The Nea Kameni volcano, part of the Santorini island group, is absolutely spellbinding and a site of major scientific interest. Six volcanic events have taken place over 430 years and created this island.
To reach the island, we took a ferry from Santorini's old port at 11am. From Fira, one can take a cable car (€12 both ways), ride a donkey or use the trail (550 steps) which goes through the bazaar.
At the port, we waited for 30-40 mins before taking the boat for the short journey to the volcano. Nea Kameni has been dormant since the eruption of 1950 and it is perfectly safe to visit. It is impossible to predict when the next eruption will take place.
The ferry ride was pleasant as the sea breeze kept us cool. We passed a few cruise liners and catamarans - one of the ships looked like a pirate ship, which had all of us excited for a bit. In the blue waters, it really looked a bit out of sorts and stood out from the rest of the crowd.
As I have always been inquisitive about volcanoes, this trip was really special for me. The hiking trails on the island are well marked and there are 5 sites in total - craters former by each eruption.
Site A - It is the oldest part of Nea Kameni (Mikri Kameni), which was created in 1570.
Site B - The crater is made of fragments that were deposited when the volcano erupted in 1925-26.
Site C - The central twin crater was formed in August 1940 when two large eruptions took place.
Site D - It is the highest point on the island. At 127 metres is the peak of Georgios dome, formed by the 1866-1870 eruptions.
Site E - The Liatsika lava, the latest volcanic product of Nea Kameni, was formed in January 1950.
A few spots provide some respite from the blazing sun & can be used to take a breather.
The island is also known for its hot springs. The yellow waters contain a large amount of sulfur and are useful for their healing properties. At certain places, we could see smoke rising from the ground - fortunately, it was from the hot springs and not the volcanic fumes of yesteryear!
The Santorini Volcano Observatory monitors the island closely for any changes. I guess we stumbled upon one of their instruments used to gather scientific data.
The views from the top are breathtaking. We fooled around a bit and took some photos before we returned to the harbour.
After waiting for some time at the harbour, we took the ferry back to Santorini.
The donkey trail in Santorini was a lot tougher with the harsh sun overhead. At certain points of the trail, we had to navigate our way around the donkeys (stationed there, waiting for tourists). In the morning hours, it was not such a difficult task as the number of donkeys were less but in the afternoon, it was bumper to bumper (or ass to ass) traffic in certain sections of the trail.
There was one particularly hilarious moment where I managed to find an opening of sorts and rushed through the space but my friend and a few other tourists found that gap closed. They had to wait for some brave souls who brushed the donkey's face and created the opening to push their way through.
Once we were safe and sound in the bazaar, it was time to take care of our next priority - find some Greek lunch!
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