A traditional Santorini cave house is built on and dug into the slope of the caldera rim. Characteristic of the local architecture, it is a cubical and vaulted house with small windows.

The launch of the latest whl.travel portal in Greece, www.santorini-hotels-travel.com, lets travellers tap into the incomparable local wisdom and insights of George and Marika of Mega Travel Advisors. Their family-owned business has been operating for over 30 years and takes great pride in delivering the kind of care and personalised service that bring Santorini to life.

“We want to show travellers the true side of Santorini! Many visitors only see the busy town life and never experience the peaceful islander side of Santorini,” said Marika. “There are many nice, hospitable local people who are active in preserving their cultural traditions in religious celebrations. For example, still today, neighbourhood ladies get together to prepare the festivities, called Panigiria, and are proud of sharing them!”

At the heart of Santorini lies the alluring capital of Fira, a city defined by its fusion of traditional Cycladic and Venetian architecture. Situated atop an almost vertical cliff, the city is accessible from the port only via cable car or by climbing a daunting 588-step flight of stairs to the city gates. The reward is a stunning one-of-a-kind ensemble of white-cobblestone streets, flourishing traditional Santorini markets and shops, and beautiful Santorini hotels.

Santorini is a popular destination for local Greek celebrities and dignitaries both because of its beauty and its abounding historical and cultural significance. Considered one of the most important Minoan settlements of ancient times, Santorini is the leading archaeological locus for researchers investigating this mysterious civilisation, one of the greatest remains of which is the perfectly preserved city of Akrotiri. Like the ancient Italian city of Pompeii, Akrotiri was entombed thousands of years ago beneath a thick layer of volcanic ash. Accessible to sightseers, Akrotiri has become one of the sites for Santorini tours.

In Pyrgos village of Santorini, a folklore dance is performed on the main square by locals wearing Cretan-style clothing

Santorini’s tempestuous volcanic past is hard to ignore in its geography too. The island is actually a caldera, the aftermath of one of the largest known volcanic eruptions in history. Fortunately, today, what’s been left behind are the towering cliffs and unique beaches famous for their dramatically distinctive rock colours. A relaxing ‘beach crawl’ reveals just how aptly the Red, White, and Black beaches are named.

While seismic shocks are now considerably less threatening than long ago, a visit to the active crater at Nea Kameni is nevertheless a reminder that the earth is very much alive. Whether tours stops at the hot springs of Palea Kameni for an opportunity to swim in springs imbued with heat and minerals from deep below the earth’s crust, or sail past rocky outcroppings of the caldera, Santorini is revealed to be utterly breathtaking.

Santorini is the newest whl.travel portal in Greece, following Athens, Corfu and Thessaloniki (read more about Thessaloniki).