The Ancient Thera was founded in the 10th century and was the first city of the island of Santorini. It is located 15 kilometers southeast of Fira (the capital), between the beaches of Kamari and Perissa. It is situated at over 300 meters above sea level, perched on Mount Mesa Vouna. At this height the spectacle of the surrounding landscape is unparalleled.
It is an ancient city of the island of Santorini that initially appeared only as a small Cycladic village but that soon after turned into one of the most important and strategic places for the history of Santorini.
The first to guess its strategic position were the Dorians, the settlers of Sparta who gave it the name "Thera" in honor of the sovereign Theras, a long-lived king of Sparta. Then it was the turn of the Lellenic, Roman and finally Byzantine dominion.
In 726 BC the inhabitants abandoned the city due to the violent eruption of the Santorini volcano. There seemed to be no trace of the ancient Thera, until the archaeologist Hiller Von Gaertringen arrived, who carried out a series of excavations and brought to light this ancient city that was believed to have disappeared.
To reach the ancient Thera site there are three ways: the first and the most comfortable is with your rental car starting from Perissa beach, the second is by bus from Kamari beach and the third is the most tiring but definitely the fascinating, or on foot. In all three cases, however, we suggest you wear comfortable shoes, so that you can cross the last stretch of dirt road that takes you directly to the site. To reach the ancient Thera on foot, you will necessarily have to arm yourself with so much will and courage, but above all with snacks and water to be able to take a walk that will occupy you a good hour, all under the scorching sun and who has already had the good fortune to spend his holidays on the island of Santorini, he knows what we are talking about.
First, follow the road that leads to the Artemis and Marianna hotels starting from the bus station, not even 30 meters after the Artemis hotel you will find a small road on the right that winds through the terraces. After this point you will almost immediately find signs that show you the way to go to reach the site. We strongly advise you not to venture into the caves carved into the rock that you will notice along the way. After a while the splendid site of ancient Thera will rise in front of you. It must be said that reaching it on foot will be one of the most demanding experiences of your holiday in Santorini, but it will also be a satisfaction and a struggle that will be completely rewarded by the panorama that surrounds you: the Caldera and the volcanic crater basin will delight you with their beauty throughout the journey.
When you reach the top, ancient remains spread over 150 meters wide and 800 meters long, creating a setting of unparalleled beauty. You will admire the Terrace of the Festivals, where once festivals were celebrated in honor of Apollo. You will adore the Agora, the administrative and commercial heart of the Ancient Thera where we find a portico, monuments and sanctuaries in honor of some authorities. You will appreciate the temples in honor of the two deities most revered by the population of Thera: the first, the Hellenic Temple of Dionysus, from the 3rd century BC, built north of the Agora in local stone with a facade and a marble roof. The second, the sanctuary of Apollo Karneios, from the 6th century BC, which includes a temple, a courtyard with monolithic columns and an underground cistern. Everything is divided into the main road and secondary roads.
The site also features Roman baths, the church of Agios Stefanos, the Byzantine walls and the famous shrine of Artemidorus, carved into the rock and containing epigrams and engravings in honor of Zeus, Poseidon and Apollo.
On the sides of the roads that lead to the two ex ports of Kamari and Perissa is the Necropolis, which has tombs from the Archaic and Roman periods. Accessing the ancient Thera site does not require a ticket and it is a good idea to know immediately that the site opens at 8.30 am and closes in the early afternoon and exactly 3.30 pm.
As with all historical archaeological sites that we have covered in these mini-guides, we advise you to have a paper guide or to book a guide to accompany you during your visit, to get to know the history of this splendid and ancient city from which it all beginning! Ancient Thera is the oldest town on the island of Santorini, which today still has a lot to say and tell!