Fira - Firostefani.   The name of santorini's capital comes from the ancient Greek word '' pyrros'' which is the colour of iron and fire. These colors of re and ochre are so richly illustrated in the cliff face on which the town is perched with spectacular ciew over the volcano and the nearby islands.

Fira clings to the edge of the cliff, which is in fact the rim of the crater. It's about 300m over the sea level. Many visitors coming with cruiseships are coming up the 525 broad zigzagged steps from the old port of Fira. Modern day Fira town is the cultural and commercial center of Santorini. It's a picturesque village with white cubic houses, narrow stone alleyways and impresive Venetian manorsfrom the 19^th century. Once in Fira the should pay a visit the Prehistoric and Archaelogical museum.    

Firostefani lies to the north of Fira and past the years there is a little that seperates it from considerable larger neighbour. The view is spectacular and there many places where someone accomodate, eat and drink  and the same time have a view of the Caldera.

Imerovigli, is a charming village build in the lip of the crater 300 meters above the sea and just 2 km away from Fira. Infrond of Imerovgli there is a enormous rock called Scaros, which used to be part of the island and had a castle built on it till the early 18^th century, this castle guarded the western entrance of the island from attacts from the pirates, and was never defeated during the 600 years of its existence. Now days there only some ruins of it.

Several luxury hotels and quite restaurant for fine dinning are located in Imerovigli

Oia, is one of the most famous of all villages of Santorini. It is known throughout the world for magical sunsets and its quite life. Build on the rim of the cliff in the traditional architecture with whitewashed buldings carved into the rock, blue domed chruches in narrow streets and sunbathed veradas.

A square overlooks the sea and the volcano and the visitors may watch the sunset.