Santorini Kamari

beach report and Kamari map

Kamari Santorini

The traditional Santorini settlement at KAMARI is on the south-east coast and was completely rebuilt after the 1956 earthquake.
Kamari has since become a tourist hotspot, noted for its long beach of volcanic black sand. Serried ranks of sunbeds pack the shore and the big beach is backed by tree-shaded hotels, restaurants and bars.
Kamari beach is a coarse-grained black sand that absorbs the heat of the sun and so it can become insufferably hot by the middle of the day> Kamari beach requires some sort of footwear, both for protection against the heat and the sharp gritty pebbles.
Kamari offers a wealth of cafes, bars, restaurants, shops and supermarkets, as well as a lively nightlife. There is a long paved promenade at Kamari that runs parallel to the beach that is traffic free for the summer.
Kamari beach is well organized, with sunbeds, umbrellas, watersports and diving. There are frequent buses to Fira and the resort has all the usual tourist facilities such as car and biike hire, gift shops, bars and nightclubs.
The official name for Kamari village is Episkopi Gonia, which takes its name from the local church and which is the focus of a major village festival on August 15.
Kamari is also noted for its annual jazz festival and there is an outdoor cinema on the road to Fira.
Above Kamari are the ruins of Ancient Thera on the impressive mountain of Mesa Vouno,. The ancient site is up a narrow and twisting road but always worth a visit, not only for the archaeological treasures but also for the amazing views.