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Apikia Santorini

The History of Santorini

The wondrous island of Santorini has a history lost in the depths of time, a history that blends with myth and tradition and weaves stories of wonder, stories that linger in the wafts of the Aegean breeze and pop up around every corner to enchant and intrigue. The history of Santorini begins – at least that we know of – in antiquity when a highly evolved civilization put roots down in Akrotiri and broke new grounds in architecture, agriculture, technology, and art; but nature’s fate had other plans for it, and the entire island. The devastating volcanic eruption of 1642 BC sunk most of the island to a blue grave, and with it, the civilization of Akrotiri, forging the myth of the Lost Atlantis and commemorating it to eternity.

As we continue down the path following the history of Santorini, we meet with the Spartans, who colonized the island some five centuries later, with King Theras building a mighty city that took his name and restored Santorini to its former glory. The island was known for its amazing produce even back then, and local wines were a highly sought-after commodity.

Moving on to the medieval era, Santorini is famous the world around for its amazing Vinsanto and is frequently targeted by marauders. As a result, the island’s inhabitants barricaded themselves behind mighty castle-cities, the famed Kastelia. Their genius construction, where the sturdy walls of the houses served as the castle walls, and the narrow alleyways made invading hard and perilous, kept the islanders safe from harm. The Kastelia of Santorini were those of Pyrgos Kallistis – the one just next to Apikia – Emporio, Akrotiri, Oia and Skaros at Imerovigli. Today, only the first two still stand and just a few remnants of the other three remain as loyal reminders of Santorini’s rich past.

Today, you can take a look at the history of Santorini through exploring the archaeological excavations at Akrotiri, the villages of Pyrgos and Emporio, Ancient Thera atop Mt. Mesa Vouno, the Archaeological Museum and the Museum of Prehistoric Thera at Fira, as well as by seeking the stories of the people, the places, the volcanic rocks that still stand proud of a past gone, but not forgotten. Feel free to ask the Apikia concierge for more historical stops and for private guided tour arrangements to top historical attractions around the island.
See more of what you can experience when in Santorini at https://apikiasantorini.com/experiences/

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