TOUR OF THE ISLAND OF SANTORINI AND THE AKROTIRI ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE

Description

An unmissable trip to fully sample the essence of one of the most beautiful and famous islands of the Greek archipelago, upon the discovery of unspoilt nature as well as ancient history, with volcanic craters and archaeological remains.

What we will see

• Akrotiri archaeological site 
• Caldera
• Mount of Prophet Elijah, views of picturesque villages and vineyards
• Fira (free time)

What we will do

• We will depart the ship and travel by motor boat to the port of Athinios, where our guide awaits us on board our coach to the Akrotiri archaeological site. Following the coastal road towards the southern part of the island, we can admire the 'Caldera'.
• In Akrotiri, which is considered one of the most important archaeological sites in the world, we will have the opportunity to visit and admire what is defined as the 'Prehistoric Pompeii of Aegean': a city with ceramics, furnishings and frescoes, dating back almost 35 centuries and discovered in 1967 by Professor Spyridon Marinatos. The city unexpectedly saw its final days in the 17th Century B.C. when the inhabitants were forced to abandon it due to violent earthquakes. Following an eruption, the city and the entire island were covered in volcanic matter.
• Subsequent to the visit to Akrotiri, we will have the opportunity to admire, from a wonderful viewpoint, the beauty of Santorini's nature and particularly, 'Caldera', a typical rocky formation which completely encircles the island. In Caldera, at a depth of 400 metres, there is still an enormous 10 km crater; at the centre of Caldera, thermal springs and another volcano can be found.
• We will continue our panoramic tour of the island passing by small picturesque villages and vineyards, until we reach Mount of Prophet Elijah, the highest point on the island (567 metres), which can be found between Pyrgos and Kamari. The Mount, is named after the Monastery, which stands on top of the mountain. From this point, we can enjoy a fantastic view of the entire island.
• The last stop on our tour takes us to Fira, the cosmopolitan capital of the island, considered one of the most beautiful cities in Greece, with its characteristic inlaid vineyards where the white of houses, the blue of doors and windows and the blue of church domes, dominate.
• We will have some free time to take a stroll, admire the view of the Caldera and the typical houses built on the crater slope, before taking the cable car down to the port and returning to the ship with the tender.

What you need to know

• We recommend that you book early because only a limited number of places are available.
• Comfortable shoes are recommended.
• The archaeological site is indoors and does not have air conditioning.
• This tour ends in Thira town. Guests can return to the ship by tender service by the “all aboard” time indicated in the Diario di Bordo.
• Guests can reach the tender service station by cable car or by foot. The ticket for the cable car is included in the price of the excursion.
• This tour is not recommended for guests with limited mobility.
• In case of multiple presence of ships in port, guests can experience long waiting times at the cable car station.