The Beaches of the Santorini Caldera

Living Large in the Shadow of an Ancient Catastrophe

Santorini is perhaps the most beautiful scar on the face of the Aegean Sea. Formerly a single island   Herodotus christened it Strongyle meaning the round one.  It was also Kalliste (the Fairest One) and eventually renamed Thera, after its leader Theras.

Santorini is essentially the remnant of a one of the largest and most violent volcanic eruptions on Earth in the last few thousand years.  The cataclysmic event, which took in 1600 B.C., is thought to have caused the collapse of Minoan civilization at the peak of its glory. When the fury died down and the smoke cleared, it left behind the shards of islands known today as Nea Kameni, Palea Kameni, Aspronisi, Thirasia and Thira.

Its history reaches back 4,000 years yet Santorini will be forever identified with that singular event. But this is not a place of gloom. On the contrary, Santorini is one of the hottest spots on the world’s holiday get away map celebrated for its beguiling scenery, magical sunsets, and dramatic beaches.

The most famous beach in Santorini is Red Beach. Located southwest of Firostefani (Fira) the island’s capital, it is known for the beautiful red and black volcanic rocks that forms a bold backdrop of cliffs. The sand itself is reddish black and can be unbearably hot under the strong Mediterranean sun. Beach loungers and shades provide a refuge away from the clear water.

Kamari, another popular beach in Santorini, is a 5-mile long stretch of black volcanic sand and pebbles juxtaposed along vividly blue waters. Various hotels are also located along the beach for people who do not want to be more than a minute away from the sea. Taverns and cafes along Kamari beach offer a refreshing break from its throngs of crowd.

Another favorite beach in Santorini is Perissa. Perissa, like Kamari is located southeast of Fira. But the accommodations, restaurants, taverns, café and bars there are less expensive. Its campsite makes it highly popular with backpackers travelling on a smaller holiday budget. Other than that, its crystal blue water, grey sand and pumice are like any other beach in Santorini.

Those who prefer to stay off the beaten tourist paths will find Cape Columbo the ideal beach in Santorini.  It one of the most isolated beaches there and remains an exclusive retreat year round.  It has a long strip of dark sand with the sea on one edge and sharp rising cliff on the other.  Aside from a Taverna between the two entrances to the beach, the nearest accommodations and other small taverns are in Finikia, a small inland traditional village a few kilometers away.

Some claim Santorini is the mythical Atlantis. It is really more like the Phoenix, rising from its ashes and springing passionately back to life.

This entry was posted on Thursday, March 25th, 2010 at 5:09 am and is filed under Santorini Beaches, Santorini Caldera, Santorini Caldera Sights. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.