Sunset in Oia Santorini by Costas Ganasos

Santorini, also known as Thira, is the most unique Greek island and also the calling card of Greece for its primal Greek look and feel - it could hardly be more Greek, you might say. Who does not know the white Greek houses with blue doors or windows or the white Greek churches with blue domes.

Most photos with these features are therefore taken on Santorini, as the combination of these blue-white houses and churches and the blue colour of the sea and sky underline the magical image of Greece. Santorini is the southernmost island of the Cycladic archipelago and is located about 150 kilometres north of Crete. It has an area of about 80 km2 and its coastline has a length of about 70 kilometres. But Santorini is not only unique for its Greek appearance; Santorini has a history that is sensational. For example, did you know that today it is shaped like a crescent, but used to be round? The island used to be called "Strongili" meaning "Circular". A major volcanic eruption caused about half of the island to disappear into the sea, creating a giant caldera on the western side of the island. Inside this caldera is the volcano and you can see it from the edges of the steep cliffs formed after the eruption. In fact, in the sea you can see the tops of the islands of Nea and Palea Kameni, which are two islands made of lava that are actually called the volcano. Legend has it that this vanished part of the island is actually Atlantis.