I came up Ancient Thera from Perissa side and it was a great exercise in the morning! I even had a few co-climbers that morning. before going to the site itself, I also passed by first the old church perched on the side of the mountain. It was amazing how the people were able to build it on that location. I also learned that during a war or an invasion, people would go into the mountain and hide themselves in the caves carved on the side of the mountain. I think I saw one. Up on the top, I came to the ruins itself and it was really nice to know more of the place's history. The view on top was also spectacular! Going down, I walked the cemented way to Kamari.
I would recommend going here. I visited Santorini last on my two week Greece trip so I had already seen quite a few ruins but still I would say its worth it. Its a nice piece of history to experience. It is located on top of the hill so you get nice scenic view so it might be worth is just for the views.
We drove up several hairpin curves before trekking uphill for another 15 minutes to reach the ruins. Its amazing how a city was built on top of this hill and even more that people lived there for 1600 years. I wonder what they felt they needed protection from, that they decided to build the city at the top of this steep rocky hill. There are also multiple walking paths up the hill from Kamari or Perissa though these would take 1-2 hours. The 360 degree view is excellent.
takes about 15 mins on quad bikes winding stone road to get to the top entrance. great adventure and the views at the top are just breathtaking. wont forget the trip to the top of this mountain. arrived at 3pm and the damn place was already bolted shut closed so we could not walk to see the ruins. oh well gives me an excuse to go bak one day to see them!. would not want to walk the entire trip its a very steep climb. looks like there is no shop or toilet there so be prepared before you take the trip.
Of course Santorini did not have any rain since June but our first day there it poured. Since there was not a lot to do in bad weather we decided to drive up to Ancient Thera. The road is all switch backs with lots of traffic, people walking, quads and bikes. Not many people stuck around the top with the bad weather but we walked up to the ruins anyway. There is a small fee, but it was waived the day we were there with the bad weather. Worth the drive, but don't think I would have hiked up.
Its a hike up the hill, wear a good set of boots. The Road only comes up from Kamari side, so if your in Perissa then its a walk/climb for the fit and able. Walkers leave little balanced piles of stones at various places on the walk up. We added our pebbles :-) There is a small shop/hut at the top that sell drinks etc. Then there is a small walk again up hill again to the entrance. Not suitable for Disabled or those with heart conditions! There is a church half way up the Kamari side on the 'old' path not the road. The 'new' winding road goes through the old burial site and you can see headstones and stone coffins as you reach the top. The Site of Ancient Thera is worth the trip if you are into the ancient Greek history and there are breath taking views. If you visit Akrotiri to see the ancient buried City, then its logical choice to also visit here!
2000 years history at your feet. see their houses, see their churches, their style of living, see the sea through their eyes. Absolute must to visit if in Santorini
Ancient Thira is perched on the second highest point in Santorini. We went on an extremely windy day where it was even hard to just stand up. The climb was pretty interesting and several people were blown onto their backs from it. There are a few vending machines and restrooms to use near the ticket booth.This place is worth a trek if you're up for a little adventure.
Worth the walk (though you can cheat and take the land train!), bigger than expected, lovely views. Closed on Mondays.
The place is a must to visit if you want to be impressed by Santorini's history. Your walking up there will be rewarded by what you will see. During summer go there only early in the morning, otherwise it's too hot and almost no shadow over there. This is more than ruins that you expect to see. The town is huge! Although watching the plan you think it's small. It's hard to figure out the history from the guide book and visiting the site on your own. But down at Kamari, at the terminal bus station there's a travel agency offering tours over there by minivan every sharp hour. We loved Ancient Thira! It is a very unusual place. You may also want to visit Archaeological Museum of Fira to complete your impression of how the town used to be. It is a mix of cultures, almost everything rebuilt by the next occupants, several times. The slopes are full of thyme in June, amazing! Definitely worth visiting. You can get there from Kamari by minivan, by car, or by donkey or walking from Perissa. The road for the vehicles is only from Kamari. From Perissa there's only a path. Last year a tourist train was going there too from Kamari, but I doubt it will be on the schedule again.