!!!Santorini (Thira)
by Stanislav Sedov and
Dmitry Moiseenko,
members of the [AirPano Team|Geography/About/Consortium/AirPano,_Team] that is a member of the [global-geography Consortium|Geography/About/Consortium]. \\
13 February 2013
with kind permission of [AirPano|http://www.AirPano.com]
Hospitable Greeks helped us organize our trip to Santorini. We are very
grateful to Yiannis Yiannakakis, head of Athens Walking Tours travel
agency. In response to our "cry for help" in obtaining photography
permits, he and his colleagues not only offered support in this tricky
business and secured official permits for all requested locations, he
also helped us with accommodations, transportation, and logistics,
absorbing considerable portion of our expenses. Traveling the world, we
have never met such generous hosts before.
Additional information about our hospitable guides is available here.
There are white houses on white streets in white towns. There are blue
church domes in the blue sky. There is a blue sea, mesmerizing your
eyes.
There is no time, no rush. Eyes are resting, slowly moving along
wonderful, as if carefully picked by an artist, details: the rhythm of
blue-and-white stairs, a black cat napping on a white parapet.
Everything has its special charm.
This is an amazing island, capable of filling up not only view finders
of your camera, but your entire soul...
[{Image src='01_Oia, Santorini.jpg' caption='Oia, Santorini' alt='' width='900' popup='false' height='295'}]
White... extremely white and blue... extremely blue. Did you guess the
colors of Greek flag? It is warm in Greece, but not hot. It gets really
hot only on the island of Nea Kameni, located in the center of a little
Archipelago of five islands in Aegean Sea called Santorini - it is
simply a sleeping volcano.
In the XII century Edis, the Arab geographer, named the largest island
after a local church of Sant' Irene. Venetians secured the name
Santorini, when they occupied this territory in XIII century... The name
is still used through out the world, except for one nation - Greeks.
They call their main (and the largest of five) island Thira. They are
very sensitive about this name. Despite the fact that the island is a
very popular tourist destination in Greece, you will not find an airport
or a port of Santorini. There is simply no such place on Greek maps.
Look for Thira, instead, on Greek maps and in travel guidebooks!
[{Image src='02_Oia, Santorini.jpg' caption='Oia, Santorini' alt='' width='900' popup='false' height='573'}]
According to Greek mythology, Santorini was a handful of dirt that Sea
God Triton gave to the Argonauts. They named it Kallisti, the most
beautiful one. In reality, the Archipelago used to be a large island
with a sleeping volcano in the middle. Seamen called it Strongili (the
round one). At the end of the XV century the volcano suddenly woke up.
Horrible eruption buried all local settlements (most of researchers,
including Jacques-Yves Cousteau, believe that they were disappeared
cities of Atlantis) under hot lava. Central part of the island fell into
cavities opened by eruption, creating so-called "caldera" - a round
crater with circular walls pointing to the center. The cataclysm caused
a 100-meter tsunami wave that went on for 110 kilometers and reached the
island of Crete. Tsunami was so powerful that it simply washed the
famous Minoan civilization off the island. Continuous volcanic activity
formed the modern shape of the Archipelago. On a map, Thira, the main
island, resembles a sickle without a
handle, surrounded by a smaller island of Tirassia on the West, and by
two sleeping volcanoes in the center: Nea and Palea Kameni.
[{Image src='03_Oia, Santorini.jpg' caption='Oia, Santorini' alt='' width='900' popup='false' height='383'}]
When you take a ferry to Thira from Athens or Crete, or go on a tour
boat, look back - you will see what seems to be huge vertical red and
black cliffs covered with white dust. This is the way Thira's little
cities and villages, resting on a very top of steep hills, look from
water.
The other, Eastern, side of the island has rolling hills and long
beaches with black (or red, sometimes) volcanic sand. The vegetation on
the most of the island is rather poor due to a dry climate. However,
Thira is famous for its wineries (start thinking of local wine tasting!)
and amazingly delicious miniature tomatoes.
