Santorini, Greece

#100waysoftravel #santori #europe Situated in the southern Aegean Sea, Santorini is a small group of five Cycladic islands consisting of the main island of Thera; Therasia and Aspronisi on the outer edge; and two lava islands. All five surround a large caldera, essentially a sunken caldera, a bowl-shaped crater formed when the rim of a volcano collapses. But during the Bronze Age, some 5,000 years ago, Santorini was a volcanic landmass called Stronghyle (meaning 'round' in Greek), and one that played a significant role in shaping history. Around this time, a civilisation began to develop on the nearby island of Crete. Its inhabitants were the Minoans, named after the mythical King Mythos, a learned and enigmatic man who was a warrior but also a trader, artist and sailor.