Page 72 - ANDRONIS MAGAZINE 2025

ESCAPE_ Santorini

crops, has given rise to exceptional wines and unique Kasteli, a medieval fortress-town, is a labyrinth of narrow
produce. The famed Santorini cherry tomatoes, sweet passageways, arched tunnels, and houses built so close
and intensely flavoured, and the distinctive fava beans, together that they seem to merge into one. There is
cultivated for centuries, are culinary treasures that owe something enchanting, almost theatrical, about walking
their existence to the island’s volcanic terroir. here—as if at any moment, the past might slip through
The impact of the volcano extends even to the way the cracks and come to life. Here, local tavernas serve
the islanders interact with their surroundings. In the traditional meze, and elderly residents sit outside their
stillness of a Santorini evening, with the scent of salt homes, exchanging stories as they watch the world go
and wild thyme in the air, it is easy to understand why by. Also known as the «ghost village,» Mesa Gonia,
the people of this island have always seen their land another hidden village-gem was abandoned after a
as something both awe-inspiring and unpredictable. devastating earthquake in 1956. Today, it’s a testament
The volcano is not merely history; it is a presence— to resilience, with some restored houses and wineries
one that still murmurs beneath the surface, reminding operating amidst the ruins. Strolling through its quiet
all who live here that nature always has the final word. streets offers a poignant glimpse into Santorini’s past.
Then, there is Megalochori, with its vineyard-covered
THE ECHOES OF THE PAST hills and traditional canavas—underground cellars
Growing up in a place of such deep history, you rarely where wine has been made for centuries. The village
stop to think about it. As a child, the ruins are just is a quiet retreat, a place where tavernas serve fava
part of the landscape—background scenery to beach with caramelised onions, cherry tomatoes sun-dried
trips and endless summer afternoons. But then, one to perfection, and homemade pies baked in wood-fired
day, it all clicks. You find yourself standing before the ovens. And finally, Finikia, an artist’s haven where
ruins of Ancient Akrotiri, and suddenly, history is no ochre-painted houses nestle among gardens heavy
longer something distant. It is real. It is tangible. It is with pomegranate trees. Once the home of the island’s
right there beneath your fingertips. Walking through its wine-growers, its streets now lead to hidden chapels
streets, past three-storey buildings, elaborate frescoes, and quiet corners where you can still hear the whisper
and the remains of a sophisticated Minoan city, it is of a time when Santorini was a place of farmers and
impossible not to wonder: who were they, these people sailors, not influencers and tourists.
who once lived here? Then, there is Ancient Thera,
perched high on a ridge overlooking the sea. Founded in WINE: THE SOUL OF SANTORINI
the 9th century BCE and later ruled by Greeks, Romans, Santorini does not have lush fields or rolling hills.
and Byzantines, its ruins tell a different story—one of Its vineyards grow in the harshest of conditions—on
empires rising and falling, of cultures weaving into one volcanic rock, battered by wind, beneath a relentless
another, of a civilisation that adapted but ultimately sun. And yet, from this unforgiving land, the island
faded. The views from here are breathtaking, but it is produces wines unlike any other. The secret lies in
the weight of history that stays with you. Assyrtiko, the grape that has become Santorini’s
And if Akrotiri and Thera are the island’s memory, then signature. Crisp, bone-dry, with a minerality that speaks
the Museum of Prehistoric Thera in Fira is its heart—a of salt and stone, it is a wine that could only be born
treasure trove of artefacts, from delicate pottery to the here. At Venetsanos Winery, built into the cliffs, you
vibrant frescoes that once adorned Akrotiri’s walls. can sip a glass while gazing at the caldera. At Gavalas,
you’ll learn the ancient art of basket-trained vines.
Santorini’s soul VILLAGES OF WHISPERING STONES And at Hatzidakis, where organic winemaking has
unfolds through its There is Santorini, the island of the caldera views, the become a philosophy, you will taste the island’s true
traditions and land—
where dancers in infinity pools, the five-star luxury. And then, there is soul. And then there is Vinsanto—the island’s liquid
traditional attire the Santorini that still belongs to those who live here. gold. Aged for years, its deep amber hue holds the
celebrate heritage To find it, you must leave the tourist trail behind. memory of Santorini’s sun, its taste a perfect balance
beneath fluttering In Pyrgos, time moves slower. The village, once the of sweetness and fire.
flags, a historic
canava preserves island’s capital, spirals upwards towards a Venetian
stories of island castle. Wander its alleys, past blue-domed chapels, THE ALLURE OF ITS COASTLINE
life through aged stone-built mansions, and hidden courtyards, and you Beyond the dramatic cliffs and hidden coves, Santorini’s
bottles and letters, feel as though you have stepped back a hundred years. coastline reveals an entirely different side of the island—
volcanic Assyrtiko Emporio, on the other hand, feels like something out one shaped as much by time as it is by the elements.
vineyards thrive in
the sun and wind, of a dream. Nestled in the foothills of Mount Profitis The beaches here are unlike those found on other
and the Tomato Ilias, it is home to a medieval castle that once protected Greek islands. Instead of endless stretches of golden
Industrial Museum the island’s inhabitants from invaders. The village’s sand, Santorini offers something far more dramatic:
honours the legacy architecture, with its tightly packed houses and maze-like shores sculpted by volcanic forces, their colours ranging
of the island’s famed
sun-dried cherry streets, speaks of a time when security was paramount, from deep red to pure white and jet black. One of the
tomatoes. yet today it exudes nothing but tranquillity. The old most spectacular is Red Beach, near Akrotiri, where

P 72 P 73