Is Akrotiri really worth a visit?
 

I was just looking at someones internet photos and it doesn't look all that interesting. I liked Pompeii, but I don't know if I should bother with Akrotiri. What do you think?

If you're in Santorini for a while, and have the time to go seeing it, it's interesting, but not as much as Pompeii. There's still a lot to be excavated. I wouldn't, however, go the extra mile for Akrotiri. Santorini's landscape is much more appealing than it.<BR><BR>S

Thanks, that's what I was thinking. I only have 1 1/2 days and pictures of the island and towns themselves look so much more appealing. If it's convenient I'll stop in Akrotiri, but I won't make it my priority.

well, if you take under consideration that akrotiri is 2,000 older than Pompeii, then it is really worth a visit! <BR>I suppose you are american! This shallow american way of thinking shows serious lack of culture and education!

You lose! Je n'est pas Americain. Egypt was fantastic so I guess I like old stuff too. I just happen to have a limited amount of time and I'm trying to figure out the best way for me to spend it.

Diane,<BR><BR>TOUCHE!!! I bet mr. akrotiri won't know what that means. He will probably think I don't know how to spell.

Diane, you must not be French either --"je n'est pas americain" Call l'Academie!

Who said I was French? I haven't used it much since first year university. English is my first language. I come from a mysterious country that has 2 official languages.<BR><BR>By the way, does anyone know if there's a Tim Horton's on Santorini? :)<BR><BR><BR><BR>

Akrotiri should not be missed. It does not photograph well but it is a fascinating site and opens the door to a terrific understanding of ancient civilizations.<BR><BR>

Akrotiri is worth a quick stop if you have a car and are driving around the island. Don't miss the black sand beaches on the east side of the island. Other than the caldera view...that's about all there is on Santorini. (there are some wineries also).

Yes, you should absolutely go to Akrotiri. Here's why.<BR><BR>(1) How could you possibly go to Santorini and not go see the reason why the place is so legendary? This would be like going to Paris without seeing the Eiffel Tower, or to London and never seeing the Tower of London or the Houses of Parliament or Westminster Abbey. The ruins of Akrotiri are part of the essence of what makes Santorini so unique and special.<BR><BR>(2) And Akrotiri is absolutely unique in its own right. As an earlier poster noted, its antiquity dwarfs that of Pompeii. The best guess is thatr Akrotiri got buried sometime between 1600-1450 B.C. The idea of being able to walk the well-preserved streets of a town that was 3,500 years old -- to look into the houses and see a staircase cracked in half by the volcanic eruption that ultimately doomed the place -- to see the pots left behind by the fleeing (or doomed) inhabitants -- well, that was enough to blow me away.<BR><BR>(3) It doesn't take very long to see the place -- an hour, tops. A cab or a moped can get you down there pretty quickly. The excavated area is relatively limited -- just a couple of streets and a triangular square. But the buildings are preserved to the second or even (in a few cases) the third story.<BR><BR>(4) Akrotiri doesn't photograph well because -- well, it's all brown. Streets are brown, walls are brown, pots are brown. Some amazing frescoes were found there, but they're all on display at the National Museum in Athens. If you've seen them at the National Museum, however, it's still cool to see where the houses where they originally graced the walls. <BR><BR>(5) To get a real sense of why Akrotiri is so special, pick up a copy of Charles Pellegrino's "Unearthing Atlantis." It's available in paperback, and can probably be found at many good public libraries. It's a fascinating mix of archaeology, volcanology, history, and natural science -- as well as being a fun and breezy read.<BR><BR>(6) What else are you planning to do on Santorini? A day-and-a-half isn't a lot of time, true, but then Santorini isn't a lot of island. You'll want to take in the sunset from Oia, of course, but you'll be doing that after Akrotiri is closed anyway. Swimming in the crater near the hot springs and taking a stroll on the volcanic islands is admittedly cool. The ruins at Thera lack Akrotiri's magic and uniqueness and are only for confirmed archaeological buffs or exercise freaks. <BR><BR>So my advice is: make the time to go to Akrotiri. Burn the candle at both ends. Catch up on your rest on the next island you visit.

My advice is go- but get a tour guide. I did not and was completely not excited by the whole thing. But, I am sure, if I had someone educating me on what I was looking at it would have been much better.

Tim Hortons, eh? No, but have a frappe instead. (Much better.)<BR><BR>Akrotiri is much more interesting if you have a guide. There isn't a lot to do on Santorini - it's visually beautiful, but I think Akrotiri is probably worth a visit.

Aha! So the place doesn't photograph well. That changes things. <BR>Also, now I want to see this place that inspired Jeff's passionate post! I don't know yet if I'll do a guided tour, but my library does have Unearthing Atlantis so I'll at least have a look at that.

Thanks Susan, frappe sounds good. Maybe they'll be a Tim Horton's on Delos.

Diane,<BR>if you're visiting Delos, I'd give Akrotiri a big miss. We loved Pompeii, thought Delos was even better but thought Akrotiri was a waste of time. Admittedly we didn't have a guide but there wasn't much to see.<BR>By the way, Delos is uninhabited (has one small gift shop/cafe), very dry and dusty but fascinating.<BR>Kay

I thought Akrotiri was the highlight of Santorini. You can go by bus (although cab or moped would be quicker), and get to see a bit of the island on the way. There may not be Tim Hortons on Santorini but they have some okay bakeries.

Canadian or American- what's the difference. Same way of thinking, same culture.

Last year in May the Akrotiri frescos <BR>were removed and being exhibited at the Cultural Centre in Fira. They may still be there on loan (although they were building a permanent museum for them in Santorini) as the National Archeological Museum in Athens is closed until April 2004. :(<BR>I recommend visiting Akrotiri as I feel it is definitely worth it and being only 13km from Fira a very short bus ride, but note that it is closed on Mondays and only open only from 8:30-3pm.

Unfortunately, this entire discussion may be moot. When I visited Akrotiri in April, 2001, we were told by our guide that it was closing in two weeks for at least two years. They were installing a more permanent roof over the excavated portion.<BR><BR>I thought Akrotiri was wonderful. But we had a very knowledgeable guide and that probably makes a big difference.<BR><BR>Oh, and I am an American, too!