The Thera eruption is thought to have occurred about 1500 bce, although, on the basis of evidence obtained during the 1980s from a Greenland ice-core and from tree-ring and radiocarbon dating, some scholars believe that it occurred earlier, possibly during the 1620s bce.

In 1646 BC a massive volcanic eruption, perhaps one of the largest ever witnessed by mankind, took place at Thera (present day Santorini), an island in the Aegean not far from Crete. Possibly as many as 20,000 people were killed as a result of the volcanic explosion.

1950

Although dormant, Santorini is an active volcano. Numerous minor and medium-sized, mainly effusive, eruptions have built the dark-colored lava shields of Nea and Palea Kameni inside the caldera. Their last eruption was in 1950, and now only fumarolic activity, primarily inside the recently active craters, takes place.

Mount Galunggung

Prior to 1620 BC, the island of Santorini, now known as Thera, was built up by layers of lava created by overlapping shield volcanoes, and it had experienced three significant eruptions that formed overlapping calderas, or collapsed magma chambers.

The more important volcanoes in Greece are situated in Methana, on Santorini, on Milos, on Nisyros, on the islet of Gyali and on Kos, with the most famous being those on Milos and Santorini, which receive thousands of visitors throughout the year.

The lagoon is rimmed by red-, white-, and black-striped volcanic cliffs rising to almost 1,000 feet (300 metres). The summit of Thera is the 1,857-foot (566-metre) limestone Mount Profítis Ilías in the southeast.

Yes, it has an Italian name, shortened from “Santa Irini” or Saint Irene. Although the nickname Santorini has stuck, the island is officially called Thera. Santorini is best loved for its caldera, an enormous crater in the sea formed in the wake of a catastrophic volcanic eruption more than 3500 years ago.

There are many reasons why the small Greek island of Santorini is so popular as a holiday destination, with its stunning turquoise waters and picturesque villages, great activities including wine-tasting, authentic Greek cuisine, regular boat excursions due to its ideal location for island hopping.

The best time to visit Santorini is from September to October and April to May when the weather is warm and the crowds are scarce.

Santorini is a volcanic island in the Cyclades group of the Greek islands. It is located between Ios and Anafi islands. It is famous for dramatic views, stunning sunsets from Oia town, the strange white aubergine (eggplant), the town of Thira and naturally its very own active volcano.

The best places to stay in Santorini are the towns of Fira, Oia, Imerovigli, and Firostefani that are located along the caldera cliff on the western side of the island. All of these towns have wonderful views of the volcano and caldera.

Later during the years of 1967 – 1974, a military government established their power in Greece. They set a political agenda of displaying uniformity across the landscapes. Therefore, stating a rule of re-painting all the houses in blue and white. Thereby, the towns started reflecting the colours of their flag.