Mount Profitis Ilias: the highest road of Santorini

Mount Profitis Ilias is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 567m (1,860ft) above the sea level, located between Pyrgos and Kamari, on the east coast of Santorini, a Greek island. If you're afraid of heights, just close your eyes during the drive up (as long as you're not driving). It’s the highest spot of the island.

Mount Profitis Ilias

The road to the summit is paved but extremely winding and narrow, barely wide enough for one car. Not advised to anyone who gets car sick. It’s pretty busy in summers. It is not for the faint of heart: there are lots of big tourist buses coming/going, can get very hard when they're on the opposite direction.

On the top of this mountain there is a monastery with the same name founded in 1771 and some military facility. This beautiful monastery is well worth a visit, with a scenic 360 view of the island from its highest point. It was badly damaged by the earthquake in 1956. 
Along the way you can enjoy a panoramic view of the whole island. On a windy day it can be a bit scary. The drive is steep. Starting from Pyrgos Kallistis, the ascent is 4.0 km long. Over this distance the elevation gain is 261 meters. The average gradient is 6.52%.

 

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