🇬🇷 Episode 3 — Pyrgos, Emporio and Megalochori: Santorini’s villages

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Stairs, small squares and uphill lanes: we began 29 October by exploring Pyrgos.

We left the caldera villages for the island’s interior. Pyrgos, Emporio’s windmills and Megalochori add another dimension to the familiar images: still white buildings, but different heritage and scenery.

A useful detail: Santorini is also wine country. Assyrtiko, the local grape variety, is trained in low basket shapes to withstand the wind. You will spot the vines while driving.

Pyrgos and its Venetian castle

In Pyrgos, houses and passages cluster around the old fortified centre. The remains do not form an intact castle; they blend into today’s village. Walking the lanes reveals this older layout while opening up views across the island.

Pyrgos is a hilltop village, best discovered by following its lanes uphill.

Passages, steps and little squares lead towards the Venetian castle remains. The higher you climb, the wider the views across the island.

We enjoyed the walk, small cafés and freedom to wander without chasing a list of monuments.

Explore Pyrgos on foot, allowing time to climb, stop and come back down. It deserves more than a photograph. The road towards the Prophet Elijah monastery, at the island’s highest point, starts here; we did not visit it.

Emporio’s windmills

The windmills harnessed the wind to grind grain. After the caldera terraces, they are a reminder of Santorini’s agricultural history.

We continued to Emporio’s windmills.

They recall an older island industry and add a different silhouette to the landscape. After villages clinging to cliffs, this is Santorini seen from inland.

We included them in our drive around the island. It is a pleasant photography stop: frame the buildings with the surrounding terrain.

Megalochori and its six-bell tower

Megalochori’s six-bell tower is the landmark you recognise immediately.

But we did not stop there: the village unfolds in the surrounding streets, among façades, doors and little squares.

The pleasure of this day was linking villages with distinct characters. It was refreshing to look beyond the caldera panoramas.

Our base at Nano Suites

For our final three nights, we booked Nano Suites at around US$88 per night in 2023.

We liked the accommodation, breakfast and views from this part of the island. It let us keep exploring while easing the budget after our night in Oia.

Access needs attention: the last stretch is on foot, uphill, and nearby parking was limited.

The team helped us with our luggage on arrival, which was welcome with two heavy suitcases.

A small car makes a big difference

We had requested a small car but received a much bulkier estate.

It was fine on the main roads, but far less convenient near the accommodation, in narrow access lanes and when manoeuvring.

Next time we would choose a compact and check each hotel’s parking arrangements before booking.

Our day on 29 October continues with Zoodochos Pigi cave, Perissa and Red Beach. Find the order of our stops in our 11-day Greece itinerary.

Map: Santorini

Find our sightseeing stops, accommodation and restaurants. Suggested places we did not visit are marked separately on the map.

Episodes from our trip to Greece

• Full itinerary — Greece in 11 days: Santorini, Meteora, Delphi and Athens
• 🇬🇷 Episode 1 — Oia and Ammoudi: our first steps in Santorini
• 🇬🇷 Episode 2 — Imerovigli and Skaros: our favourite views in Santorini
• 🇬🇷 Episode 3 — Pyrgos, Emporio and Megalochori: Santorini’s villages
• 🇬🇷 Episode 4 — Southern Santorini: Zoodochos Pigi, Perissa and Red Beach
• 🇬🇷 Episode 5 — Santorini boat trip: volcano, hot springs and Thirassia
• 🇬🇷 Episode 6 — Santorini sunsets: our viewpoints and favourite restaurants
• 🇬🇷 Episode 7 — Meteora in two days: monasteries, viewpoints and a walk
• 🇬🇷 Episode 8 — Visiting Delphi: Apollo’s sanctuary, museum and Athena Pronaia
• 🇬🇷 Episode 9 — Athens: our visits from the Acropolis to Lycabettus
• 🇬🇷 Episode 10 — Cape Sounion at sunset: the Temple of Poseidon

Planning your visit

Greek National Tourism Organisation.

Currency note: prices were paid in euros. US dollar amounts use an illustrative conversion of €1 = US$1.10 for readability; this is neither a live rate nor the rate applied to our 2023 payments.