[{Image src='04_Aspaki hotel, Oia, Santorini.jpg' caption='Aspaki hotel, Oia, Santorini' alt='' width='900' popup='false' height='600'}]
Why are the majority of buildings on the island painted white, and
church domes - blue? There is a legend about that. When Turks occupied
Thira (Barbarossa himself conquered the island in 1537!) it was
forbidden to use national colors of Greece and to celebrate Greek
holidays. However, the rebellious people started painting their
buildings in colors of their national flag: white and blue! There are
350 churches on the island - plenty of room for a patriotic painter. Why
this is a legend? Because actually the "white and blue" is a modern
style used in Cycladic architecture in early 80s of the XX century.
Modern Santorini is a tourist Mecca for visitors from all over the
world. During summer months over a dozen of cruise ships every day bring
thousands and thousands of tourists to this not-so-large island. Streets
are flooded with vacationers of all sorts and languages; restaurants are
booked from early in the morning; dance clubs in Thira close only for a
few hours after the sunrise; and at sunset all stairs and walkways are
full of people with point-and-shoot cameras capturing the red sun
disappearing behind the horizon.
[{Image src='05_Oia, Santorini.jpg' caption='Oia, Santorini' alt='' width='900' popup='false' height='474'}]
The towns of Oia and Fira are considered Pearls of Mediterranean. To be
exact, they are places of pilgrimage for creative people, and first of
all for photographers, designers, and artists. Their special artistic
appeal comes from a unique location on the rim of a volcanic crater, the
caldera. This location was picked for a stunning view and, secondly, as
a good place to defend against pirates... This is why whole city blocks
cascade down hill to the seashore, following natural curves of the
landscape. Roofs of lower level houses often serve as balconies for
upper levels, or sometimes, as sidewalks.
Another unique element of local architecture is vaulted arched ceilings.
Unlike traditional "chopped" urban forms, soft round lines sooth and
please the eye. Many houses, villas, and even hotels were built, or we
better say dug, in the rocks directly. However, in spite of a weird
appearance and "cave-like" interior, these buildings have all desired
amenities and high level of comfort.
[{Image src='06_Oia, Santorini.jpg' caption='Oia, Santorini' alt='' width='900' popup='false' height='343'}]
The most important feature of all - there are no cars in the cities.
This is why one can see very cute donkeys, a symbol of Santorini, on the
streets at all times. Donkeys are responsible for everything on the
island: delivering goods to local stores, moving luggage, and taking out
trash. So people must give way to the animals and watch their steps!
[{Image src='07_Oia, Santorini.jpg' caption='Oia, Santorini' alt='' width='900' popup='false' height='456'}]
In those little towns, one never knows what is going to appear in front
of him around the corner: a dome of a church, a bell tower, a little
court yard with blooming geranium, a mythical mask on a wall, rusty of a
salty ocean air window shutters, a door to nowhere, and a lazy orange
cat, resting on banisters.
The town of Oia is a place for meditation, relaxation, and most
beautiful sunsets in the world.
[{Image src='08_Oia, Santorini.jpg' caption='Oia, Santorini' alt='' width='900' popup='false' height='367'}]
Taking pictures in September was very comfortable - sunsets were not too
late, and sunrises were not too early. But it was hard to put a camera
aside and simply relax on a porch of our villa, enjoying the view of
sailboats and lazy cruise ships from a 300-meter high cliff...
Countless post cards and photo albums are dedicated to cats of Oia. And
what can be more amusing than a donkey waving its ears to get rid of
flies? Or a dog following departing ships with a pensive gaze? Every
minute one is reminded that this is in the most beautiful city of
Greece.
[{Image src='09_Oia, Santorini.jpg' caption='Oia, Santorini' alt='' width='900' popup='false' height='306'}]
By the way, first modern "architects" of Oia were captains - sail boat
owners - perhaps, this is why the town resembles a ship: steep stairs,
low doorways, and narrow paths. One of UNESCO heritage buildings is
actually called "Sea Captain's House." There is one more secret - why
most of visitors come as a couple or prefer to spend a honeymoon in Oia.
The legend says that if lovers write their names on red rocks near the
town, they will always be in love with each other and will never get
separated.
\\ \\
[13 Panoramas of Santorini (Thira)|Geography/Europe/Greece/Pictures/Panoramas_of_Santorini_(Thira)]
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