Imagine taking a holiday in a village on a volcanic crater that offers impressive views and traditional whitewashed Greek houses to enjoy at your leisure. A place that, although peaceful and tranquil in its own right, is just 15 minutes away from Fira which is Santorini's exciting capital. Imagine that, and then make it a reality by booking a holiday to Firostefani. It is a beautiful place, full of picturesque landscapes which will give you the perfect reason to sit back and relax.
Beaches are something that Firostefani and the area surrounding the village do very well indeed. The three most-popular beaches on Santorini are all within a 20-minute drive of Firostefani, and each one has the black volcanic sands that the area is so famous for. On each beach (Kamari, Perissa, and Perivolos) you can hire sunbeds and parasols to make your experience more comfortable, book for watersports to make it more exciting, and try out the cafes and restaurants near the beach to make it more delicious.
If you enjoy history, you'll love the trip out to the Minoan settlement that you can take from Firostefani. It's a 15-minute drive to a wonderfully evocative place called Akrotiri. In 1500BC, this area was decimated by the volcano where Firostefani now sits, but what was left behind was remarkable. The ash preserved many buildings and you can see exactly how things used to be. As well as this, there are Roman, Byzantine, and Hellenistic ruins in the area, too.
If the volcano still holds fascination for you, you won't want to miss the spectacular Ifestia festival held every August. This festival celebrates the volcano, thanking it for creating such a beautiful place to live. The main focus of the event is the huge amount of fireworks let off, but there is also plenty of dancing, street food, and music that lasts all night.
Whether you're a wine lover or your simply enjoy exploring unusual places, the underground wine museum at Vothonas should certainly be added to your itinerary. You can learn all about the history of winemaking in the region, and even sample a few styles. Fridays are the best time to visit since there are Greek dancers and a buffet thrown in.
Santorini Airport – 3 miles
Santorini Airport is both a civilian and military airport, and due to this there can sometimes be delays. Make sure you check this before flying.