Distances from: Airport 25 minutes – 14 km.
Port – 8 km.
Fira – 15 km.
Beach 5 minutes,
Mini Market 2 minutes,
Restaurant 2 minutes.
Akrotiri village, Santorini island
Situated 15 klm far from Fira, at the southwestern part of the island, this village of 450 people has been famous thanks to the very important Minoan settlement brought in light by excavations conducted at the site since 1967, firstly by Sp. Marinatos and after his death by Chr. Doumas, up to now.
Buried under the tons of volcanic ashes, this prehistoric settlement was left almost intact and archaeologists have found a settlement which had been active since at least the 3rd milenium B.C.
The most impressive discovery is that of the Minoan settlement which had been disappeared under the volcanic ashes of the expolosion the 1500 B.C. A well organized town, with two - store luxurious houses some of them with fascinating frescoes, pottery and various precious finds, along with burnt food remains have been brought to light during the excavations.
Apart from the prehistoric settlement which is worthseeing more than once, it is interesting to visit the Venetian castle, as well as the churches of Aghia Triada and Ipapandi.
An asphaltated road leads to the cape, 3 klms far, at the very west of the island, with a magnificent view and a lighthouse.
About the beaches of Akrotiri and our hotel are close enough to the sea and swiming is possible at the nearby beaches: ‘Kokkini Ammos’ ("red beach") is the most well known of them and the distance by our hotel is 3.5km. Also, the virgin beach ‘Mesa Pigadia’ has 2km distance by the hotel and the ‘Kabia’ which has 2km distance…..There are also the beaches ‘Apothikes’ and ‘Gialos’.
Near the beach ‘Kokkini Ammos’ there is other beautiful beach which is called ‘White Beach’ you can visit it by boat.
A few local feasts ("panighyri") take place at Acrotiri; two in May (12th and 29th) and two in August (6th and 15th), the latter being more important as they are dedicated to Jesus Christ's Transfiguration and to the Virgin's Assumption.
The village is connected with Fira by public buses which run every hour in summer, from 9 a.m to 8 p.m . Taxis and rented cars or motorbikes are always a good alternative. The asphaltated road is good enough and leads also to Kokkini Ammos at the South of the village and to Faros at the very west end of the island.
ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE OF AKROTIRI
It is one of the most important prehistoric settlements of the Aegean. The first habitation at the site dates from the Late Neolithic times (at least the 4th millenium B.C.). During the Early Bronze Age (3rd millenium B.C.), a sizeable settlement was founded and in the Middle and early Late Bronze Age (ca. 20th-17th centuries B.C.) it was extended and gradually developed into one of the main urban centres and ports of the Aegean. The large extent of the settlement (ca. 20 hectares), the elaborate drainage system, the sophisticated multi-storeyed buildings with the magnificent wall-paintings, furniture and vessels, show its great development and prosperity. The various imported objects found in the buildings indicate the wide network of its external relations. Akrotiri was in contact with Crete but also communicated with the Greek Mainland, the Dodecanese, Cyprus, Syria and Egypt. The town's life came to an abrupt end in the last quarter of the 17th century B.C. when the inhabitants were obliged to abandon it as a result of severe earthquakes. The erruption followed. The volcanic materials covered the entire island and the town itself. These materials, however, have protected up to date the buildings and their contents, just like in Pompei.