Santorini – The island’s various names

The island’s various names
The island is referred to today with equal frequency as Thera and Santorini, by both Greeks and foreigners. Its ancient name is Thera; the name Santorini (or Santa Irene) was given currency by the Venetians in the 13th century. ‘Thera’ has recently been re-adopted as the official name to designate the island as part of a general policy to return to native, Greek names. not out of any disrespect for that policy, ‘Santorini’ has been used in this text because it is probably more familiar to our readers. We preserve Thera, however, when referring to the island in antiquity. The name of the main town is Fira, although officially it is now supposed to be called Thera: on the island, it is referred to as Chora—a usage followed in the text below.