Karterados is a settlement on the eastern side of Santorini, outside Fira, with low-rise houses and a more relaxed pace than the busy villages along the caldera. Artemis Village is by the sea, 50 m from Karterados Beach, and suits you if you want to start the day with a swim and watch the sunset later from somewhere else on the island.
Nearby are Monolithos Beach, a long stretch of dark volcanic sand, and Santorini Airport, just 950 m away. Fira, the island's capital, has caldera views, cafés, shops and two museums: the Museum of Prehistoric Thera, with finds from Akrotiri, and the Archaeological Museum of Thera. Fira Bus Station is 3.4 km away. In the south of the island, Ancient Thera lies 5 km away on a rocky headland between Kamari and Perissa.
The best time for swimming is from May to October, and the sea is still warm in September, with fewer people around. The meltemi often blows in July and August, cooling the beaches. One good way to spend the day is to swim in the morning, visit the museums in Fira at midday and watch the sunset in Oia, at the northern tip of the island, with its white houses above the caldera. Assyrtiko grapes are grown on the island, and many wineries welcome visitors for wine tastings. The Akrotiri archaeological site, 9 km away, reveals a prehistoric city buried by the volcanic eruption.