Thirasia

When the volcanic eruption of the Bronze Age blew the centre out of the island, Thirasia was left as a separate fragment of the same caldera rim, and it has stayed apart ever since: around two hundred permanent residents, one main village, no airport, no resorts and no cruise ships. Manolas, the capital, sits on the cliff edge three hundred steps above the little port of Korfos, with the same caldera view Santorini sells for a premium and almost nobody standing in it. Below and around are cave houses, some abandoned after the 1956 earthquake, terraced vineyards, the monastery of Agios Irini and a few tavernas. Day boats from Santorini stop for a couple of hours; staying overnight is a different experience entirely.

What you actually see

• Manolas - the clifftop village with a caldera view and few visitors.
• The steps from Korfos - a stair climb from the port to the village.
• The abandoned cave houses - dwellings left after the 1956 earthquake.
• The terraced vineyards - low basket-trained vines on volcanic soil.

When to go

Late spring and early autumn; day boats and ferries run through summer, and winter service is minimal. Evening on the cliff after the day boats leave is the point of coming.

Honest expectations

Facilities are few: a handful of tavernas, a couple of rooms, limited shopping and no bank. The climb from the port is steep and hot, though donkeys and a road exist. Ferry timings are awkward and change seasonally.

Nearby

Oia and Ammoudi are across the water; the volcano islets of Nea and Palea Kameni lie in the caldera.