Random facts about Santorini

Santorini is highly acclaimed for the dramatic views and stunning sunsets, and is considered to be one of the most romantic and beautiful of the Greek Isles. The exquisitely clear waters, perched on the rim of a massive active volcano in the middle of the sea, will certainly skip a beating heart. The mix of whitewashed buildings, towering cliffs and turquoise blue waters set against an endless blue sky will provide no shortage of photo ops or lasting memories.

While you may have seen or heard about the stunning views of Santorini, did you know these interesting facts about the Greek Isle?

There is so little rain on the island of Santorini, that wine in more plentiful than water.
There are more churches than houses on Santorini, however most are small and private.
Pumice stones on the island is a huge export business, as well as used as an inexpensive local building material.
Only 15,000 people live on the island, however over 1.5 million visit each year.
The Venetians built over 500 castles on the island in order to protect it from pirates. Since the island was inhabited by the Venetians, many of the churches are not Greek Orthodox, but rather Catholic.

There are more donkeys than men.
Because it’s so windy on Santorini, the farmers and vineyards grow crops in a unique way…for example, the wine grapes are grown on the ground in bunches rather than on vines.
The reason there are so many white homes/buildings with blue roofs is the significance of the colors. Blue and White represent the colors of the Greek flag. White represents purity, and blue symbolizes the sky and the sea.
The wine grapes on Santorini are grown with no irrigation! The vines get all their necessary fluid from the moisture within the humid air.
There are over 100 varieties of grapes in Santorini.

Until 1960, there was no electricity, only donkeys and fishermen.
Santorini is so nice, even Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt call the island home…at least part time.

If you know of any other interesting facts about the Greek Island of Santorini, please leave a comment below.

Mike Shubic

Mike Shubic is a seasoned road trip travel video blogger, traversing the byways of the world looking for those hidden gems of the road. From unique destinations, unexpected discoveries, creative cuisine, intriguing inns to exciting attractions…the road is his page. The experiences are his ink. And every 300 miles, a new chapter begins. Whether you live vicariously or by example, Mike will do the exploring so you can have an adventure.

10 Comments

Amira says:

September 24, 2017 at 7:30 pm

We were told that the reason behind building the houses with dome shape is that it is more stable in case of an earthquick … just check this info
1. Mike Shubic says:
  
  October 24, 2017 at 8:15 pm
  
  Okay, will do. Thanks for the info.
lexi says:

May 14, 2018 at 1:13 pm

itsssss good fatcs
1. Mike Shubic says:
  
  May 23, 2018 at 8:12 pm
  
  Thx!
Jonah says:

February 6, 2019 at 2:15 pm

Good facts
1. Mike Shubic says:
  
  February 6, 2019 at 10:29 pm
  
  Thank you…glad you enjoyed them.
Ellen says:

April 11, 2020 at 3:12 am

Some really interesting things about Santorini…thanks for sharing.