Perissa

Perissa is a small village 13 kilometers from Fira, located on the east coast of the island of Santorini, just a little way down from the Kamari resort.

Here, you'll find one of the island's most spectacular and stunning beaches, with dark sands slipping into crystal-clear sea. The Perissa beach is characterized by a huge rock rising from the sea. The rock is lighted by night and offers a great spectacle. The village owes its evolution mainly to this beach, which has turned it into a popular resort.

The location of Perissa makes it an ideal place to base your exploration of Santorini as you can travel up the coast to Kamari or travel south and pay a visit to Akrotiri. It is serviced by local buses from Fira, which run on a frequent schedule, especially in summer.

Here you can find umbrellas and sun beds for rent, mini markets, sea sports, atmospheric Greek taverns and restaurants catering for your every needs taking inspiration mainly from Greek and Italian cuisine. Here you can tan up on a sun lounger or chill out under an umbrella with a refreshing cocktail.

Perissa provides a selection of water sports facilities, diving schools and a water park with three pools and water slides, making an excellent family day out for those looking for an alternative to the beach.

A wide variety of hotels, rooms to let and villas for rent, luxurious as well as budget options available that offer comfortable and relaxing accommodation. Due to nearby camping the beach thrives mainly with younger crowd.

The village is situated just a few kilometers from Ancient Thira, a classic city on a ridge of the steep that was inhabited from the 9th century BC until 726 AD. There is an ancient theatre, the ancient market, the ruins of a temple of Apollo, a shrine of Egyptian deities and many buildings from the Hellenistic period. A path starting from Perissa village leads to the ancient city. You can walk but donkey trips are also available for those who wish to follow the route the old-fashioned way.

There are local churches to visit. The 5 storey church of the Holy Cross located in Perissa square, was originally built in 1840 but largely rebuilt after it was hit hard by the 1956 Santorini earthquake. The Byzantine Agia Irini (Santa Irini), from which the name Santorini derived) and a nice little church with a great view of the village, Panagia Katefiani, which is located some 200 meters up the mountain of Mesa Vouno.

You should pay a visit to the Museum of Minerals and Fossils is located at the main square, close to the Church of the Holy Cross and houses a fine exhibition of prehistoric minerals and fossils, not only from Santorini, but also from Greece and beyond. The oldest item on exhibit dates back some 1.5 billion years, while some more recent ones only go as far back as 50,000 years.

Perissa can get busy, but there are quieter stretches to visit along the coast for a change of scene, and water taxis heading out along the shores.