Santorini is not just an island or another pleasant destination for vacation; it is an unforgettable experience. A unique combination of volcanic soil, white-washed villages hanging from steep cliffs, the perpetual contrast of light and shadows, and the amazing Caldera, offers to the visitor the opportunity to be the witness of incredible beauty.
One of the island’s characteristics is the cave houses, the most traditional building structures of Santorini. In contrast to the captain houses where the richer people and the ship owners used to live, cave houses were for centuries the shelter of the poorer families. Small, simple, with no foundations, were partly or entirely carved into the rock – literally. They were oblong structures, with a vaulted roof and a narrow façade. The door with the skylight above it and the two windows were the only openings providing light and air to the interior. Due to the insulating qualities of the soil, the cave houses were warm in the winter and cool during the summer. Furthermore, they were extremely resilient in case of earthquakes.
The old cave houses usually consisted of two rooms. The front room included the kitchen and the “living room”, and the back comprised the bedroom, with a built wall which separated it from the front room. Other interesting elements of the construction are the carved recesses, built furniture, stairs, ovens and chimneys, as well as the flower beds in the yard.
Many times, the cave houses stand so close to one another that their volumes interpenetrate – a part of one house becomes also a part of another house, seeming as if they are “knitted” together. This, combined with the morphological peculiarities of the island, creates a spectacular landscape.
Modern cavemen in a timeless paradise
Today, the visitor has the opportunity to experience the accommodation in a cave house with all the amenities – a modern caveman in a timeless paradise.
Happiness is a string of pearls made of special moments. Standing on the terrace of one of Santorini Paradise’s amazing cave houses, floating between the sky and the sea, breathing in the incredible view of the Caldera melting under the sun, is such a moment, unique and priceless.
