Fira , Greece

View of Fira

Firá (modern Greek: Φηρά) is the modern capital of the Greek Aegean island, Santorini. It is a traditional settlement. "Firá", actually, is a different pronunciation of "Thíra", the ancient name of the island itself.

View of Fira from the sea

Fira is a city of white-washed houses built on the edge of the 400 m high caldera on the western edge of the semi-circular island of Thera. The two main museums of interest are the Santorini Archeological Museum, 30 m east of the cable car entrance, and the Museum of Prehistoric Thera at the southeast corner of the White Orthodox Cathedral (with the Greek name meaning Metamorphosis), built on the site of the Ypapanti Church, destroyed in the 1956 earthquake.

Panoramic view from Fira

Access to Fira is mainly by roads on its eastern side, climbing from its port via the Z-shaped footpath on foot or on donkeys, or by riding the steep cable car from its lower terminal by the port. The central square of Fira is called Plateia Theotokopoulou, with a bus and taxi station, banks and pharmacies.

The narrow paths, lined with all kinds of souvenir shops, jewelry shops, and restaurants linking the upper cable car terminal and the central square, are packed with tourists during the summer seasons.

The view from Fira is magnificent, with a nice panoramic view of the 18 km long caldera from southern Cape Akrotiri to northern Cape Ag. Nikolaos, plus the volcanic island Nea Kameni at the center with Thirassia Island in the distant west on blue Aegean water. Big cruise ships can usually be seen anchoring in the small harbor between Nea Kameni and Fira.

Posted in: GREECE