Everything on Santorini has to do with volcanic activity. The island, one of the most beautiful and popular in the Mediterranean, is part of a dormant volcano that last erupted more than 70 years ago. The Santorini caldera, or a large volcanic crater, appeared as we know it after a major Minoan eruption in the 17th century BC, which led to the collapse of the volcano’s mouth. This event may have inspired the legend of Atlantis – and this is where we travel in this episode.
The island of Santorini has 15,500 inhabitants, yet it annually hosts about 2 million tourists. As the Bering team arrived during the off-season, the streets and attractions were less crowded than at other times, which worked perfectly for us. Our first stop was at the industrial quarter in Vlychada village. We were visiting the Tomato Industrial Museum of D.Nomikos, the self-proclaimed King of tomatoes.
Blessed by the rich volcanic soil, Santorini agriculture requires no additional chemicals – everything grows naturally. D.Nomikos tomato factory is one of the better-established attractions on the island. It includes the production, founded in 1945, and the workers’ museum. Per the guide, the people on the island were eager to work in this factory, and the on- and off-duty stories of their lives are well documented in this museum. A souvenir that visitors take home from D.Nomikos most often is a can of tomato pasta, which they can close by themselves and glue the sticker on. There is one of these on B92 Papillon now.
Our ladies spent much time in casual and business-casual attire during these weeks, so they would take advantage of the opportunity to pose in gorgeous long dresses. A special spot dedicated to beauty photosets was theirs for several hours, and the results were as stunning as Santorini itself. In the meantime, while the light was cooperating, Bering videographers were filming another beauty – B92 Papillon.
The final stop of the day was the Santorini Wine Museum. We got there after the sunset and received a personal tour from the owner himself. A grand-grandson of the winery’s founder, he proudly presented the unique natural caves 8 meters below the surface, which serve as wine cellars and a museum. The museum idea came to his father, who, observing the work of the people who harvested for 1,5 months, stomped the grapes, put them through the press, and labored hard otherwise to produce the world-famous Santorini vines, deserved to have their museum. Like everything else, the museum was made with passion and love for the craft.
Testing white and red wines was a fantastic experience, and learning about the island through its peoples’ stories was no less great. One day in Santorini was too little, but we had to keep moving – with the promise to come back here for more tastes, memories, and experiences.