Greece is a country chosen by the Gods. Part 3. Santorini Island
To visit the legendary island of Santorini is something that many who have ever seen a postcard of this island with snow-white and blue houses and churches nestled on a cliff dream about and see in their dreams. And when a beautiful dream is close to becoming a reality, it is impossible not to take advantage of such a chance. Resting in Crete, I had such a chance. Here I want not only to tell about this journey, but also to warn potential travelers. The travel agency that organized the tour in Greece set the price of an optional trip to Santorini in the amount of 140 euros, while those wishing to visit the island were charged this amount in advance. What was our surprise when, on the eve of the trip, numerous travel agencies in Rethymno offered the same tour at a price of 105-110 euros! At the same time, all tourists were absolutely in equal conditions. Of course, this spoiled our mood a little.
And now only about an unforgettable day that began early in the morning, when we from the port of Rethymnon set off on a red catamaran ship to the island of Santorini, glorified in legends. Swim to it 110 kilometers and overcome this distance in 3.5 hours.
Santorini is a well-known group of Greek islands in the Cyclades archipelago, which includes the island of Santorini (Fira) - the largest horseshoe-shaped island, as well as two small islands Thirassia and Aspronisi. These three islands are complemented by two more small islands, towering with volcanic cones, located in the center of a vast sea area called the caldera - Nea Kameni and Palea Kameni, Santorini Island covers an area of .76 square meters. km, with a population of 8 thousand people. The length from the northernmost cape of Mavropetra to the southernmost Exomitis is 18 km, the width of the island varies from 2 to 6 km. The island owes its origin to a volcanic eruption in the middle of the 17th century BC. e. Volcanic eruptions and earthquakes are characteristic of these islands. The last volcanic eruption in 1950 and a strong earthquake in 1956 caused great damage to the island. According to scientists, in 2011 the volcano began to wake up and its new eruption is expected in 2020. Part of the island is under water, and the other part has formed a sheer cliff of 900 meters with a steep cliff. Also, at the site of the eruption, a convenient bay was formed, where merchant ships, liners, and yachts anchor. The island appears before us in the form of a steep rock surrounded by volcanic islands. Mountain ranges descending into the water look impressive.
The first inhabitants of Santorini were the Carians, a people who arrived here from the coast of Asia Minor in the 3rd millennium BC. e. The creation of the Cretan maritime power had a significant impact on the fate of the inhabitants of the island. The Minoan thalassocrats ("lords of the sea") established their political and cultural dominance, which was interrupted in 1613 BC. e. volcanic eruption, after which the island remained uninhabited for about five centuries. About 1200 B. C. e. The Phoenicians settled here. Later, around 1000 B. C. e. , the Greek Dorians came under the leadership of King Fira, in whose honor the island acquired the name Fira. Until the end of the Greco-Persian wars, that is, until 478 BC. Fira was one of the many independent states of ancient Greece. Later, the island was owned by the Egyptians, Romans, Franks, Venetians, Turks, until in 1830 the island became part of the new Greek state. The island that emerged from the bowels of the earth was called Strongila (“round”). In 1204, the Franks came and named this island Santorini after the name of the church of St. Irene, located on the island, or, as foreign sailors called it, Santa-Irini.
From the port begins a serpentine road about 5 kilometers long to the capital of the island Fira. You can also get there on foot, on a cable car, riding on the back of a stubborn donkey. 15 comfortable tourist buses with local guides were waiting for our huge batch of tourists at the port. On this day, three tourist cruise ships arrived on the island.
The main colors of Santorini: white (a symbol of faith, justice, beauty, justice), blue (a symbol of the sky - the dwelling of the gods) and red ocher (a symbol of the earth, volcano, their natural power) - this is a modern style of Cycladic architecture that arose in the early 80s ths of the XX century.
We climb one of the mountains, which offers a wonderful view of the island and its two coasts. In general, the impression is that you take off on an airplane. We pass a section with red soil.
