Things to do in Vlichada

Vlichada, spelled Vlychada on most maps, sits on the south coast of Santorini. It is a harbour, not a town. Most things to do in Vlichada start at the marina.

Harbour, beach and tomato factory

The cliffs behind the beach are pumice from the Minoan eruption of about 1600 BC. Akrotiri, the town that eruption buried, lies 8 kilometres west by road. Perissa's black beach is 6 kilometres east by road.

• Marina. Fishing boats land their catch here, and fish tavernas face the quays. The day boats leave from the same harbour.
• Beach. Dark sand and pebbles, backed by pale cliffs that wind and rain have sculpted.
• Tomato Industrial Museum. The Nomikos family built the factory in 1945, and it closed in 1981. Since 2014 it has been a museum, with machines from 1890. Visitors can seal their own can of paste.

What gets booked

Tours in Vlichada mostly go by boat. Cruises run west along the south coast first. Red Beach, White Beach and the Akrotiri lighthouse come before the caldera, its hot springs and Thirassia.

• Catamaran. A five-hour group cruise with a barbecue lunch, drinks and hotel transfers.
• Private yacht. The same five hours on a private boat, with the route open to change on request.
• Diving. One dive takes about three and a half hours and two take five. The two-dive day is for certified divers.
• Horse riding. A 90-minute ride for a small group, from a stable near the village along field trails to the beach.

The catamaran sells by the seat. The private yacht is priced per boat, at many times the price of a seat, so it suits only a large party.

Practical

• Weather. July and August afternoons reach 30C, and nights stay near 23C. January afternoons reach 14C. Of about 270 millimetres of rain a year, almost none falls from June to September.
• Getting here. Fira is about 12 kilometres north by road, a quarter of an hour by car. The airport is a 20-minute drive.
• Museum. The tomato museum is a seasonal stop and closes on Mondays.
• Riding. Wear long trousers and closed shoes.