Volcanic and Archaeological tour to Santorini, Greece
Cost £1095 - Wednesday May 4th to 11th 2022
Details and Itinerary

Santorini is the site of Southern Europe's only active volcano outside Italy. It last erupted in 1950. The island is believed to have given rise to the legend of the "lost" continent of Atlantis in Ancient Greek mythology. A catastrophic eruption around 1620 BC destroyed the local settlements on the island and created a tidal wave which wiped out the Minoan civilisation on Crete, more than 70 miles away. The eruption created a huge caldera as the central section slid below sea-level. This has produced a spectacular setting with high cliffs forming the rim of the caldera. New volcanoes have developed which now form islands in the centre. The older basement rock of marble is exposed in places forming steep hills. There are also sites of mineral deposits and hot springs. The island contains a wealth of archaeological remains in places such as Akrotiri and ancient Thira. All excursions will be escorted, making some use of local guides who have specialist knowledge of the archaeological sites of the area. The party will be led by Alan Clewlow, an experienced geologist who will be on hand to offer advice and some explanation of the features seen and guidance around the area. It will also offer a superb opportunity for photography.
The one-week visit will also give the chance to spend some free time, which could be used to explore the nearby island of Therasia, spend time in the bustling main island town of Fira, or view the scenery in some of the more remote corners of the island.

Contact UsFor bookings and extra information please call us on
01527 832 578 or volcanicexperiences@aol.com

Santorini - Volcanic Tours Greece
The main island town of Fira nestling above the caldera wall
path down the cliffs below Cape Thermia
Cruise liners at anchor in the Santorini caldera
Sunset at Oia on the north western tip of Thera
Volcanic Experiences group taking lunch at a taverna on Therasia
View of the NeaKameni and Therasia islands at Santorini
The picturesque cliff-top village of Oia
A boat cruise around the inner wall of the caldera
Mesagonia, destroyed by the Santorini earthquake of 1956
The classic view of Santorini, looking down towards the caldera

Planned itinerary

Day 1 - Wednesday May 4th
Morning flight with British Airways from London Heathrow to Santorini, arriving in the afternoon. Transfer by coach to 4-star Venus Afrodite Hotel in Kamari. Introductory talk to discuss the week’s activities.

Day 2
A coach will take us to various sites on the island, starting with a journey down to the south-western tip of the island, where the oldest volcanic rocks are found. From here the structure of the caldera can be clearly seen. We continue to Akrotiri, the Bronze-age city buried by deposits from the Minoan eruption of around 1545 BC and not rediscovered until the mid-20th century. Since then, the site has been progressively excavated and has now been re-opened for public viewing. After a lunchtime stop at the old town of Pyrgos with its Venetian Fortress, our coach climbs to Profitis Ilias, the highest point on the island at 566m. From this mountain of marble can be seen the whole island. From here, people have the option of following the mountain footpath back down to Kamari, or returning to the hotel by coach.

Day 3
We take the local bus to Fira, the island's main town. It has been largely rebuilt after the devastating earthquake of 1956. First stop will be the Prehistoric Museum, which houses many of the best finds from the excavations at Akrotiri, including some superb 3500 years old wall-paintings. Following this, there is the opportunity to take a closer look at the pumice and other deposits from the Minoan eruption, then a steady walk along the cliff-top path above the caldera to the old town of Imerovigli, with superb views of the harbour and cliffs below, and to the precipitous cliffs at Skaros, the site of a medieval fortress.

Day 4
We travel to the port of Athinios, where we board a boat which takes us to the two volcanic islands in the centre of the caldera. We land on Nea Kameni ("New Burnt Island") which was first created in the 18th Century. It erupted several times in the 20th Century and is constantly monitored for signs of new activity. We will make the short 15-minute climb to its summit and look at the main crater and recent lava-flows.
We then take the short trip to Palea Kameni ("Old Burnt Island"), where there may be the opportunity to bathe in the hot springs. The boat continues to the island of Therasia for a lunchtime stop. After this, the boat will take a trip around the western part of Thira island, with a chance to see the many structures in the caldera-wall from below.

Day 5
A morning walk from the hotel to view the well-preserved remains of the settlement of Ancient Thira, perched on a rocky promontary high above Kamari and dating back to 800 BC. The walk follows a minor road which zigzags over the Tertiary marble, covered in places by pumice and bombs from the Minoan eruption.
Later in the afternoon we take a coach to old town of Oia on the north-west tip of the island, where crowds gather to watch the sunset, from the clifftop.

Day 6
We start with a short coach-ride to the old village of Mesagonia, largely evacuated after a major earthquake in 1956. We then continue to Fira, with some free time in the town and a visit to the classical museum, where the Ancient Greek and Roman collections are housed. We then journey to the cliffs above Athinios, followed by a walk down past the whole section through the volcanic deposits. Close to sea-level can be seen the pre-volcanic basement rocks of marble and blueschists, which have been mineralised. There are also hot springs in the area.

Day 7
This will be a free day. Your chance to take a bus to Fira, possibly hire a car to explore the island or take a boat to Therasia. You may wish to spend the time locally in Kamari, with its black sandy beach.

Day 8
Free morning and early afternoon. Short coach ride to the airport for late afternoon British Airways flight back to London Heathrow, arriving early evening.

 

(Please note that this might have to be amended due to weather or sea conditions, but hopefully all planned activities will take place. The itinerary has been planned with a certain amount of flexibility so that adverse weather on one day should not prevent a planned activity being cancelled completely.)

Cost
The cost of the visit, based on bed and breakfast accommodation, is currently estimated at £1095. This includes flights from UK, transfers between airport and hotel, together with coach and boat excursions on the itinerary listed above. Included in the cost is bed and breakfast accommodation in the 4-star Venus Afrodite Hotel in Kamari. NB. Evening meals may be taken in a local taverna. Accommodation is based on two people sharing a room. It should be possible to arrange single rooms for those who require it, but this will involve a supplement. All those taking part in the tour are expected to arrange their own holiday insurance, which can be obtained from any travel agent or insurance broker.


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