Santorini Perissa

beach report and Perissa map

Santorini Perissa beach

Facing south-east and sitting at the northern end of a long 7km beach, is PERISSA, an attractive alternative to nearby Kamari which lies north over the headland of the Mesa Vouno mountain.
Perissa beach is another stretch of coarse grained black sand but it is a resort that is notably less busy than its neighbour. It is much favoured for its watersports with windsurfing, parasailing and water skiing on offer, as well as a couple of diving centres.
Perissa beach turns into Perivolos the further south you go and then into Agios Georgios beach, with no particular markers to determine where one beach begins and another ends.
Perissa is the more popular of the three beaches while Perivolos tends to be a little more up-market and attracts the younger beach clubbing crowds.
Tavernas, cafes and bars run along the back of Perissa beach with shops and mini-markets a little further inland. The nearby Byzantine church of Agia Irini is worth a visit, especially at the end of August and mid September when festivals get into full swing in honour of the island's saint.
The Basilica Agios Irini dates from the 5th century and an excavation of the site started in 1992. There is also a museum here that has fine displays of rare plant fossils.
One of the largest churches on the island, Timiou Stavrou can be found in Perissa square. The original church dated from 1835 but was destroyed by the 1956 earthquake and later rebuilt. There are regular buses from Perissa square to Fira, about 13km away.
Near to Perissa is the village of Emborio, well worth a visit to escape the beach crowds. It's the largest village on Santorini and one of the island's original fortified castles.