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Santorini: Volcanic Islands Cruise with Hot Springs Visit
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There it is, the star of Santorini, the element that makes this island unique and fascinating: the caldera, a depression created over 10,000 years ago by the collapse of the vault of the magma chamber of a volcano, itself caused by one of the most violent eruptions in the history of volcanology.
Originating from a natural catastrophe, the Santorini caldera is today a wonder to behold, a breathtaking landscape of a beauty hard to find elsewhere.
No wonder that one of the most popular tours in Santorini are boat cruises to the caldera islets, which always include a stop at the ancient crater and are certainly a fascinating way to admire this natural spectacle.
Equally or perhaps even more impressive is to admire it from above in all its magnificence with a walk along the ridge: the full route goes from Fira to Oia, it is not particularly demanding but is certainly more strenuous than a walk in town.
Don’t worry if you don’t feel like walking all the way to Oia: already with easy walks around Fira you can enjoy extraordinary panoramic views. And if you want an even lazier and more glamorous version, you can admire the caldera from an infinity pool with a sea view.
Besides Santorini, the other islands of the Caldera are Thirasia, Nea Kameni, Palia Kameni and Aspronisi.
The best way to visit the Caldera of Santorini and see the islands is with a boat tour. During the summer period, we recommend booking in advance to avoid not finding a place and losing time.
Thirasia is the only inhabited island besides Santorini and is located inside the caldera not far from the village of Oia.
Separated from its big sister by a powerful eruption and a strong earthquake in 1650 B.C., this small island is almost completely unknown to tourism. Thirasia is undeveloped, very quiet and ideal for anyone looking for a relaxing and authentic holiday.
Only 9 square kilometres in size, the small island of Thirasia (or Therasia) has two small harbours, a handful of picturesque villages and no less than 21 churches!
The main village of Thirasia is Manolas, a village of narrow streets, small colourful houses typical of Cycladic architecture, windmills, charming shops and a splendid view of Santorini and the other small islands of the caldera.
The village of Potamos consists largely of cave dwellings, houses carved into the rock typical of Santorini, built on the ridge of a ravine. Agrilia is the oldest and largest village and consists of houses built into the volcanic rock.
If you like hiking and trekking, follow the path from Manolas to the monastery of Koimiseos – on the way you will come across the abandoned village of Kera from where you can see the whole island – or one of the many rural paths of Thirasia.
The island of Thirasia is included in many boat tours departing from Santorini. One arrives at the port of Riva from the port of Athinios or Ammoudi.
If you are looking for beautiful coastlines, you should know that the only place to swim is Thirasia beach in the harbour of Riva, as the island’s coastline is very steep. If you have a boat at your disposal, your choices will be greater since the island is in any case dotted with tiny bays accessible only by sea.
The beach, very quiet and surrounded by a dreamlike panorama, is made up of an infinity of stones: small pebbles, round pebbles, protruding rocks, large boulders that make bathing a real joy as the waters are crystal clear.
This is also the only harbour on the islet so you will swim among small fishing boats, lots of fish and the occasional octopus.
From the landing stage of Fira, which can be reached by cable car, you can venture out to discover the islets of the caldera known as Kameni.
There are many agencies on the island that organise tours with durations varying from 3 hours to a day, but make sure that the tour is guided: it is a very demanding excursion and you need good shoes, water, sun cream and a hat.
The large islet of Nea Kameni is truly spectacular: it emerged from the waters in 1573 and is characterised by a desolate landscape, ancient black lava flows, fumaroles and very fragile surface crystals. The excitement is strong and one should never leave the paths. To access this islet you pay 2 euros in addition to the tour ticket.
The islet of Palia Kameni , meaning ‘burnt in ancient times’, rose from the sea in 196 BC. Thanks to the sulphurous waters, you can take a dip in a small bay, which can be reached by swimming! In fact, the ship does not pull in and you have to dive off the deck and swim about fifty metres!
Some excursions even go as far as the islet of Thirassia. The feat of climbing to the highest point will be rewarded by the spectacular view and the specialities of some restaurants.
Nea Kameni reaches 127 metres above sea level at its highest point and is virtually devoid of life except for a few succulent plants and small lizards that manage to survive in such a hostile environment and a fig tree that stands on the island’s oldest peak.
Nea Kameni is surrounded by dark, warm waters, rich in iron and manganese known for their therapeutic benefits especially for the elderly.
You can reach the islet in traditional caiques from the old port of Fira, wander through a lunar landscape until you reach the shores of the crater of the still active volcano and bathe in the waters of the healing hot springs of Agios Nikolaos.
Palia Kameni is the smaller of the two islands in the centre of Santorini’s caldera and, together with its bigger sister Nea Kameni, is also called ‘the volcano’.
Emerging from the waters of the Aegean Sea some 2,000 years ago, this ‘burnt island’, to use the name given to it by the Greeks, reaches a height of 99 metres above sea level in places.
Towards the end of A.D. 46, the volcano awakened and huge quantities of molten rock sprouted out of the sea, creating the islet of Palia Kameni. At the time, the island had a larger circumference, but gradually, through fragmentation and the collapse of large spurs, it acquired its present form.
Also exciting is the view from Palia Kameni, which overlooks the island of Santorini and gives you a wonderful view of Fira and its white buildings perched on the mighty cliffs.
On the small island of Palia Kameni, one of the two that make up the volcano of Santorini’s caldera, you will find the Hot Springs, waters with therapeutic benefits that gush out in the creeks of the slopes.
These bathing spots have water that is about 5 degrees warmer than normal and are actually not springs but underwater fumaroles.
The waters of the hot springs of Palia Kameni are particularly good for rheumatic pains and for the skin. The rocks around these inlets have a distinctive orange colour due to the sulphur that is brought to the surface by the volcano’s activity.
Keep in mind that the many tours that reach the Hot Springs of Palia Kameni are organised by boats that cannot dock directly on the island because the seabed is too shallow and therefore you will have to dive into the deep, cold waters until you reach the hot springs.
Called the white island by the Greeks, Aspronisi is part of the Santorini archipelago and lies west of the southern tip of the island of Thira and south of the lower end of Thirassia.
Aspronisi emerged as a result of a volcanic eruption in 1650 BC and is now a private island. Rocky and barren, this small island is 650 metres long and 200 metres wide and stands 70 metres above the Aegean Sea. It is uninhabited but has a small harbour where one can moor and two small beaches of coarse sand. If you are lucky enough to visit this small island, don’t miss its magnificent sunsets and diving.
In the following map you can see the location of the main places of interest mentioned in this article.
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