Want to find out a bit more about the history of the island? Here in the heart of the city, opposite the cable car station, is the unmissable Archaeological Museum of Santorini.  The building that houses it was built in 1960 by the Ministry of Public Works to replace the old museum, which, like most things on the island, was destroyed after the earthquake of 1956. 

The visit takes less than an hour and takes you on a tour of numerous sculptures that date from the Archaic period to the Roman period, in addition to other pieces dating from the Hellenistic period. It contains a wide variety of objects, including ceramics, vases, inscriptions and terracotta figurines, from the excavations at Akrotiri, as well as finds from the site of Ancient Thira, dating from between 1896 and 1900.

The wonderful exhibits include red and black vases from the fifth century BC, stunning frescoes, sculptures from the Hellenistic period and samples of Byzantine craftsmanship. There are some true gems.

If you want to know more about the history of Santorini after the visit, we recommend you visit the other three major archaeological sites on the island: the Prehistoric Museum of Thira, the ruins of Akrotiri and Ancient Thira, which stands on Mesa Vouno.