Firostefani could be considered as the suburbs of Fira as the two settlements are almost unified. It can be accessed through a cobblestone path which connects Fira with Imerovigli. The church of Saint Antonios surrounded by cypresses can be seen at the central square with the cafes and restaurants. Locals and visitors gather at the square during the evenings for socializing. Among the recreation areas of Firostefani, there is the oldest restaurant of Santorini islan, Aktaion restaurant. There are a lot of luxurious hotels as well as rooms to let in Firostefani . The thing is that thanks to the advantageous location of the village, most of them have an excellent caldera view.

 

The word Firostefani means the “crown of Fira” and it is due to the touristic development of Fira which has pushed the boundaries of the capital.


Imerovigli village has been built at the highest point of Santorini island and for this reason it is believed to offer the best caldera view. Consisting of narrow lanes which are much less noisy than the streets of Fira, Imerovigli is ideal for evening strolls in its streets which are almost silent. However, it gets vivid during the day as children play in the streets where locals meet each other talking or even gossiping. Even though Imerovigli was destroyed entirely due to the earthquake, in 1956, it has been being restored since 1970 in a way that has let the village preserve its traditional style and its charming beauty.

Church Imerovigli Santorini

Imerovigli church

Panagia Malteza is a worth visiting church located in Imerovigli. There is an impressive chancel screen made of wood in the church. The icon of Panagia Malteza (Our Lady from Malta) is said to have been found near Malta.

The rock of Skaros is located in Imerovigli. The ruined castle on Skaros rock had been inhabited by the islanders during the period of the venetian occupation of Santorini. A wooden movable bridge allowed passage from the island to Skaros which had been fortified by the wall of the houses that had been built close each other. The settlement of Skaros protected the locals against piracy which was a very serious problem during that period. However, they were limited in terms of space and given that piratical attacks had stopped in the 18th century while earth fallings menaced their lives, the residents of the castle moved to the island.

Panagia Theoskepasti church has been built on the front side of Skaros rock. It can be reached through a path that begins at the caldera of Imerovigli and connects it with Skaros.