Sights to See on Santorini

The settlement of Ancient Thera, located on Mesa Vouno, 396 meters above sea level, was founded in the 9th century B.C. by Dorian colonists whose leader was Theras. The town was inhabited until the early Byzantine period. The preserved ruins belong to the Hellenistic and Roman phases of the city. The residential area and a large part of the cemeteries were excavated by German archaeologists between 1895 and 1902. The remaining cemeteries on the slopes of Sellada were excavated by N. Zapheiropoulos in the years 1961-1982.

The Archaeological Museum of Thera was built in the 1960's. On display are sculptures and inscriptions from the Archaic to the Roman periods, as well as vases and clay figurines, dating from the Geometric to the Hellenistic periods.

The Museum of Prehistoric Thera houses artifacts from the excavations at Akrtotiri, early excavations at Potamos, as well as rescue excavations at various other sites on the island.

Akrotiri, dating back to 3000 BC, is thought to be the lost City of Atlantis. Excavations were begun in 1967 by Professor Spyridon Marinatos and roughly 3% of the city has been discovered thus far.

Considering the fact we were using outhouses in the US 100 years ago, the city was quite advanced as they had sewer lines connected to homes! Of the homes discovered thus far, they seem to be 3 story structures with as many as 14 rooms on each floor. They had an active merchant marine and traded with Crete and what is now Turkey.

The Byzantine Church of Episkope, near Mesa Gonia, was founded at the end of the 11th century by the Emperor Alexios I Comnenos. The interior walls boast paintings of excellent quality and a wooden, carved templon decorated in the technique of mastic wax.

The George Emanuel Argyros Mansion, in the village of Messaria, is a neoclassic mansion built in 1888 on top of a traditional Greek house. Through its exceptional ceiling paintings and the upper floor's furniture and utensils, which have been preserved and are attended to as in a museum, the museum offers visitors an authentic glimpse into Greece's cultural heritage.

This is a private museum and is open from April to October.

The Aghios Nicolaos Marmarites at Emporeio, is a grave monument built in the 3rd century, B.C. of grey marble.

Of less historical importance but just as interesting we saw "Traditional Homes" built into the sides of the cliffs
	Beautiful Greek Orthodox churches
and people traveling on donkeys.