BY: Tammy Tan

THEY say sunsets in Santorini are the best in the world, and it's no exaggeration.

Like a ball of molten fire, the sun marks its descent every evening by sending streaks of yellow, orange, pink and red across the brilliantly blue sky.

The tapestry of colours, enhanced by volcanic fumes in the air, is then mirrored exactly in the glistening blue Aegean waters below, painting a picture so perfect that the Greek isle has been named the world's top sunset viewing spot by Travelers Digest, pipping even the Serengeti in Tanzania and the Great Pyramids in Egypt.

Indeed, Santorini's beauty is legendary.

One of its greatest admirers was Plato, who famously postulated the theory that the Greek isle is really the lost city of Atlantis - a concept that has fired the imagination of writers, artists and mystics since.

Located 225km from Athens, or 30 minutes by plane, Santorini is a small, circular archipelago of volcanic islands located in the Aegean.

It was named Santorini in the 13th century by the Latin empire and is a reference to Saint Irene. Before that, it had been known as Kallist ("the most beautiful one"), Strongyl ("the circular one") and Thera ("doorway").

The Santorini of today is still beautiful but no longer circular. A catastrophic earthquake 3,600 years ago broke the island up into several pieces and created the world's only underwater caldera.

Visitors to this caldera, or flooded crater, are greeted by dizzying cliffs and dazzling white villages plastered like dollops of whipped cream on the sky-hugging rim.

One such village is Fira, the island's capital. Strategically located on the cliff's edge, 260m above the sea and accessible only by foot, it is a thriving town boasting many jewellery and clothing stores, art galleries, cafes, pubs and restaurants.

Its top-rated restaurant, Selene, is world famous and justifiably so. Perched on the caldera's edge, Selene uses local produce to highlight what owners Evelyn and George Hatziyiannakis call the "creative nature of Greek cuisine".

The appetisers, including a fish soup with homemade ravioli of scampi, are delicious, and main courses such as the baked mackerel with caper leaves and tomato wrapped in a crepe of fava beans are yummy enough to tempt the most devoted of vegans. So if you have time for only one meal on Santorini, have it here.

While at Fira, make sure you take the cable car ride to the port below. It lasts only three minutes but is exhilarating - and certainly less taxing than tackling the 597 steps down.

At the port, you can take one of the many excursion boats out to the volcanic islets of Palea Kameni ("Old Burnt One") and Nea Kameni ("New Burnt One").

There, you can take a dip in the hot springs of Palea Kameni or climb to the top of the still-active Nea Kameni volcano, where you will see the steam rising from the crater walls.

Here, right in the centre of the caldera, you will be able to enjoy one of the most staggeringly beautiful views of the whole of Santorini.

When you arrive back at Fira port, resist the temptation of the cable car and hop onto one of the donkeys for a ride you will never forget.

If you are into history, visit the Archaeological Museum which is located opposite the cable car station. Here, you will see archaeological finds from the excavated sites of Akrotiri and ancient Thira, Cycladic statues and Roman sculpture.

The museum of prehistoric Thira also has a marvellous collection of wall paintings from ancient Akrotiri - recently returned to their island home after much pressure was applied to the National Archaeological Museum in Athens.

See the paintings first, then make a trip to the Akrotiri site on the south coast of the island to get a flavour of how people lived before the cataclysmic volcanic eruption centuries ago.

From Akrotiri, walk to the nearby Red Beach. When it comes to beaches in Santorini, typical sand colours do not always apply. The Red Beach is a perfect example of this. Its mesmerising stretch of red sand is set against a stunning backdrop of red cliffs.

Such natural beauty is irresistible and many tourists and locals can be seen soaking up the sun on the beach chairs in the warm spring and summer months.

If red's not your colour, then head towards the Black Beach that stretches along the coast of the villages Perivolos, Perissa, Kamari and Monolithos. Here, the beach looks much like a disco floor - jet black and specks of shiny crystals sparkling all over.

If prolonged exposure to the sun is not your thing, head towards Oia (pronounced E-ah) in the far north. This swanky village is quieter than tourist-frenzied Fira but no less stunning.

The architecture of Oia is typical of Santorini, with houses sunk deep into the volcanic soil, their whitewashed walls and blue domes sparkling in the sunlight.

Right at the edge of Oia stands the remains of the Kasteli (Castle) of Agios Nikolaos, which was destroyed in the
earthquake of 1956. Much of this resplendent castle has since tumbled into the sea but its remains are still drawing the crowds, who flock there every evening to soak in the unobstructed view of the amazing sunset.

And really, who can blame them?

This article was first published in Life!, The Straits Times on July 1, 2008.