Santorini - Akrotiri - Fira

We began our morning with a bus ride to the excavation site of ancient Akrotiri, the most important prehistoric settlement found anywhere in the Eastern Mediterranean.  Known as the "Minoan Pompeii" the flourishing town was at once destroyed and preserved by a volcanic eruption around 1450 BC.  This site is the first traces of an ancient Minoan settlement.  It was accidentally revealed during the works to get volcanic soil from Santorini in order to insulate the Suez Canal Bridge.  It's believed that the town was originally constructed around 4,500 BC but in the 17th century BC it was destroyed by an earthquake.  A new town was built on the ruins of the old town until it was also destroyed by the volcanic eruption about a century later.

We then headed off to a local winery that produces the unique and famous wines of Santorini.  The grapes are grown in baskets due to the island lacking water supply.  The ground put off enough humidity to produce allow the grapes to produce.  The White wine was good but none of us where in favor of the Red wine.

We then headed back to the Hotel where another couple (Melanie & Steve) and us walked to the Captial town of Fira (15 min walk).  We toured the town and decided to take the funicular (cable car) down to the Old Bay and take it back up.  Well, we got down in a reasonable amount of time, but going back up the line was at least 1/4 mile long....now what do we do...we can't walk all 3k steps...let's take a donkey.  For 10 Euro each, we rode the donkey back up.  Melanie wasn't sure if she could do it, but we told her she would have to stand in line back up for at least 2 hrs. or walk up...she opted the donkey ride and did very well for her petite size.  

Town of Fira is on the mountain top

We still had to climb few stairs, here is the view of Fira almost at the top

Melanie the Trooper

We then stopped at a suggested restaurant for a snack and headed back to the hotel.  

In the evening, I joined a group for a Greek Wedding Show in Fira.  What a show it was.  The ten of us where the family of the Groom.  We had stage front seats (couldn't be better).   We danced, laughed, drank wine, ate a snack and broke plates (for Good Luck).

 

Walking through the broken plates.