Santorini in Greece
Santorini
is the epitome of a Greek island, reached through a huge circular bay,
which once was covered by an enormous volcano. At some point around 1650
BC, the volcano erupted with such force that 30 cubic km (7 cubic miles)
of magna was ejected so the top of the mountain collapsed and the 8-km
(5-miles) wide bay was formed from the sunken crater. It is thought that
this eruption also destroyed Knossos, in Crete.
The island's
classic name was Thera, and it was not until the thirteenth century that
it became known as Santorini, a corruption of Santa Irina, the name of
the patron saint of the island. One popular theory is that the island is
what remains of Plato's lost kingdom of Atlantis, although it does not
match the geographical location. The cliffs are formed of bands of
multi-colored rock and your first view of the island, with its sheer
cliffs curving around the bay and rising almost 350 meters (1,150 feet)
from the sea, is breathtaking.
Thanks to the
volcanic nature of the island, the soil is extraordinarily fertile, and
Santorini is famous for its grapes. Unusually, the vines are grown low
to the ground and trained in circles to protect them from strong winds
from the north. The white wine produced here is some of the best in
Greece.
On the
south-western peninsula of the island lies the Bronze Age city of
Akrotiri. This fascinating place is slowly being excavated from the
ashes of the eruption, and it is in a state of preservation that equals
Pompeii. Some of the finest frescoes of the ancient world have been
found here.
