Santorini’s most distinctive day excursions take you into the caldera — the submerged volcanic crater that gives the island its shape. The volcanic islands in the centre are accessible only by boat and offer an experience found nowhere else in the Aegean. Beyond the caldera, Akrotiri gives you a Bronze Age civilisation preserved in extraordinary detail. Prices listed here are approximate as of 2026.
Day Trips at a Glance
| Destination | Distance | Price (from) | Transport | Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nea Kameni Volcano | 15km | from €25/person | Boat from Fira port | Active volcanic crater walk, sulphur vents, caldera views |
| Palea Kameni Hot Springs | 12km | from €25/person | Boat (usually combined with Nea Kameni) | Iron-rich hot spring swimming, unusual volcanic sea pools |
| Thirassia Island | 8km | from €35/person | Boat (full-day caldera tour) | Quieter caldera village, Manolas hilltop, authentic tavernas |
| Akrotiri Guided Excavation Tour | 13km | from €40/person | Coach + site entry | Minoan palace, preserved frescoes, expert archaeologist guide |
| Full Caldera Boat Day (all islands) | 15km | from €50/person | Boat | Nea Kameni crater, hot springs, Thirassia, sunset caldera return |
Browse all Santorini day trips and caldera excursions → GetYourGuide
Nea Kameni: Walk on an Active Volcano
Nea Kameni is the youngest of the caldera islands — still geologically active, last erupting in 1950. The island is essentially a mound of black volcanic rock with sulphur vents at its crater. Day-trip boats from Fira’s old port (Skala) make the crossing in approximately 20 minutes.
At the island, visitors walk a marked trail to the crater rim — about 30 minutes each way at a moderate pace. The landscape is genuinely lunar: no vegetation, no shade, just dark basalt and the smell of sulphur. Crater views take in the full caldera, with Santorini’s white villages visible on the distant rim.
Operators and prices: Multiple boat tour companies depart from Fira’s old port, with the largest concentration of departures between 9am and noon. Standard half-day tours combining Nea Kameni with the hot springs at Palea Kameni cost approximately €25–35 per person as of 2026. Full-day tours that also include Thirassia and sometimes a swimming stop cost approximately €35–50.
Getting to the old port from Fira requires the cable car (approximately €6 one way) or the donkey path. Most hotels can book tours directly, or agencies in Fira’s main square handle bookings.
Palea Kameni: Hot Springs Swimming
The hot springs at Palea Kameni are a standard addition to caldera boat tours. Warm, iron-rich water seeps from underwater vents, creating rust-coloured patches near the rocky shoreline. Boats anchor nearby and swimmers jump in to reach the warm water.
The experience is underwhelming if you expect a proper spa — the springs are in the open sea, mixed with cold water, and the colour comes from iron oxide rather than anything therapeutic. That said, it is genuinely unusual, and most visitors find it enjoyable for the novelty. Wear older swimwear; the iron in the water stains fabric.
Thirassia: The Quieter Caldera Island
Thirassia is the inhabited island on the western side of the caldera. It feels like Santorini did 30 years ago: a small port (Korfos) with a few fishing boats, a clifftop village (Manolas) reached by steps from the harbour, tavernas serving fresh fish, and a fraction of the tourism of the main island.
Most visitors reach Thirassia on combined caldera tours. Allow 1.5 to 2 hours if you want to climb to Manolas and eat at a taverna before the boat departs. Independent ferry connections from Athinios port also run occasionally — check current timetables at the port or via your hotel.
Thirassia suits visitors who find Santorini’s peak-season crowds overwhelming and want a direct contrast within a single day.
Akrotiri Archaeological Site
Akrotiri is on Santorini’s southern tip — this is a day trip within the island rather than a separate destination, but it deserves dedicated time and specific planning. The Minoan settlement was buried by the volcanic eruption of approximately 1627 BC and excavated from the 1960s onwards. The entire site is covered by a modern climate-controlled structure.
What survives is remarkable: multi-storey stone buildings, frescoes showing landscapes, athletes, and daily life, storage jars, drainage systems, and streets. No human remains have been found — the inhabitants appear to have evacuated before the eruption.
Entry costs approximately €12 as of 2026. Open Tuesday to Sunday, typically 8am to 8pm in summer (verify current hours before visiting — they change seasonally). Booking online in advance is strongly recommended in June to September; walk-up queues can be substantial.
Getting there: Bus from Fira to Akrotiri (ask at the station for the correct service), ATV, hire car, or taxi. A taxi from Fira costs approximately €15–20 one way.
Book guided visits to Akrotiri through Santorini tours and excursions — a guided walk adds significant context to a site that is poorly labelled.
Ammoudi Bay
Ammoudi Bay is below Oia — 300 stone steps down from the village. It is not a beach in the conventional sense: swimming is from flat rocks and a small concrete platform into deep, clear water. Several tavernas are built directly into the cliff.
It is worth visiting for the contrast to the busy caldera rim above and for the seafood at the waterfront restaurants. Octopus drying on lines, fishing boats moored alongside, locals swimming — it feels genuinely different from the tourist strip of Oia.
Getting there: Walk the steps from Oia (15 minutes down, harder on the return in heat). Alternatively, taxis can drop you at road level with a shorter walk to the waterside. Arrive in the morning or late afternoon to avoid the worst heat for the climb back.
Oia Half-Day Excursion
If you are based in Fira or elsewhere on the island, Oia itself functions as a half-day trip. The 45-minute caldera trail section between Imerovigli and Oia is the most dramatic stretch of the full Fira-to-Oia hike — arriving at Oia via trail gives a genuinely different perspective than arriving by bus or taxi.
Budget 2 hours minimum for Oia itself: the lanes away from the main strip (where most of the jewellery and gallery shops concentrate) are quieter and give a better sense of the village’s character.
For the full island overview and getting around, see our Santorini travel guide. For booking caldera sailing tours, sunset cruises, and guided site visits, see Santorini tours.
Search hotels in Santorini on Booking.com
See Also
- Santorini Travel Guide - island overview, caldera geography, and getting there
- Things to Do in Santorini - complete activity guide including Oia, wineries, beaches
- Getting Around Santorini - cable car, ATV hire, buses, and taxi guide
- Best Tours in Santorini - sailing cruises, wine tours, and guided Akrotiri visits
- Where to Stay in Santorini - Oia, Imerovigli, Fira, and beach village comparison
- Santorini Itinerary - how to structure 3–5 days including day-trip timing