Santorini!

• Santorini (also called Thira)  is an island in the southern Aegean Sea about 200 km (120 mi) southeast from Greece's mainland.  

• Santorini is essentially what remains after an enormous volcanic explosion that destroyed the earliest settlements on a formerly single island.  The Thira Eruption, is one of the largest volcanic eruptions in recorded history and it occurred 3600 years ago.

• Ideal times to visit, for milder weather, prices and crowds, are April-June and September-October.  

 






Red Beach- it's worth taking the Red Beach/Akrotiri bus from Fira and then climbing over the very rocky trails to get here (though there are water taxis and various schooners that make their way here as well). Red Beach earns its name from the iron-rich sedimentary rocks in the cliff face towering above you, as well as the red sand. It's quite crowded; you can rent an umbrella and a pair of chaise lounges, though there is also some good free space nearby that gets packed by midday. The first few meters of the water near the shore are quite gravelly, so be prepared to step on some stones. Women are frequently topless.