Destination introduction
Imerovigli lies just over 3 kms away from Fira, the capital of the island of Santorini, connected to it by a spectacular walk along the path that skirts the rim of the caldera, where the still quietly active volcano continues to send lava to the surface of the deeply cobalt-coloured sea. A public road offers more conventional access by local bus or taxi. In contrast to the often frenetic Fira, Imerovigli retains its seclusion and is a place of upmarket villas and boutique hotels, many of them adapted from the traditional cave-dwellings of the island. Its whitewashed cubist-style houses and blue-domed churches are linked by terraces and steps and interspersed with alleys paved with pebbles, forming a mosaic that contrasts starkly with the sombre rocks and cliffs. The views are utterly breathtaking, especially at sunset, an absolute lure to photographers and painters. Entertainment is low-key here, with a few bars and shops selling crafts, fashionable jewellery and beach clothing and occasionally an open-air cinema – an interesting experience reminiscent of a less sophisticated era. Anyone in search of bright lights and nightlife, however, will find it all in Fira.