marble-paved street ending at the remains of the settlement’s medieval fort, and the elegant stores and nice coffee shops verandas offering views to the caldera. After our stay in Oia we drove to the village of Pyrgos where we had lunch at Kallisti where the owner Nektarios, offered us his warm hospitality and a variety of Santorinian “mezedes” showing us what a Greek meal really is.
Culinary senses fulfilled, we drove back to Fira to visit the Prehistoric Museum. We had to set the clock back in time but it was still difficult to realize the wealth and prosperity that the prehistoric city of Akrotiri experienced in the 18th and 17th centuries B.C. Besides the variety of beautiful and functional artifacts made of clay, bronze, and marble, what surprised us most was the elegance of the wall paintings that originally decorated their private and public buildings; artwork that is the oldest evidence of monumental painting ever found.
The journey through history was completed with our visit to the actual excavations of Akrotiri where we saw the area that has been unearthed, parts that still are covered by thick layers of volcanic ash, and remnants of volcanic eruption that led this sophisticated society to its unexpected catastrophe and disappearance. We returned to the Sea Cloud by carrying with us really precious and fond memories of the majestic island of Santorini!
