Santorini was one of the highlights of our trip to Greece. And the highlight of Santorini was the Santorini volcano and hot springs tour we took.
One reason this is my favorite place in Santorini is that it was not crowded, and we did not have to jostle around for photos. It’s also one of the most naturally beautiful places, the weather was amazing, and the views from the top of the volcano are sublime.
We had such a great experience because we booked a private boat tour – just for ourselves. And we could leave quite early in the morning before the heat and the crowds.
About the tour
We rather impulsively booked the tour from one of the agents in Fira town. We were wandering along the shops and just popped into a travel agent and booked the tour. We opted for an early morning private tour because we were already booked for a Santorini island tour in the afternoon, and the regular tour boats start only around 11. Some other tourists in the shop were also looking for a private tour, so we clubbed with them to keep the costs low. Eventually, it came down to approx 100 euros per person. Still very costly, but I didn’t want to miss the volcano experience, and I think it was worth it.
The boat starts from the old port below Fira. You can walk down, use donkeys, or take a cable car to reach the port. Again, we were short on time, so opted to take the cable car to the port. After a long queue, we eventually got into the cable car and to the port, to the private boat waiting for us.
Our boat was amazing. Pity the ride was only for about twenty mins
Touring the Volcano
The boat dropped us at Nea Kameni, the volcanic crater. Despite the delays with the cable car queues, we were still quite early, and ours was the only boat docked there.
Our boat captain said we had about an hour at the place. The hike to the crater is half an hour, so we just had enough time to reach the top and back. So, yes, you bet I raced to pay the two euros admission price and then walked as fast as possible to reach the top!
In terms of effort vs. view, this was one of my best hikes ever
The walk is fairly easy, although you want to be careful with some loose gravel and sharp stones.
We stopped frequently to take photos. Coming up – photo dump of everything, just because I couldn’t decide which ones to leave out.
I couldn’t decide between all the photos of this view, so I just put everything in here
Yes, the water is actually this lovely blue, green color. I didn’t do any editing. Just point and shoot with my phone, increase the sharpness, and upload.
The volcanic crater itself was no big shakes. I was hoping for some sulfur smell and/or some smoke coming out. But no luck there!
Once we got to the top, we lounged for a couple of mins and then hurried back to the boat to make it in time for the hot springs part of the tour.
The Hot Springs
The hot springs turned out to be a sharp disappointment. The boat stopped a few hundred feet away, and people could only reach the hot spring by swimming there. I put my feet in the water, and it was brutally cold. The captain tried encouraging us, saying the water would get warmer as we approached the hot spring. But I didn’t feel confident swimming out in the cold like that. Plus, there was no life jacket or anything on hand, and the captain said if I was not a strong swimmer, it would be better for me to sit in the boat.
A couple of other tourists did make the swim to the hot springs, but they came back pretty soon, saying it was mildly lukewarm – not hot at all. The hot springs probably make sense only in peak summer, I guess. In general, the water in Greece was pretty cold. Coming from a tropical country, the cold was too much for me, and I didn’t even take a dip in our hotel swimming pool, let alone the sea 😞.
Still, this tour was worth it for the amazing boat experience and our lovely hike. As we departed Nea Kameni, we saw the crazy lines of tourists queuing up for the hike, and we were so thankful to have got the place to ourselves.
Highly recommend the private tour!