There is one city (Fira) and 14 villages (villages) on the island. We begin our acquaintance with the northernmost and most romantic and picturesque village called Oia (Ia, Oia), which in ancient Greek means “remote”, “isolated”. The city literally hangs over the caldera like a white crown ribbon. Terraces of houses and old mills, stairs and dead ends, domes and arches crowded on the edge of the abyss, seem to support each other. Partially destroyed by the 1956 earthquake, Oia has been painstakingly restored, and its multi-coloured buildings, literally clinging to the cliff, have been replicated on thousands of postcards and photographs. This is perhaps one of the most beautiful places on earth, this is the apotheosis of residential aesthetics, a fabulous place with houses grown into the abyss, interconnected by tiny courtyards and stairs. The perfect composition of round shapes, vaulted roofs, colors with a predominance of white, blue, ocher, blooming bougainvilleas and jasmine is completed by the bright sun, emphasizing the contrasts even more.
Located on the edge of a volcanic caldera, Oia has magnificent views of the sea, and multi-colored residential buildings in niches, carved directly into the rocks, once formed from solidified fiery lava, perfectly complement the picture of the coast that opens from the sea and amaze with traditional architectural buildings of Homeric times.
Oia is famous for its signature sunsets. They say there are no such sunsets anywhere in the world. Here you can see an extraordinary sunset, meditate, feel the energy, the power of an active volcano.
The second largest on the island and the most interesting for its landscapes, the town of Oia is known not only for its sunsets, but also for its old snow-white churches. There are 352 churches on this very small island, each of them has its own bell tower, its patron saints. Wherever you look, you will certainly see a blue dome. The sailors who were shipwrecked and managed to escape believed that this happened thanks to the patronage of their saint, and they built a church in his honor. The Orthodox Church of St. Sozontes (Savior) is one of the most visited. It was built in 1680 in memory of the Christian martyr Sosont. Living in the time of the pagans, the shepherd Sozont revered the Holy Scriptures and shared knowledge with other people. He was killed by the servants of Emperor Maximian for destroying a pagan idol. Sozont's Memorial Day falls on September 7 (September 20, according to the new style). In front of the temple on the square is always crowded with a lot of people. On the square in front of the church there is an interesting mosaic with dolphins.
We go along the main street in the village of Oia, which is called Kapitanskaya. There are many small shops in Oia where there are jewelry and souvenirs. Our "tourist landing party" is met by a large number of local merchants offering to taste and buy local wines and treats. There was a catastrophic lack of time, and all the time we were walking somewhere in a multilingual crowd, maneuvering between people, snapping cameras along the way. We approach the Church of St. George, depicted in many photographs, postcards and postage stamps. The blue domes of this temple are considered the hallmark of Greece and a characteristic picture of the town of Oia. The Church of St. George was built in 1811, all the work took only 30 days, the building was built of stones and cypress wood. Not far from the church there are 7 huge cypress trees that immediately attract attention. There are many other Orthodox and Catholic churches in the village.
The dwellings of local sailors are unique white buildings carved into the cliffs that arose from volcanic pumice and into the rocks. Since the island coast is quite steep and rocky, there are not many suitable beaches for swimming in the city area and concrete and wooden platforms are often used instead, although there are also gentle sandy areas with sand of different shades. The hotels are mostly small, but cozy and comfortable, while almost every one of them has a swimming pool and a cafe with excellent views, located above some picturesque cliff. Well-maintained white houses, built on different levels, contrast gracefully with the blue expanses of the Aegean Sea and the blue domes of the numerous temples and chapels located along the narrow winding streets. In 1981, a competition for the best architecture was held in Italy and it was Oia that received the status of the city with the best architecture.
Oia is beautiful not only for its unique beautiful houses. In it, trees grow with bright lush flowers.
