Multiple earthquakes are rattling Santorini, a volcanic island in Greece, prompting authorities to dispatch rescuers with tents, a sniffer dog and drones, and to shut schools on four islands.
21.01.2025 - 20:07 / lonelyplanet.com
Jan 21, 2025 • 10 min read
Life in Greece has always taken place in public view, whether that means old-timers talking politics at the local kafeneio (coffee house) or families gathering in neighborhood squares while the kids play late into the evening. And Greek villages, from seashore hubs to mountain escapes, are quintessential places to experience daily life in the Med – and to practice using a few words of Greek!
If you want to dive into some local life on a trip to Greece, here are the best places to experience village life.
The sun-dried hills in the south of the island of Chios are covered in mastic plantations, which gave the island its fame. Though mastic trees do grow elsewhere in the Aegean, Chios has for centuries been the sole commercial producer of mastic gum, used to make chewing gum, food and medicine.
The mastic trees thrive in a fertile, reddish territory known as the Mastihohoria; its stunning medieval villages, each uniquely designed, were built as fortresses protecting farmers from invaders and pirates. The region’s main draw is that a number of the old stone houses have been converted into boutique hotels and pensions, providing highly atmospheric accommodation.
The Mastihohoria’s largest village, Pyrgi, looks like a magic jewelry box, with house facades decorated in intricate grey-and-white patterns, some geometric and others based on flowers, leaves and animals. The technique used to create these designs, called xysta, uses equal amounts of cement, volcanic sand and lime (calcium oxide), as well as a bent fork and a fine eye. Another highlight is Pyrgi’s central square – flanked by tavernas, shops and the little 12th-century Church of Agios Apostolos.
A short trip to the northwest, Mesta is just as memorable. Its romantic stone alleyways, adorned with flowers and intricate balconies, are completely enclosed by thick defensive walls – the work of Chios’ former Genoese rulers, who built this fortress town in the 14th century.
The village is an ingenious example of medieval defensive architecture, featuring a double set of walls, four gates and a pentagonal structure, with the larger of two impressive Churches of the Taxiarhes at the center. Connected to Mesta by a scenic monopati (a traditional trail now used by hikers), Olymbi is a smaller and less crowded version of the same idea, with a few quality tavernas.
Apiranthos grows out of the rocky flanks of 883m (2897ft) Mt Fanari on the island of Naxos, and its unadorned stone houses and marble-paved streets reflect a rugged sense of individualism that is matched by the villagers themselves.
Many residents are descendants of refugees from Crete, and the village’s distinctive dialect reflects this heritage. These days, the village is best
Multiple earthquakes are rattling Santorini, a volcanic island in Greece, prompting authorities to dispatch rescuers with tents, a sniffer dog and drones, and to shut schools on four islands.
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Multiple earthquakes are rattling Santorini, a volcanic island in Greece, prompting authorities to dispatch rescuers with tents, a sniffer dog and drones, and to shut schools on four islands.
The popular Greek isle of Santorini and several neighboring islands have been preparing for an earthquake after experiencing four days of tremors, adding flights off the island, closing schools and deploying disaster response units as precautionary measures.
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A spike in seismic activity has raised concerns of a potentially powerful earthquake on the Greek island of Santorini, prompting some residents and travelers to evacuate as a preemptive safety measure.
Schools were closed and emergency crews deployed on the volcanic Greek island of Santorini on Monday after a spike in seismic activity raised concerns about a potentially powerful earthquake.
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