Monolithos

In the area of the existing Limeniskos Monolithos, on the island of Thira, mild activities related to the residential environment are developed, such as residences and small-scale cultivation, tourism and leisure activities with hotel units and catering facilities. These tourist facilities are mainly developed on the beach front both north and south of the settlement.

Near the existing harbor and specifically near the root of the northern arm there is one of the first tomato paste canning factories in the Balkans, built in 1922, but having changed its function. Today the factory building hosts various cultural events.

The settlement of Monolithos develops in front of the existing port, extends to the northwest, west and southwest of it and is characterized by sparse construction.

To the north of the existing harbor stretches the sandy swimming beach of Monolithos, while along the coastline there are other sandy beaches used by bathers during the summer season.

The settlement of Monolithos is connected by road to Fira through the local road network and then through the Provincial Roads Mesaria-Archaia Thira and Fira-Ormos Perissa to the North. The kilometer distance between the two settlements is approximately 5km. The connection of Monolithos with the central port of Athens is via the Provincial Roads of Mesaria-Archaia Thira and Fira-Ormos Perissa heading south. The kilometer distance between Monolith and the port of Athens is approximately 10km.

On the beach of Monolithos, many decades ago, two arms of stone and natural boulders have been built. The northern one is about 220m long, while the southern one is about 200m long.

In Thira, specifically in the eastern part of the island, the Santorini National Airport operates. This airport has been operating since 1976 and is located approximately 5 km from the capital of Santorini, Fira, while it is only 2.5 km from the settlement of Monolithos. The road connection between the airport and the settlement is via the local road network.

The existing port infrastructures of Monolithos and in particular its land area is included in the Landscape of Particular Natural Beauty which includes the whole island of Thira, the gulf of the volcano, as well as the islands of Mikri and Megali Kammeni, Thirasia and Aspronisi. The said T.I.F.K. has been determined with the no. 23732/28.09.1972 Decision of the Minister of Culture and Sciences (F.E.K. 820/B/7.10.1972), as it was republished with the Y.A. no. 23732/22.12.1972 (F.E.K. 1127/B/23.12.1972). With the re-publication, the above areas were declared as places of historical and special natural beauty in need of state protection.

In the wider study area and at a distance from the existing port infrastructures of Monolithos there are some protected areas of Law 3937/2011 (F.E.K. 60/A/31.03.2011). Specifically, the Special Area of Conservation (SAC: Special Area of Conservation) of the European Ecological Network Natura 2000 is found closest to the study area with the name Santorini: New and Old Kameni – Prophet Ilias and code GR42220003.

The area of Monolithos is located at the point on the east coast of Santorini where the orientation of the coastline changes direction, i.e. from 180º to the north it becomes 310º.