A unique destination

One of the five best tourist attractions in the world

byHelen Mouzaki

Bend if you can to the dark sea forgettingthe flute’s sound on naked feet

that trod your sleep in the other, the sunken life.

Write if you can on your last shellthe day the place the name

and fling it into the sea so that it sinks…

SANTORINIby Georgios Seferis

LOCATION & NAME ORIGIN

Location:• Southern Aegean Sea• Cyclades islands

Name Origin:• “Santorini”

• “Kalliste”

• “Thera”

after the cathedral of Saint Irine on the island

which means Beautiful

after the leader of the Lakedemonians

Bend if you can to the dark sea forgettingthe flute’s sound on naked feet

that trod your sleep in the other, the sunken life.

Write if you can on your last shellthe day the place the name

and fling it into the sea so that it sinks…

SANTORINIby Georgios Seferis

CALDERAThe volcano of Santorini

The major eruption of the volcano took place during the Late Bronze era (1550-1200 BC)

It caused the unique shape of the island

Other name: Stroggili ( which in Greek means Round),because she used to have a round shape

Results of this eruption constitute:

• the extinction of the Minoan civilization in Crete

• the disappearance of the mythical Atlantis (island where wealthy citizens admired by society lived) according to Solon

(Santorinian houses & Caldera)

Nowadays:• The volcano is still active

• In 1950 two small islands (Old & New Kameni) immersed because of an eruption

• It represents a central tourist destination

(the edges of the volcano)

Bend if you can to the dark sea forgettingthe flute’s sound on naked feet

that trod your sleep in the other, the sunken life.

Write if you can on your last shellthe day the place the name

and fling it into the sea so that it sinks…

SANTORINIby Georgios Seferis

AKROTIRICentral tourist attraction & archeological site

• It was first inhabited during the Late Neolithic

times (4000 BC)

• It constitutes a major import & export center of the island

(the archeological site of Akrotiri)

All of its public facilities were elaborate, sophisticated & advanced

It was abandoned by its citizens because of severe earthquakes and the volcanic eruption

(famous painting found in Akrotiri which pictures a fisherman)

(mural in Akrotiri which pictures the spring)

HISTORYConquered by: • the Phoenicians,

• the Lakedemonians, • the Romans,• the Turks

Later history: • industrialization of transportation

• major earthquake in 1956

• huge economic deterioration

• tourism develops into the main source of income

Bend if you can to the dark sea forgettingthe flute’s sound on naked feet

that trod your sleep in the other, the sunken life.

Write if you can on your last shellthe day the place the name

and fling it into the sea so that it sinks…

SANTORINIby Georgios Seferis

ARCHITECTURE• simple houses

• narrow buildings with arches

• painted with white, ochre & light red colors

• excavated from the soft volcanic rock

(traditional santorinian houses)

PRODUCTIONaided by the fertile ground

• wine• grapes (which are called assirtika)• tomatoes• fava (a kind of pea)• cheese (which is named hloro)

The dry climate, though, makes the

quantity of the production small

(vineyard in the island)

(scarecrows in tomato fields in Santorini)

CABLE CARtransports mainly tourists from the Fira port to the

capital (Fira) & to the volcano (Caldera)

Mules, though, represent the traditional way of transportation on the island

(cable car & the Fira port)

(mule in Santorini)

Bend if you can to the dark sea forgettingthe flute’s sound on naked feet

that trod your sleep in the other, the sunken life.

Write if you can on your last shellthe day the place the name

and fling it into the sea so that it sinks…

SANTORINIby Georgios Seferis

SUNSETit represents a unique & unforgettable

experience for every tourist that savors it

It inspires photographers &

always gets applauded by the

audience(the sunset)

BIBLIOGRAPHY• http://www.poemhunter.com/i/ebooks/pdf/giorgos_seferis_2006_3.pdf (poem)• http://famouswonders.com/santorini-a-small-cluster-of-islands/ (location)• http://www.geology.sdsu.edu/how_volcanoes_work/santorini.html (caldera)• http://www.santorini.net/geology.html?&L=1 (caldera)• http://www.santorini.com/archaeology/akrotiri.htm (akrotiri)• http://www.santorini.net/history.html (historical events)• http://www.greece.org/poseidon/work/islands2/cyclades/santorini/id.html (architecture & production)• http://www.scc.gr/cablecar.htm (cable car)• http://www.greeka.com/cyclades/santorini/santorini-excursions/santorini-sunset.htm (sunset)

• The National Geographic Traveler ΕΛΛΑΔΑ 2002 Published by: National Geographic Society• Παραδοσιακοί Οικισμοί 2003 Published by: Explorer

Pictures: from my personal collection• http://mappingeurope.com/greece/greece-island-groups-map.htm (map of greece/ slide 3)• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santorini (shape of island/ slide 5)• http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Archaeological_site_of_Akrotiri_-_Santorini_-_July_12th_2012_-_81.jpg (Akrotiri/ slide 9)• http://www.sacred-destinations.com/greece/santorini-akrotiri.htm (fisherman/ slide 10)• http://www.sch.gr/periodika/print.php?sId=397 (spring/ slide 10)• http://www.canavaroussos.gr/abelones.html# (vineyard/ slide 14)• http://www.travelpaths.gr/content/σαντορίνη-εύφορα-ηφαιστειακά-χώματα (tomatoes/ slide 14)• http://www.scc.gr (cable car/ slide 15)• http://www.fira-santorini.com/santorini-donkeys.html (mule / slide 15)

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVeNckqwB7EManos Xatzidakis - Gioconda's Smile HD 1080p (Santorini - Orchestra of Colours)

And now….. a video that represented Greece all over the world in the millennium and was filmed in Santorini !