Exploring Nea Kameni On A Volcano Tour In Santorini
The beautiful island of Santorini is a top item on many bucket lists; seeing the gorgeous blue domed churches, the amazing views and the village of Oia. Though, one of the best things to do is taking a volcano tour in Santorini. This is what I did with Santorini Best Tours and it allowed me to see a whole other side of this romantic island.
With stops including the nearby Nea Kameni to see the volcanic crater, springs heated by volcanic activity, Thirasia Island for dinner and watching the sunset by Oia, taking a volcano tour in Santorini is something you must do on our visit.
Booking With Santorini Best Tours
There are plenty of different options when booking a volcano tour in Santorini, though I teamed up with Santorini Best Tours on their ‘Aphrodite Volcano Tour’. Veroniki from Santorini Best Tours was absolutely wonderful through out the time leading up to the tour and would quickly reply to any questions I had.
They made sure the sailboat company picked us up and dropped us off on time. Overall making our experience on we could not forget. It was a wonderful, romantic experience and the easy booking process made it that much better as well.
The Volcano Tour In Santorini
Arriving To The Sailboat Volcano Tour Of Santorini
Waiting on the road a large bus pulls over and our names are read out. We jump on board and find a variety of travelers partaking in today’s volcano tour in Santorini. All different ages and from a variety of countries. There are a couple of groups on girls holidays and plenty of couples looking for a romantic evening.
Heading towards the Athinios Port we zig-zag down the crazy roads on the cliff sides. This would not be the best for anyone with motion sickness or a fear of heights. When we finally reach the bottom we watch a massive pirate ship style sailboat dock up.
With warm timber accents and deep purple coverings we jump aboard, finding a comfortable spot with plenty of shade. The majority head up to the open second story enjoying the warm winds, though being sunburned we decide not to take that risk.
The caption and crew introduce themselves over the loud speaker while we make our way to the other port to pick up more passengers. Following the outline of the step cliffs in Santorini we arrive in Fira Port where some more people jump on board before we can finally head out.
Flying through the waters the sail boat makes its way closer and closer to Nea Kameni, our first stop on the volcano sailboat tour.
Hiking On Nea Kameni
Arriving on Nea Kameni is much unlike the island of Santorini. The barren landscapes consisting of various colored rock formations and minimal plant life.
The island was formed over the years thanks to repeated eruptions building up lava and ash. It has a diameter of about 2 kilometers, with the volcanic crater reaches 130 meters high. Nea Kameni is monitored closely by scientists measuring the volcano activity within the crater and the many active sulfur vents.
Jumping off the boat we pay the 2.50 euro entrance fee and begin hiking up towards the crater. There are small shack like spots along the way which provide shade from the intense Santorini sunshine.
The walk itself is not overly difficult, but the loose gravel mixed with high mid day temperatures do not make the ideal environment. I would definitely recommend bringing water for the hike. We stop plenty of times along the way for a breather, though the walk itself to the crater does not take long at all.
Reaching the top provides incredible views over the Aegean Sea to nearby Santorini. It is certainly a desolate landscape which tells a story of many volcanic eruptions. Rocks of all sizes form the paths around the carter and luckily the smell was not as bad as White Island in New Zealand.
In all honesty apart from the views, there is not too much to do at the top of the crater so we head back down. Once back on the boat we grab a much needed cold drink from the on board bar, while waiting for the rest of the group to return.
Hot Spring Stop On The Volcano Tour In Santorini
Sipping on a mocktail we sway with the currents of the ocean as the sail boat makes its way to the hot springs. I had previously heard mixed opinions about the hot springs portion of the tour; with most people thinking the whole swimming area is heated. Rather, you will need to swim about 100 meters to a particular area of the water which is heated by a vent.
The crew on board provide noodles and floats for those who are not the most confident of swimmers. Though, most people are having plenty of fun jumping off the boat to the waters below.
Dinner Underneath Thirasia Island
With the sun beginning to lower into the horizon and everyone getting a bit chilly in the waters we make our way to the nearby Thirasia Island. This island is relatively close to Santorini, but has a much more relaxed and local atmosphere to it.
Honestly, I have never seen water just like that in Santorini. It is something you will often hear about, but never truly believe until you arrive. With the deepest shade of blue, you can be right by the shoreline and it will still be that incredible color.
The crew on board set up two tables at each end of the ship with dinner on. A delicious selection of Greek salads, local rice, pork, chicken and fresh bread is on offer. Everyone fills up their stomachs after burning a lot of energy swimming around previously. Also, with free wine being served alongside dinner it certainly gets those fun holiday vibes going.
Watching Oia During Golden Hour
With the harsh sunlight gone for the day we begin to make our way towards Oia. A cool breeze begins to rock the boat while the crew hand out fleece blankets to keep everyone warm.
This is a moment of ultimate relaxation. Feeling the boat swaying side to side, wrapped up in a blanket while the disapearing sunlight touches your face. With nearby Oia lit up overlooking the cliffside perphaps the views of this incredibly photogenic village are even better from the ocean.
At least the views down here are a lot more peaceful than they would be up there. We watch little stick figures lining up waiting to get the perfect instagram shot as crowds draw in by the hundreds waiting for the sunset.
Santorini Sunset From The Sailboat
With the sun turning a gorgeous shade of pink the sky puts on the ultimate sunset show for us. A perfect circle lowering into the horizon silhouetting the numerous catamarans in the foreground. It is truly a spectacular moment and one of the most romantic things to do in Santorini.
With more and more wine being consumed the crew get everyone up dancing to Greek music. It is the perfect way to spend a busy afternoon exploring some of the best landscapes in Santorini.
We sit back and relax, listening to good music play over the speakers while the boat heads back towards the ports.
Heading Back To Port In Santorini
Arriving back at Fira Port the sun has certainly set and now the moon has made it way out. It is a magical sight seeing the beautiful village of Fira being lit up underneath the shinning stars and moon. I just wish I had a steady hand so my night photography would be more sharp!
Continuing on along the cliff side we arrive back at our port and jump onto the respective buses. Zig-zagging back up to the main road of Santorini this island is as beautiful by night as it is by day.
No doubt taking a volcano tour in Santorini is one of the must do activities while on the island. It gives you completely different views than you usually would see, it is the most relaxing romantic evening and you even get to hike up to a volcanic crater!
