|
|
 |
|
| |
General |
|
 |
| |
**Santorini hotels: For a complete list of our hotels and apartments on Paros choose the accommodation button. To narrow your search and combine the results with your planned budget continue with our search machine for Santorini hotels with the feature advanced search.
Santorini enchants the visitor from the first moment. Hotels and Apartments glued to Santorini /s caldera, hotels in fascinating locations. But Santorini offers beach resort hotels as well for your vacations. A wide range of hotels and apartments, from deluxe hotels to budget accommodations in different areas of Santorini are at your service.
Spectacular, fascinating, unique - these words pop into everybody’s mind at the sight of the "CALDERA" - result of a tremendous volcanic eruption dated about 1650 - 1625 BC. The caldera/s slopes rise up to a height of approximately 300 meters and consist of a variety of rocks with different colors and impressive formations.
Santorini, officially known as "THIRA", is the southern most island of the Cycladic group at latitude 35,25N and longitude 25,20E. - about 120 km north of Crete and at distance of about 240 km from the port of Piraeus. The surface area is 73 sq. km. All the islands of this small archipelago (Thira, Thirassia, Aspronisi, Palea Kameni and Nea Kameni) taken together cover about 89 sq km. Its population just exceeds 13500 people distributed among thirteen villages.
Santorini is one of the most famous spots in the Aegean sea, maybe all over Greece. If you have the chance it is worth traveling on one of the standard ferry boats with open decks instead of hydrofoils so as to enjoy the impressive panorama in a slow approach to the island. Huge cliffs rise from the sea in bizarre formations, the villages with their white cubic houses - as if glued to the steep slopes and above the deep blue sky create a unique atmosphere. So it is no surprise that this island is visited by a vast number of holidaymakers during the summer months. Famous hotels on Santorini for honeymooners as well as low cost self catering studios and apartments for backpackers Santorini offers a big variety of different accommodations - from de luxe to self catering units. For all cruises passing through the Cyclades Santorini is a highlight.
But Santorini has more to offer. From the caldera to the east side the slopes fall gentlely down to the Aegean sea and form long black sandy and pebble beaches. The highest mountain is the “Profitis Ilias” (568 m) close to the coast in the south-east part. In ancient times the settlements were located in this area. Nowadays you find two bathing resorts on the sides of this mountain – Kamari and Perissa. From the “Profitis Ilias” you can have a good view over Santorini. Vineyards divide the area into terraces. The winemaking of Santorini has a long tradition and is strongly influenced by the special climate and soils the volcano created (For more information on wine see section customs).
The best beaches you will find on the east and south coast of Santorini, like Kamari and Perissa. The sandy beaches of Monolithos and Vlichada are becoming more popular and new hotels and apartment complexes are built up. More relaxed are Perivolos and Agios Georgios. Famous is the "RED BEACH" close to the ancient site of “AKROTIRI” with high red cliffs and pebbles in the clear water. Around Oia there are Paradise beach and Pori beach are worth a visit - not on windy days!!.
VOLCANO
The volcanic nature of Santorini is to be seen everywhere. The black beaches, the bizarre cliffs and the fertile soil. All of the islands were formed due to volcanic activity. A number of vast explosions created, approximately every 20.000 years, this Archipelago. The last major explosion occurred about 3.600 years ago and destroyed the prehistoric “AKROTIRI”. 30 cubic meters of magma spewed forth, ashes and pumice covered the island. The central part was torn down and resulted in a huge gap creating the current caldera up to 300 m above the sea and 400 m under the sea. Today there are to be seen only the outer limits of the crater are visible – Thira, Thirassia and Aspronissi. Still in scientific debate is the theory that this big eruption caused a tsunami that destroyed famous palaces of Minoan Crete.
About 236 BC volcanic activity separated Thirassia from Thira. At the beginning of the 2nd century BC the island Palea Kameni emerged from the sea as a result of magma rising from the sea after new volcanic activity. In a series of eruptions Nea Kameni was created (between years 1707 and 1950). The last eruption of the volcano was registered in 1950.
Six years later a short but very strong earthquake caused a lot of damage to the island. It happened on 9. July 1956 at 05.30 am and reached 7,8 Richter. Many houses collapsed and about 50 people died. The most destruction happened in the villages up on the caldera, such as Fira, Firostefani, Imerovigli and Oia.
Since 1950 the volcanic centers of the Kameni islets have been dormant. The only reminders of the volcanic presence under the surface are the numerous thermal springs and the emission of hot gases in Nea Kameni/s central crater. These gases consist mainly of carbon dioxide and hot air. Where these gases escape deposits of sulphur minerals, gypsum and other minerals occur.
Since 1995 the Institute for the Study and Monitoring of the Santorini Volcano has been monitoring volcanic activity. It monitors in different ways different signs or phenomena, such as temperature and chemical composition, seismic activity, sea level and topographical changes, which could indicate unusual activity in order to ensure the security of the islands inhabitants and visitors. |
 |
|
|
|
|
 |
Cyclades Reservation Center & Travel: P.O.BOX 85 Paroikia Paros, 844 00 Cyclades,
Tel.: + 30 22840 24608 &
+ 30 22840 42825, Fax: 22840 29032, Email: sales@visit-cyclades.com |
|
|
©2007 Visit-Cyclades.com
All rights reserved |
|
|
|
|
|
|
