Fira Santorini, Fira Capital of Santorini, Fira village

Fira village is the capital of Santorini island. The village stands out like a white eagles' nest, hanging between sea and sky. The climb from the bay to the Fira can be made by foot for those who want to try their strength, climbing 600 steps of the road, or with cable railroad. Climbing the steps with a mule had been a tradition on Santorini for years, until 10 years ago when the cable car made its appearance. The Swiss-made cable car, also known as the "teleferique," was installed as a gift from the wealthy Santorini ship owner Nomikos, whose ships are regular customers to the island. This made things easier for tourists who had luggage to carry with them as the mules were overworked. Of course, the mule owners did not loose completely on the deal as a percentage of the money earned from the cable car is given to the mule owners.

The capitol of the island was moved to Fira from Pyrgos Kalistis in the begging of the 19th century. Now Fira is growing town with a population of about 2000 people, which lives in the present but tries to retain the local traditions of the past.

In the summer, a loud and good natured crowd of people strolls, carefree, on the roads which are parallel to the cliff and the small streets that cross them. The central part of the Fira, the market , is here. Numerous shops offer a great variety of merchandise, satisfying even the most demanding customers. Also, the offered , from the cheapest (cotton shirts and blouses) to the most expensive (furs and jewellery) give it particular accent which is quite interesting to the visitors. The visit to the picturesque market of Fira is a pleasant walk. Small houses dug in the land, one or two storied, have a view of either the sea or the land. Lit and crowded against each other , as they are, on the top of the cliff, they seem to be wanting to support each other, so they can reach outward, over the abyss.
Fira is a comparatively modern town, with houses built mostly during the 19th century when the old Venetian capital at Skaros became untenable due to earthquakes. The architecture is a jumble of Cycladic and Venetian, side by side, the similarities between the two being the stark whiteness. The impact of Aegean tourism has made itself felt in Fira, judging from the abundance of taverns, hotels, discotheques and shops. It is the largest town on the island and has gained preference with travellers because it is central and access to other parts of Santorini is made easy by either taxi or bus.
Straight lines are unknown, everything is in curves, giving a unique architectural characteristics to the houses of Fira which are sunk inside the earth. "Skafta" (dug) as the locals call them, they are built from stone and earth fro island.

Do not wonder if, when passing trough the door or a building which is, at first glance, one storied, you walk many steps down and yet do not end in some dank and dark basement, but, when you open your window, you see the sea reflecting the sun, although you have descended two or three stories inside the earth.
But besides being so interesting archaeologically, Santorini is essentially a beauty spot, an island whose cliffs seem to glow under an exceptionally clear light all day, but which at sunset glow red, evoking that vast explosion more than 3.000 years ago...