Santorini Akrotiri Minoan Site

Location: Akrotiri

The archaeological site of Akrotiri in Santorini is one of the most important attractions of the island.
Located on the southern side of the island, between the village of Akrotiri and the famous Red beach, this site is visited by thousands of visitors every year.
Excavations on Akrotiri has started as early as the 1870s by the French Archaeological School of Athens.

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A few years later in 1866, the first traces of an ancient Minoan settlement had been accidentally revealed, during the works to get volcanic soil from Santorini in order to insulate the Suez Canal Bridge. In the century that followed, many excavations were conducted until the excavations of archaeologist Spyridon Marinatos started in 1967.

The works revealed a fully-working and developed settlement. Archaeologists believe that the town was originally constructed around 4,500 B.C. but in the 17th century B.C. 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 one century later.

The location of the town was ideal, as it served as a safe port and thus it developed an important commerce activity. The urban planning was dense, the buildings had many stores, the walls were decorated with amazing frescoes, the streets were paved and there were also squares and storehouses. The frescoes depict a rich middle society, where people were dressed luxuriously and elegantly.

The enormous volcanic eruption that destroyed the settlement of Akrotiri took place around 1,650 B.C. The entire town was covered with ashes and lava, which preserved Akrotiri almost intact through time. As no human bodies have been found covered by lava, as is the case in Pompeii, archaeologists believe that precursory earthquakes made the residents leave before the volcano erupted. Also, not many valuable items were excavated, which shows that between the earthquakes and the big volcanic eruption, the residents had returned to take their personal belongings.

This time interval between the precursory earthquakes and the eruption is estimated at about 10 days. In any case, the time between the first eruptions and the geological formation of the caldera is estimated no more than 2-3 days. The eruption took place probably in spring because flowers of olive trees were found under the lava ashes. This was the most important eruption in the world for the last 10,000 years and the tsunami waves that raised also destroyed the Minoan town of Knossos in Crete.

In September 2005, an accident took place in Akrotiri: the wooden shelter of the site collapsed, killing a British tourist. Since then, the site had been closed till April 2012, when the new bioclimatic shelter was finished and Akrotiri opened again to visitors.

Top Tours and activities

• Best Seller

  Ancient Akrotiri guided tour

  Category: Ancient Sites

  Show description

  In this guided tour, guests can get acquainted with the substantial importance and historic value of the ancient settlement of Akrotiri. Being a Bronze Age community, it encapsulates fascinating insights into a life long gone. When the immense volcanic eruption occurred, the area was buried in ash.

  3 hours Map

  from € 32.00

  Book now
• Best Seller

  Bus tour around the island (best sights)

  Category: Island, Bus

  Show description

  This bus tour around Santorini allows you to see the top sights: the Minoan Town of Akrotiri, the Red Beach, the black beaches, Santo Winery, and Oia at sunset time.

  12 hours Map

  from € 55.00

  Book now
• Private Guided Tour of Akrotiri Minoan City

  Category: City, Day Trips, Walking

  Show description

  The prehistoric settlement of Akrotiri is one of the most important archaeological sites in Greece. With the guidance of an expert, you can expand your knowledge of the way people lived during that era.

  1.5 hours Map

  from € 165.00

  Book now

How to get there

The archaeological Minoan site of Akrotiri is close to the modern-day village of Akrotiri.

Tours: Discover the Akrotiri Minoan site with an organized tour, starting from 32€.

Private transfers: We recommend using an online pre-booked transfer service, which provides transfer by taxi, minibus or private VIP car and arranging a pickup directly from your hotel. Alternatively, there’s the option of arranging a pickup by a local driver directly at the following numbers: 0030 690 679 4316, 0030 22860 22555.

Car rental: There’s the option of renting a car with as little as 14.5 euro per day and pick it up directly from your hotel. You can then visit the Akrotiri Minoan site but also many other places of interest.

Public transfers: In Akrotiri village lies the terminal of the bus route Fira > Akrotiri. From there it is about a 250-meter walk to the archaeological site. Alternatively, it is possible to get off the bus at the village of Akrotiri and take the path to the archaeological site. Fira is where the central bus station of the island is located. There are bus connections between this bus station and the most areas of the island. There are buses to Akrotiri approximately every 1.5 hours. Consider that time schedules might change according to the season. Check the official timetables here.
Tip: Since buses don’t always stop in every scheduled stop of their itinerary, our advice to visitors is to inform the driver about their final destination, so that he makes a stop there.