Santorini is perhaps the most famous Greek island. It belongs to the group of Cyclades islands, located towards the south.

The island has been widely known because of its unique beauty and breathtaking view. But that is only part of the islands charm. Santorini is a vivid example of nature's bursts.

Santorini differs from the other islands in the group thanks to its geological morphology, the result of action by a volcano now dormant. The landscape of the western side of the island, where towering cliffs crown by tiny and blindingly-white houses plunge straight into the depths of the sea.

Ancient Thira is a site of great archaeological interest which was occupied by Phoenicians, Dorians, Romans and Byzantines. The site of Akrotiri has yielded the remains of Minoan city destroyed around 1500 BC by an eruption of the volcano on Thira. In effect, this is a prehistoric version of Pompeii buried beneath volcanic ash, with two and three-storeyed houses, with squares, shops, workshops and so on.

IMAGE GALLERY: click on the images below to enlarge