13 Wonderful Things To Do in Santorini, Greece — ALONG DUSTY ROADS

The RUINS OF Akrotiri & ANCIENT THERA

The Akrotiri ruins are Greece’s precursor to Pompeii, with the Minoan outpost settlement buried and preserved by that pivotal volcanic eruption much, much earlier than a coastal Roman town was covered in ash by Mount Vesuvius.

It is of significant historical and archeological importance, and excavations have revealed sophisticated urban infrastructure for the time, including multistorey buildings, paved roads, and a complex sewage system.

As one of the most important and well-preserved ancient archaeological sites in the Mediterranean world, we had high hopes for it.

However, we felt the visitor experience was a real missed opportunity.

At €12 per adult (€6 concessions), and housed under an impressive new structure with accessible wooden walkways, we found it very difficult to actually get much from the ruins themselves. Sporadically situated explainers, no headset or audioguide, and little in the way of displays to either convey or explain the process. The ruins themselves are difficult to discern or appreciate too, with the modern materials of the new structure and various efforts at propping up the old almost outnumbering the originals.

After a Pompeii visit a few years ago, there was a gulf in the experiences.

We share this with you due to the cost and our sincere frustration when historical ruins charge a pretty penny but miss the mark on creating curiosity, and instead meet some people’s stereotypes of being just another dull set of stones.

We would strongly encourage anyone visiting Akrotiri that’s really keen to bring the site and its stories to life join a specialist guided tour; we lugged into several and got more from those snippets than the information boards. There an office for hiring guides by the entrance, but nobody was there when we visited, so we’re not 100% certain on costs or timings (let us know in the comments if you do!).

Alternatively, these two have good reviews:

· Akrotiri Ruins, Lost Atlantis, & Wine Tasting

· Akrotiri Prehistoric City Private Guided Tour

After our visit, we learned that much of the more impressive artefacts and frescoes from the digs of the prehistoric city of Akrotiri are housed in Athens or the Museum of Prehistoric Thera (maps, €6). The latter, in the town of Fira, is basically an extension of the archaeological site of Akrotiri, so you may wish to prioritise time for that rather than the ruins.

However, if it’s an area of interest for you, save…