Nea Kameni, excursion to the Santorini volcano

Santorini's success as a tourist destination is largely due to its unique natural setting: this caldera, submerged under the sea, is almost unique in the world!

Santorini's current landscape is the result of volcanic activity: initially, the island had a circular shape, dominated by a volcano around 800 m high, the summit of the island. The major eruption took place around 1600 BC. The sheer scale of the cataclysm, one of the most terrible in human history, makes you wonder! The warning signs of such an explosion must have been obvious: during excavations of ancient Akrotiri, a flourishing Minoan city at the time, no calcified bodies were found, in the manner of Pompeii, to which the site is often compared.

Traces of volcanic discharge have been found as far away as the Middle East, while the column of smoke must have been 65km high, plunging the region into a long volcanic winter and precipitating huge tidal waves across the entire eastern Mediterranean: a major blow to the Minoan civilisation, which was established not far away in Crete.

Under the effect of the explosion, the magma chamber collapsed, creating the immense caldera engulfed by the Mediterranean Sea: the cliffs of Santorini, a mille-feuilles of basaltic rock and pumice stone, rise more than 350m above the sea, plunging to -300m below before re-emerging at Nea Kameni.

Over the course of eruptions and earthquakes, the Santorini archipelago was formed, with the eponymous main island, tiny Thirassia, the tiny Aspro Nissi, Palea Kameni, which appeared in the 3rd century BC, and Nea Kameni, the most recent Mediterranean island, which only came into being in the 17th century!

Today, the volcano is still under surveillance: the magma pocket sometimes shows worrying signs of filling, to the extent that Santorini is rising by a few centimetres! All of which augurs well for a future eruption sooner or later...

Santorini's volcano acts like a magnet for visitors to the island: it's impossible to resist the urge to get close to it! The easiest and most common way to do this is to take one of the many excursion boats that leave every day for Nea Kameni.

The excursion to the volcano is THE big tourist attraction on Santorini. Several companies operate the trip, usually aboard gleaming old caiques, beautiful vessels refurbished for the occasion, but whose sails never take over from the engine! In the end, it doesn't really matter which company you choose, as all the boats cover more or less the same route.

The classic excursion starts from Santorini's main port, Athinios, or from the old port of Fira. A short crossing leads directly to the volcano, where you have time to wander around before reaching the summit. There are nine craters in all, only one of which is active and yellowed by sulphur: you can see fumaroles. The 360° view of Santorini is magnificent!

While the short version of the excursion stops at the volcano, it's advisable to take a full-day trip: another stop is Palea Kameni, for a dip in the hot springs (which are actually sulphur), then a stopover on Thirassia for lunch, and a return via Oia with a sunset option for the more motivated, before heading back home. A day well spent!

👉 Where can I book the excursion to the volcano?

In every village on Santorini you'll find travel agencies offering the excursion: no matter where you book, all the packages are the same. At the height of the season, it's best to book the day before!

👛 How much does the Santorini excursion cost?

Prices change quickly, but expect to pay around €35 per person for the full tour (volcano, hot springs, Thirassia, return to the port and transfers).