Santorini, Greece - fantastic catamaran sailing cruise through the caldera of Santorini

Today we are taking a catamaran trip through the caldera of the volcanic island of Santorini. We start in the port of Vlychada on the south coast of Santorini. First we go along the outside of the crater, past spectacular rock walls and small beaches such as the red, white and black beach. Here, if you like, you can swim and snorkel in the crystal-clear water. At the Akrotiri lighthouse we turn into the caldera and have fantastic views of the white villages high up on the crater rim. The destination of our trip is the uninhabited and inhospitable volcanic island of Nea Kameni, where we enjoy a delicious buffet on the ship. The return trip in the warm evening light ends with an unforgettable sunset over the Aegean Sea.

The caldera was formed around 3.600 years ago by a catastrophic volcanic eruption that almost completely destroyed the former island of Santorini and left only the crater that is visible today. The effects of the eruption with ash rain and tsunamis affected the entire eastern Mediterranean and are also blamed for the downfall of the first European advanced civilization, the Minoans on the nearby island of Crete. The volcanic island of Nea Kameni in the center of the caldera was essentially only created at the beginning of the 19th century by volcanic activity and there are still hot vapors and springs here today.

A catamaran trip into the caldera is one of the highlights of Santorini. There are many tour operators with different routes and times. We chose Renieris Santorini Sailing Center and the "Caldera Luxury Semi-Private" tour with a maximum of 16 guests. The price includes unlimited drinks including beer, wine, soft drinks and water, as well as a Greek meal with salads and grilled meat and fish. Snorkeling equipment is also provided. Departure is in the early afternoon from Vlychada harbor on the south coast.

First we go along the colorful rocks on the outside of the volcanic crater. Here we see some of the most beautiful beaches in Santorini, such as the so-called red beach in front of a mighty red rock wall and the white beach with its bright white rocks. We stop at the black beach with its dark sand from former volcanic ash and there is the opportunity to snorkel in the clear water.
Then we sail on to the southwest tip of Santorini with the famous lighthouse of Akrotiri. It is considered one of the most beautiful lighthouses on the Cyclades islands because of its spectacular location high up on a rocky peak. We circle around the rocky peak and turn into the caldera, where great views of the white villages such as Fira and Imerovigli high up on the crater rim await us. Finally we reach the uninhabited volcanic island of Nea Kameni. Here we enjoy a delicious Greek meal with grilled meat, fish and salads before heading back towards Vlychada.

The rock walls now glow in beautiful colors in the light of the low evening sun. And for the grand finale of our catamaran trip, we see one of the fantastic sunsets that Santorini is so famous for.

If you liked it, please like and subscribe to the channel so you don't miss anything.

You can find the complete channel playlist for our stay on Santorini here:    • Santorini, Greece  

Visit in September 2024

Chapter:

00:00 Intro
00:50 Departure
01:34 Beaches of Santorini
05:12 Rocks and lighthouse of Akrotiri
06:40 Volcanic island of Nea Kameni
07:55 Return trip
09:14 Rock walls in the evening light
11:49 Sunset
12:55 Outro