The wealth of the local inhabitants of the 19th century can be judged from the exhibits of the Ii Maritime Museum. The prosperity of Ii in the past century was directly related to the development of the merchant fleet. Sea routes connected the shores of Santorini with the countries of the Mediterranean, and trade was actively conducted with Russia. Today, one of the city's mansions, which belonged to the Birbili family, has been given over to the Maritime Museum. Among the exhibits are personal belongings of sailors, marine equipment, models and sketches of ships, old photographs, historical documents, and thematic literature.
One of the city's art galleries with an unusual facade and beautiful exhibits is located on the main street.
Kapitanskaya Street is lined with marble slabs, the double vaults of the churches end with an impressive blue drum-shaped dome. In the north, the road descends to the ruins of the Venetian fortress with amazing views of the caldera and to the west, where the sun is setting. Here is the sacred black stone, which everyone wants to touch.
All this coexists together within one street, encircling in tiers a steep red slope, at the bottom of which is a small port of the village of Oia, which is clearly visible from the walls of the tower. There are two beaches in the Oia area, but access to them is difficult due to the lack of a road suitable for a car, so you can only go down to the coast on foot. To get to the beach "Armeni", located in the port area, you need to go down about 300 steps. The road to Ammoudi beach has 200 steps. But you have to get up!
We leave the fabulously beautiful village and head to the capital of the island and its only city, Fira, which climbed onto the gray rocks, located 10 km from Oia. Growing vegetables and grapes are visible on the slopes along the road. There are no rivers in Santorini and the only source of moisture is the abundant dew that forms over the caldera due to strong evaporation due to temperature differences. This makes the grapes adapt to natural conditions. The vineyards are low, the vine spreads along the ground. The locals braid it in a special way and the grapes ripen as if in a basket. Grapes are the main and favorite plant on the island, therefore, at the end of its harvest, Dionisias (holidays dedicated to the god of winemaking Dionysus) take place - not tourist-ostentatious, but real patriarchal, coming from time immemorial.
We pass the highland village of Pyrgos, located near Fira. We draw attention to the ancient windmills located on the hills, reminiscent of rounded snow-white towers made of stone with huge wooden blades that begin to rotate from the breath of even a light breeze.
The life of Santorinians is not as heavenly as the surrounding landscapes, but very difficult and uncomfortable. During the tourist season, 10 times more people live on Santorini than in winter, when just a few hundred people stay here. Locals in the "off season" are interrupted by earnings in Athens and other adequate places. There is practically no fresh water and sewerage on the island. Water used to be collected from rooftops during the short winter rainy season and stocked in special tanks; at present, water is transported by special water carriers. In winter, the island resists winds of such force that all the trees on it grow obliquely. Bushes and vines of cherry tomatoes and grapes grown here are spread on the ground, pressed down with stones.
The capital of the island - Fira, located at an altitude of 260 meters above sea level on top of the world's largest active marine volcano, enjoys great tourist attention, annually attracting guests from different countries and continents. Cruise ships moor to the port of Fira, which, like a white eagle's nest, hangs between heaven and earth. A cable car, installed in 1979, lifts tourists from the pier to the city. You can climb on your own, for which you will have to overcome 588 steps (each assigned a number) 10 centimeters high, so on a sunny day it serves as a great place for exercise. The zigzag path leading from the sea to the city is paved with stone, and due to the large number of sharp turns and loops, the distance from one end to the other is 1.300 meters. To climb this trail into the city, you can use a convenient means of transportation - donkeys, who turn their backs to everyone who wants to experience the delights of donkey riding. We drive up to the bus station and climb up on foot. The first object that meets us is the Orthodox Cathedral (Sreteniya). This cathedral was built in 1827, but in 1956 it was damaged by an earthquake, then after that it was restored. Outside, the cathedral is decorated with many elegant arches and has an impressive bell tower. There is a mosaic on the outside of the cathedral dating back to 1975. The interior of the cathedral is decorated with frescoes created by local artist Christophoros Assimis. Sculptural human figures are located near the temple, watching the flow of tourists from above. In front of the cathedral on the pavement is a mosaic with a two-headed bird. We saw a similar mosaic, but with dolphins, and also in front of the church in Oia. We don't know what they mean, maybe it's just decoration.
