Ancient Thera

Tickets and tours: which to book

There is nothing sold online for Ancient Thera alone. Entry is a standard state ticket bought at the gate on the hill, and it is inexpensive. A combined ticket covering several Santorini sites and museums has been sold in the past, so ask at the gate or at the museums in Fira if you plan to see Akrotiri too.

Getting up is the main question. From Kamari a narrow road with many hairpin bends climbs to the Sellada saddle, and in summer a local minibus runs from the village to the top several times a day for a fare. Taxis and rented cars can also go up, but parking at the top is very limited. Walkers use the old paths from Kamari or Perissa, a steep climb of 40 minutes to an hour.

Some island tours and hiking walks include Ancient Thera with a guide, often combined with the Perissa beaches or a wine tasting, and private guides can be booked on the island. The ticket is usually extra. The sensible plan is to go up early by minibus or on foot, buy the ticket at the gate and walk the street on your own with a good map.

A short history

Thera was founded by Dorian settlers from Sparta on this rocky ridge, and there are traces of settlement from the 9th century BC. Around 630 BC, after a long drought, the Therans sent colonists to found Cyrene in Libya. In the 3rd century BC the Ptolemies made the city the base of their Aegean fleet and rebuilt it on a grid with peristyle houses; the garrison left around 145 BC. The town remained prosperous in Roman times and was a bishop's seat in the Byzantine period, but after a volcanic eruption in 726 it was abandoned. Friedrich Hiller von Gaertringen excavated the city from 1895 to 1904, and later work uncovered the cemetery at Sellada.

Getting there

Ancient Thera stands on Mesa Vouno, the mountain between Kamari and Perissa on the south-east coast of Santorini. From Fira, local buses reach Kamari in about 20 minutes. Santorini airport is only a few kilometres from Kamari, so a taxi is quick. From Kamari, the summer minibus or a car climbs the winding road to the Sellada saddle; drive carefully, as it is narrow and has sharp bends. From the small car park at the top it is about a 10-minute walk up to the gate. On foot, a stepped path climbs from the southern end of Kamari, and another climbs from Perissa; both take 40 minutes to an hour. Ferries from Piraeus and other islands arrive at Athinios port.

Rules and what to bring

Stay on the paths and do not climb on walls or columns. Drones are not allowed without permission. There is almost no shade on the ridge, so bring a hat, sunscreen and plenty of water, as there is nothing to buy on top. Wear proper shoes with grip for the rocky paths. The wind can be strong, especially in summer, so keep a firm grip on hats and phones near the edges. There are basic toilets near the entrance.

When to go

The site is best visited early: arrive at opening, before the sun is high and while the air is still cool for the climb. By late morning the heat on the bare limestone is intense in summer, and there is no shelter on the ridge. Because the site usually closes in the afternoon, a sunset visit is not possible, but the morning light over the sea is fine.

April, May, June, September and October are the best months, mild and sometimes with wild flowers on the slopes. July and August are hot and very windy, though the site is rarely crowded even then, since most visitors to Santorini stay around Fira and Oia. In winter, opening hours are shorter and the site may close in bad weather. Allow two to three hours for the climb and the walk along the ridge, more if you hike up from Perissa.