Ancient Thera

Ancient Thera is a ruined city perched on the narrow ridge of Mesa Vouno on Santorini, some 360 metres above the Aegean, with sheer drops on both sides. Named after the mythical king Theras, the settlement was continuously occupied from the 9th century BC until AD 726, leaving behind overlapping layers of archaic, Hellenistic, and Roman urban fabric. German archaeologist Friedrich Hiller von Gaertringen conducted the first systematic excavations between 1895 and 1904, uncovering an agora, Ptolemaic-era military barracks, several temples, and an extensive necropolis; a second campaign led by Wolfram Hoepfner of the Freie Universität Berlin from 1990 to 1994 refined the chronology further. The site is reached on foot from either Perissa or Kamari — a steep 45-minute climb that rewards visitors with sweeping views across the southern Aegean, the caldera, and the surrounding Cyclades.