Fira is the capital city of the island nowadays known as Santorini. This island is part of the archipelago of the Cyclades, in Greece, and one of the most interesting ones from a historic and archaeological point of view. Besides this, Santorini and Fira offer beautiful landscapes and many amazing beaches, turning this destination into an ideal one for tourists of all ages and preferences.

The actual name of this capital, Fira derivates from the ancient name of Thira, a name after which the entire island was known in the past. This capital, as well as the entire island of Santorini has several interesting things to offer as well as beautiful coastlines and beaches. Despite of the high amount of tourists who visit Santorini, usually it is possible to find non crowded beaches in which to relax and sunbath while enjoying a peaceful environment.

Fira is a very popular destination and receives important amounts of tourists on a regular basis who approach attracted by its natural beauty and the several interesting spots they can meet. It counts with all the facilities and commodities tourists could need, allowing them to have fun and relax while being able to find almost anything they could need.

The central area of this city has a wide variety of shops, restaurants, cafes, and bars. This spot is very attractive during day time as well as during night, since many bars and pubs are open until late, in such a way that usually, and in difference to other nearby islands, it is possible to see people in the city streets at almost any hour of the day.

The main port of the island of Santorini is also located in Fira. This port, called Athinio, is constantly receiving ferries and cruise ships from a wide variety of origins, and allows tourists to easily visit other locations while being in this destination. While being in Santorini, tourists also count with a wide range of options for visiting its different spots, such as by car, on foot, by bike, or even by donkey or a cable car.

by Jakob Jelling -
http://www.eurotomic.com/greece/fira-the-capital-of-santorini.php

by TtS - Athinios is the mail port of Santorini but is not located in Fira, but some 8 km to the South. Gialos is the port below Fira (the old port of Santorini) with no car access. It is the famous donkey ride or teleferik spot.