Ever wonder what hiking a volcano feels like? We found out firsthand when we hiked the Nea Kameni volcano in Santorini recently. Needless to say, it was a thrilling experience and I’ll be posting more about our adventure in detail. For now, here are some photos from our scenic hike to the top of Nea Kameni volcano in Santorini. Nea Kameni (meaning new burnt) is the youngest volcano in the Santorini caldera group of islands. It was first formed 445 years ago in 1570 and the volcano last erupted as recently as 1950!
Stunning views everywhere we look
Hiking the Nea Kameni volcano gives a new perspective of Santorini’s famous caldera and the surrounding islands. The whitewashed towns of Fira and Imerovigli on the main island are visible in the distance.
Hiking around the crater rim of the Nea Kameni volcano
At the top of the volcano, we could smell the sulphur and see smoke wafting up through the vents. Around the rim of the crater, there are instruments setup by scientists from the Institute for the Study and Monitoring of the Santorini Volcano (ISMOSAV) to measure and monitor the volcano’s activity. From what we saw, it seemed active enough to warrant regular monitoring!
Our reward at the topmost point of Nea Kameni!
Reaching the topmost point on the volcano, we were rewarded with picturesque views of the Santorini caldera with Thirassia (also known as Therasia) and a birds-eye view of the other Kameni island – Palea Kameni (meaning old burnt). Hiking an active volcano is an exciting adventure and not to be missed when visiting Santorini! More to come soon on hiking in the Greek Islands …
~ Trupti