Akrotiri: Archaeological Site &Venetian Castle General Visit

Explore the remains of a prehistoric city preserved beneath volcanic ash, then wander through the historic village and discover the medieval Kasteli, known as La Ponta.
Discover two very different chapters of Santorini’s history during a visit to Akrotiri, one of the island’s most fascinating archaeological and historic areas.

Begin at the Archaeological Site of Akrotiri, where you can explore the remains of a prehistoric settlement that developed into an important centre of the Bronze Age Aegean. Archaeological evidence places the settlement’s history as far back as around 4,500 BC, with its most important development taking place during the Late Bronze Age.

Walk along the elevated pathways beneath the protective roof and look down into the ancient city. Remains of multi-storey buildings, paved streets, public and private spaces, storage vessels and sophisticated drainage systems provide an extraordinary glimpse into everyday life thousands of years ago. Many objects were preserved because the settlement was buried beneath volcanic material following the catastrophic eruption of Thera.

As you explore, imagine Akrotiri as it once was: a prosperous and outward-looking community connected to wider Aegean networks. The excavated buildings and surviving remains reveal details about architecture, craftsmanship, trade, food, religion and daily life in prehistoric Thera.

After exploring the archaeological site, continue to the village of Akrotiri and discover another chapter of the area's history.

Here, the remains of the Venetian Kasteli of Akrotiri, also known as La Ponta, rise among the traditional houses and narrow lanes. Santorini had several fortified settlements during the Venetian period, built in strategic positions as protection against raids. Akrotiri's Kasteli was one of these medieval fortified communities.

Explore the atmospheric remains of the fortified settlement and see the Goulas, the central defensive tower associated with the castle. The castle was later affected heavily by the devastating earthquake of 1956, leaving the historic settlement in the form you see today.

The two stops offer a remarkable contrast: at Akrotiri's archaeological site, you step into the world of a Bronze Age community buried by a volcanic catastrophe; only a short distance away, the medieval Kasteli reveals another period when Santorini's inhabitants built fortified settlements to defend themselves and their homes.

This combination makes Akrotiri more than a visit to an archaeological site — it is a journey through prehistoric, medieval and modern Santorini.

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