Opposite the cathedral are the famous doors of Fira, wide open to the sea, the sun and the wind... They, wide open into the blue, were a favorite image of Salvador Dali. We pass through the doors and we have a beautiful view of the coast and the volcanic island of Nea Kameni. Another door leads to a restaurant hovering above the caldera. They have a map of the islands of Santorini.
Further review continues along Golden Street, on both sides of which there are shops represented by precious stones and metals. Fira is widely known for its high level of entertainment, with many restaurants, taverns, bars and discos, most of which overlook the volcano directly opposite, which is still spewing clouds of smoke.
Oia and Fira are considered the pearls of the Mediterranean, but to be more precise, this is a Mecca for creative people, primarily photographers, designers and artists. Picturesqueness is given to them by a peculiar location on the edge of a volcanic crater, or rather, a caldera. The place for the construction was once chosen not by chance: firstly, a beautiful view, and secondly, it is easier to defend yourself from sea pirates. . . That is why entire blocks of houses descend in steps towards the sea, repeating the curves of the surface.
The roofs of the lower houses are often the balconies of the upper ones, and sometimes they are just part of the street. The uniqueness of local architecture is also due to the fact that arched, vaulted ceilings are the main element of architecture. Smooth rounded lines soothe and delight the eye, unlike the traditional "chopped" urban forms. Many houses, villas and even hotels were built, or rather dug right into the rock. But, despite the strange appearance and internal "cave" rooms, there are all the necessary amenities, and a high level of comfort is provided. By the way, the first modern "architects" were the captains-owners of ships, which is why the city is somewhat reminiscent of a ship: steep ladders, narrow passages, low doors.
The symbol of the island is the church of Agiou Mina, built on the very edge of the cliff.
It is noteworthy that there are no cars here (not on the island, but in the cities themselves). Therefore, cute donkeys are constantly found on the streets, which sometimes create such “donkey traffic jams”. Donkeys are one of the symbols of Santorini. They are responsible for everything: supplying stores, transporting luggage, taking out garbage. Donkeys have long served as the only vehicle for transporting locals and tourists and have successfully replaced cars. You have to give way to them and look under your feet! There is a saying on the island: “In Santorini there are more donkeys than people, more churches than houses, more wine than water. ” Donkeys in Santorini are really very popular, love and respect for them, they surrounded us everywhere.
Favorite animals of the islanders are depicted on postcards, on bags, fridge magnets. In souvenir shops there are a large number of soft toys dancing their simple dances, on the streets - their sculptural figures and monuments. We were convinced of the correctness of the second part of the saying: there are indeed many churches on the island. As for the third part of the saying that there is more wine than water, this is also true. Despite the fact that fresh water is clearly not enough, this cannot be said about grape wine. Santorinians are unsurpassed masters in winemaking. The Greeks inhabiting the island are descended from the Dorians (Spartans). From the harsh way of life of their ancestors, they have preserved the trials for boys who become men. One of them - for seven days the young man must tirelessly crush the grapes with his feet, squeezing the juice. Only after that he gets the right to be called a man. Santorini has become widely known for its strong and tasty wines, which are the main local product. Of particular note is the white wine "Nikteri" (from unripe grapes), the sweet red wine "Vinsanto" (this wine is made from dried grapes and has a very pleasant taste, crafty Santorini convince that Hera drunk her divine Thunderer with this wine, and then vila from ropes) and strong wine "Tsikoudia" (strong grape schnapps, similar to grappa).
