Klemio
Monastery of Profitis Ilias
Profitis Ilias sits on the highest point of Santorini, about 567 meters up, above the village of Pyrgos. The catch worth knowing before you drive up: the monastery building itself is usually closed to visitors. What you actually get is the summit, a few surrounding chapels, and one of the widest views on the island. Treat it as a short, sharp lookout stop, not a museum.
Photos: Dietmar Rabich (CC BY-SA 4.0), Dietmar Rabich (CC BY-SA 4.0), Dietmar Rabich (CC BY-SA 4.0), via Wikimedia Commons
Worth it as a viewpoint and a quick orientation to the whole island, best when you fold it into a Pyrgos and southern Santorini route. It is not worth a long detour if you only have one day, no car, and you were hoping to tour the monastery itself, since that part is usually closed.
Worth it for
- Travelers staying in or near Pyrgos who want the island's highest, widest view
- Visitors with a rental car or private driver linking up central and southern Santorini
You can skip if
- You expected guaranteed access inside the monastery or its museum rooms
- You have no transport and would have to hike up from Pyrgos in peak summer heat
Tickets & tours for Monastery of Profitis Ilias
Which ticket should you buy?
Why Go
This is Santorini seen from above instead of from the caldera rim. From the top you can read the whole island in one sweep: the airport runway, the dark beaches at Kamari and Perissa, Pyrgos right below, Fira and Oia strung along the cliff in the distance, and the dry ridge running south.
The honest tradeoff is the access. The monastery is an active community and the main building is generally shut to casual visitors, so most of what you came for is the panorama and the quiet rather than the interior. If your time is tight, come for the view and a sense of scale, then move on. Only build more of your day around it if you are pairing it with Pyrgos, a winery, or Ancient Thera nearby.
History Without The Padding
The monastery was founded in 1711 by two brothers from Pyrgos, Gabriel and Ioakeim Belonias, on their own family land. The bishop of Thira signed off on it that March. It was built like a small fortress, thick stone and few openings, because pirate raids were a real threat at the time.
It became a Patriarchal Stavropegic monastery, meaning it answered directly to the Ecumenical Patriarchate rather than the local diocese. For roughly the first century and a half it was more than a place of prayer: it ran a Greek school in the early-to-mid 19th century, traded across the Aegean, and held real weight in local life. The 1956 earthquake hit it hard, and restoration has been part of its story since. A military radar station was later built on the same summit, which is why parts of the peak are fenced off.
What You Actually See
Expect heavy Cycladic stonework, a bell tower, and a cluster of small chapels around the main monastery. Several of those surrounding chapels are usually the parts open to visitors, while the monastery proper tends to stay closed. There is also a collection of icons and ecclesiastical items tied to the place, but whether any of it is open to see varies, so do not assume it will be.
The setting is exposed. In summer the light is harsh by midday, the wind up here can be genuinely strong, and the road feels narrow if you are not used to driving Greek island hills. Once you are parked, though, the stop itself is easy. Most people are done in about 20 to 40 minutes unless they linger for photos.
How To Fit It Into A Santorini Day
The pairing that works best is Pyrgos first, then up to the monastery, then either a winery on the way down or the black-sand coast at Kamari or Perissa. That makes a fuller day than bouncing from Oia to Fira to the summit just to collect another viewpoint.
If you are without a car, plan it out. KTEL buses serve Pyrgos on the island routes, but there is no public bus to the monastery gate. From Pyrgos you either drive, take a taxi, join an island tour, or walk up the trail (roughly 2.5 km, steep). The walk is doable in spring or autumn, but in July and August it is a hot, shadeless climb that most people regret on the way up.
Monastery of Profitis Ilias: FAQs
For the view, yes, especially if you are already near Pyrgos and have transport. This is the highest point on Santorini and the panorama is the real draw. Skip it if you specifically want to tour the monastery inside, because the main building is usually closed to visitors.
Not the main monastery, as a rule. It is an active religious community and generally closed to casual visitors. Some of the surrounding chapels are usually open, and you may be able to attend the early morning church service if seeing the interior matters to you. Dress modestly, covering shoulders and knees, and check locally before going.
Take a KTEL bus to Pyrgos, then continue by taxi, on foot up the trail (about 2.5 km, steep), or as part of an island tour. There is no public bus that runs all the way up to the monastery.
About 20 to 40 minutes covers the viewpoint and the open chapels for most people. Allow more if you are hiking up from Pyrgos or visiting during a service or feast day.
It is paved but steep and winding, with some narrow stretches and a military area near the top. Confident drivers are usually fine. Take it slowly, especially in strong wind or when tour vans are coming the other way.
July 20. It is a meaningful day to be there, with an evening vesper service and vigil, but expect a local religious gathering rather than a casual sightseeing visit.
Explore more in Santorini
Plan your trip
- Best time to visit Santorini
- Day trips from Santorini
- One Day in Santorini: Caldera Walk, Skaros Rock and Oia Sunset
- Two Days in Santorini: Caldera Views Without the Panic
- Three Days in Santorini: Caldera Walks, Akrotiri, and a Volcano Day
- Santorini With Kids: Big Views, Hot Stones, and the Parts That Actually Work
- Santorini at Night: One Oia Sunset, Fira Drinks, and Smarter Late Plans
- Santorini When It Rains: Akrotiri, Museums, Wine, and a Better Plan Than Oia
- Akrotiri vs Ancient Thera: Which Santorini Ruin Should You Visit?
- Fira vs Oia: Where to Stay in Santorini
- Is Santorini Overrated?
Where to next?
One short email, twice a month: handpicked experiences, hidden-gem cities, and the best windows to book them.