Akrotiri Archaeological Site

Bronze Age Minoan city preserved under volcanic ash since 1600 BC

The Bronze Age settlement of Akrotiri was buried by volcanic ash around 1600 BC, preserving it in extraordinary detail. Multi-storey buildings, frescoes, pottery, and a sophisticated drainage and sewage system are all visible under the large protective roof that covers the excavation. It is often compared to Pompeii, but predates it by more than a thousand years.

The site has been excavated since 1967 by archaeologists from the University of Athens. Many of the best frescoes — vivid paintings of antelopes, boxers, fishermen, and a famous flotilla scene — were removed to the National Archaeological Museum in Athens, but reproductions are displayed here. Allow at least two hours, and pick up an audio guide at the entrance.

The site is about 12 km south of Fira, near the village of Akrotiri. Buses run from Fira's main terminal, or you can combine a visit with a stop at the Red Beach, a ten-minute walk away.

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A story
Unlike Pompeii, no human remains have been found at Akrotiri. The population appears to have evacuated before the eruption, perhaps warned by earthquakes in the weeks before. They left behind their possessions, their frescoes, and their buildings — but took their lives with them. The city's remarkable state of preservation, with multi-storey structures, painted walls, and intact drainage systems, suggests a sophisticated urban civilisation that simply vanished one morning and never returned.