Probably due to the fact that black rock predominates here, and the deep depression of the inner bay of Santorini plays the role of a huge lens, Santorini is always 10 degrees hotter than on neighboring islands, swimming and water activities are very popular. Santorini is famous for its black, red and white sand beaches. The most famous beaches of the island are Perissa, Kamari, Monolithos and Red Beach. The first three of them are distinguished by their black volcanic sands and deep blue waters. They are located in the east, in the tourist centers of the island, where there are many hotels, taverns, cafes and beach bars. Red Beach lies in a more secluded area near Akrotiri, but it also attracts many holidaymakers. We stopped for a rest and a swim at Kamari Beach - one of the most civilized beaches on the island and quite a famous resort located near Fira. The beach, which stretches for several kilometers, is covered with black sand and pebbles and is a great place to relax under the sun by the sea and for sports on the water, you can buy any accessories and accessories, awnings and awnings.
During my swim in the sea, two airliners flew over me at a very low altitude. I've never seen a plane fly in such close proximity. Despite such a modest size, Santorini has two airports, although only one of them is civil, which receives up to 46 flights a day during the season. It is clear that the place for take-off and landing in a small area of the island is very limited, so they fly right overhead.
Near the beach there are several restaurants and cozy little hotels surrounded by Mediterranean palms and trees.
In addition to what you have seen, it is advisable to see the ruins of the Mycenaean sanctuary and the impressive gates of the temple of Apollo, the excavations of the ancient capital of the island of Thira, the Elias Monastery dedicated to the ancient biblical prophet Elijah and located in the town at the highest point of the island at 566 meters, the famous volcano crater in Nea Kameni, and also the peninsula of Akrotiri. Also on the island there are several interesting museums, among which it is worth highlighting the sea - in Oia, the archaeological - in Fira and winemaking - in a cool room underground with a tasting of the famous Santorini wines made from grapes growing on soils of volcanic origin, and therefore distinguished by a special aroma and taste.
In conclusion, a short story about the secret of the island, since it is possible that by visiting this island, we visited the once beautiful Atlantis, sung by Plato. Santorini is the only volcanic island in Europe, which is associated with many legends about Atlantis. According to Plato, an unusually high civilization existed on the island of Atlantis, towering huge temples covered with silver. The inhabitants of the amazing island were famous for their wisdom, deep knowledge in all areas, success in battles. However, then an unprecedented catastrophe broke out and the island, along with all the inhabitants, disappeared, plunging into the depths of the sea. Since then, scientists around the world have been arguing for many years... did Atlantis really exist or was Plato's story just a retelling of an ancient myth? The answer was found on the island of Santorini. The excavations begun by the Greek scientist Spyridonos Marinatos led to the discovery of the ruins of palaces, frescoes and vases, surprisingly reminiscent of the style of the works of the Minoan civilization. These finds were made under a thick layer of volcanic ash that covers the island. Consequently, scientists concluded, this civilization could have died as a result of a powerful volcanic eruption and a huge tsunami wave, which then hit Crete and other islands, sweeping away cities and towns on its way. Some scholars believe that the myth of Atlantis, the legend of which was left to us by Plato, was based on the story of the island of Santorini. Plato attributed the island to an ancient civilization that disappeared due to a sudden natural disaster. This may well be a reality, since it was here that the Minoan, very developed, people lived, 4000-3500 years ago, and it was here that a terrible earthquake and volcanic eruption occurred, possibly transforming the mainland into a series of islands. In fact, the current Santorini is the wreckage of an exploded volcano, which, having conserved entire cities like a hat with a layer of ash and hot lava, left the history of antiquity almost untouched. In recent years, scientists, having cleared the streets and houses of ancient settlements on the island, have come to the conclusion that the most likely location of the former Atlantis, described in the ancient Greek works of Plato several thousand years ago, is Santorini. And indeed, getting to these places and visiting the settlements, which are more than 3000 years old, you feel as if you were in an oasis lost from civilization.
The small island of Santorini is famous for its mysterious fate, the picturesque beauty of well-groomed streets, blue-domed snow-white churches, bewitching landscapes, tireless cute donkeys, the purest water of the amazing blue sea, fine wine - you will inevitably agree with the inhabitants of the island, who believe that you can only truly appreciate this island breaking up with him. . .
