Pyrgos sits on the highest hill near the centre of Santorini, and was the island's capital until the early 19th century. Unlike the caldera-rim villages, it wasn't built for the view out to sea — it was built for defence, with narrow, maze-like lanes winding up toward a ruined Venetian kastelli at the summit, designed specifically to confuse pirate raiders.
The climb to the castle
The walk up through Pyrgos's stepped lanes, past centuries-old houses and small chapels, ends at the remains of the hilltop fortress. From the top, the view takes in most of the island at once — caldera, east coast and vineyards together — rather than the tight sea-and-cliff framing you get from Oia or Imerovigli. It's also one of the best, least crowded sunset spots on the island; see our sunset guide.
What else is here
Pyrgos has a genuinely local feel that the caldera villages have largely lost to tourism — working churches, small family tavernas, and, on Holy Friday, one of the most striking traditional events on the island; see our Easter in Pyrgos guide. It's also close to several of the wineries covered in our wine guide.
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