Imerovigli: Local History and the Caldera Path

Imerovigli combines local history with a path along the edge of the Caldera that leads to Oia and offers views of the sea, the Caldera, and the volcano. In the village itself, churches and the explanation of the place name offer further points of interest. If you’re looking for a holiday apartment on Santorini, you can consider which of these themes you’d like to shape your stay most.

The path along the edge of the Caldera

The path along the edge of the Caldera runs from Imerovigli to Oia and offers views of the sea, the Caldera, and the volcano. If, when planning your trip, you’d particularly like to take a path with these views into account, the route offers a concrete reference point when choosing where to stay. It connects two named places and gives your travel plans a clear scenic focus.

The name, Skaros Rock, and local history

The place name Imerovigli is explained as combining the Latin word “vigilare” (to keep watch) and the Greek word “imera” (day). It is also associated with the days when pirate ships sailed through the Aegean. Thus, the explanation of the name brings together two linguistic roots and a maritime connection.

Near Imerovigli, a fortified settlement stood on Skaros Rock; it is now in ruins. It comprised around 200 houses, as well as churches and monasteries. The view of Skaros adds the history of a settlement with many buildings and religious structures to the explanation of the name.

Churches with distinctive features

The Church of the Resurrection in Imerovigli has a distinctive blue dome. Two other churches offer specific dates in the village’s building history: St. George dates from 1960, and Panagia Malteza was built in 1972 to replace an earlier church. Together, these churches bring a striking architectural feature and two different dates into focus.

Santorini in the wider context of your trip

The wider destination of Santorini also has geological and geographical connections to explore. Santorini is the southernmost island of the Cyclades; its Caldera was formed by a massive eruption around 1600 BC. The island group is characterized by a landscape with active volcanoes.

Other hiking trails on Santorini connect Pyrgos with Profitis Ilias, Emporio, and Ancient Thera. This lets you compare the route from Imerovigli to Oia with other named hiking destinations on Santorini and take your interests into account when planning your trip.

The regional cuisine also offers its own themes. Santorini Fava is a product with a protected designation of origin, made from the cotyledons of the legume Lathyrus clymenum L., which grows exclusively in Thera’s volcanic soil. The Santorini tomato also has a protected designation of origin and has been cultivated since the beginning of the 19th century.

Which priorities suit your choice of accommodation?

When looking for a holiday apartment in Imerovigli, it helps to consider one specific question: should local history, including Skaros and the churches, take centre stage, or is the path to Oia the main reason to consider the village as a place to stay? If you’re balancing different preferences with your family, you can weigh cultural history against the views along a particular path.

Discover more destinations: Ano Meria, Agkali, Anafi, Akrotírion, Agia Theodoti, Perissa, Vothonas, Agios Georgios.

Go to the overview of destinations: Santorini.