Kamari, famous for its black sand beach, is a good example of the way mass tourism on Santorini island has sharply developed in the last years. It is definitely the result of a powerful business development and that's why Kamari is full of hotels, studios, rooms for rent, camping sites, bungalows, an open air cinema (where every year in August, a great jazz festival is held), restaurants and taverns, cafes, bars and nightclubs, souvenir shops and much more.
Its beach is about 7 km long and it is full of umbrellas and sunbeds, with chalets and beach bars, while beach organization is equal to the great tourist destinations worldwide with water activities such as scuba diving, parasailing, water scooter, horseback riding, wine tours and tasting of local wines organized by one of the many wine bars and winery in the village.
The Mesa Vounò mountain that dominates Kamari, separating the village from Perissa beach, houses an important archaeological site: "Ancient Thira". The site offers visitors some remains of an ancient Christian church, some temples, houses, an amphitheater and some ancient frescoes. Towards the center of the site you can visit the Agora, the square where the main marketplace was. Some of the ruins are in fair condition, although most of the site has only a few stones. It can be reached via a very impressive scenic route, to do with a scooter or car. The peak is over 300 m. high and hence it dominates the entire island (but beware of the strong wind).
Hotel, Studios and Apartments in Kamari, Santorini:
Distances from Kamari to Santorini beaches:
Beaches on the north and north-east coast: 18km
(Ammoudi bay, Baxedes beach, Paradisos beach, Koloumbo beach, Pori beach)
Spiagge sulla costa sud e sud-ovest: 14km
(Red Beach, White Beach, Kambia beach, Mesa Pigadia beach)
Perissa and Perivolos beaches: 12km
Vlychada beach: 12km
Monolithos beach: 3km
