Europe

[Visited: August 2022]

After a night flight to Santorini, I have around six hours before my boat to Folegandros will leave. I have seen on the map that the port of Santorini doesn't look like much, and is not close to any village, and spending those six hours there seems like waste of time. Looking for other options in the neighbourhood of the airport, I stumble upon the ruins of Ancient Thera. I calculate that it should be doable to walk up, explore the ruins, descend, and still be in time to catch the 4 o'clock boat. So I find a way to drop leave my bag, and am on my way to the south. Just before landing, I have seen the hill on which Ancient Thera is located, and the higher hill next to it with antennas. Both hills now rise high before my eyes.
But first, I need to reach the foot of the hills. I walk sandy roads, meander through the landscape and past small houses. There is no one around, until I reach a bigger road with some traffic. I reach the village of Kamari, and find a small shop where I buy a big bottle of water from a smoking old Greek man who is chatting with his friends. When I arrive at the foot of the mountain, I make a mistake, and scramble up steep rocks with loose vegetation until I realise that I am on the wrong way. I scramble down, and find the actual path. It is steep and quickly takes me past rock formations where I see metal hooks: this is heaven for climbers. Higher up, I find the Zoodochos Pigis cave, which has a small Greek orthodox church on a small courtyard. Inside, water drips into a pool in the dark cave, and outside I see a young couple who are kissing each other passionately under a big fig tree.
From here, the path continues up steeply until I reach the road. I have a good view of the many bends below. Within minutes, I buy myself a ticket, and find the first ruins of Ancient Thera. It is said (among others, Herodotus writes about Ancient Thera) that Santorini was colonised by Spartans before 1500 BCE who appreciated the volcanic island for its strategic location. Later, also Minoans lived here, although a volcanic eruption wiped out many. Archaeological proof of the existence of a settlement dates back to the 9th century BCE. Walking along the ridge where Ancient Thera is located, it is easy to see why it was built here. Not only does it enjoy commanding views of the surrounding area, its elevation also ensures a breeze that makes life more pleasant. I walk what once was the wide principal street. There are ruins everywhere, explanations of what I see: the agora, the basilica, houses for important families, regular houses, a theatre, and more. I walk around Ancient Thera, and see remains of a sanctuary for Egyptian gods. I walk down wide stairs until I reach the main street again. The couple that I had seen fighting before, have made peace, and I am happy for them. I leave the ruins behind, walk down the steep and dusty trail in a hurry, because I still have to walk back to the airport. I pick up my bag to find that the shuttle will not leave any time soon, and taxis ask too much for the 9k ride to the port.

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Ancient Thera (Greece)

Ancient Thera > Greece > Europe

[Visited: August 2022]

Around the World in 80 Clicks

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