Is the Santorini volcano still active?

It is dormant rather than extinct. Fumaroles near the summit vent steam and sulphurous gas, and the system is monitored continuously.

How long is the walk to the crater?

Twenty five to thirty five minutes uphill from the landing to the crater rim, on loose volcanic cinder with no shade at all.

What should I take to Nea Kameni Santorini?

Closed shoes rather than sandals, plenty of water, a hat and sun cream, and a few euro in cash for the landing fee. There is no shop, canteen or shade on the island.

Are the hot springs at Nea Kameni?

No. The hot springs are off Palia Kameni, the older islet beside it, and most boats continue there after the volcano.

Nea Kameni Santorini | The Volcano Guide

Nea Kameni Santorini Private Guided Tours

Nea Kameni Santorini is the volcanic islet at the centre of the caldera, the active vent of the system that shaped the whole island. The place is known between the locals with the name Ifestio that means volcano. There is no house development in here neither any shop or canteen.

At the top of Nea Kameni island you can see steam comes out from the earth from the east region of Georgios crater. Additionally there are thermal waters along the sea where you can enjoy a thermal bath and swimming.

Nea Kameni and Palia Kameni have been recorded at the NATURA 2000 community network for protected areas.

Nea Kameni private transfers

There are two places for ships at Nea Kameni,the Taxiarhis bay at the southeast of the island and the Erinia bay at the north of the island. You need a boat in order to reach the places here so the better way to do it is by booking a Nea Kameni private transfer. If you would like a Santorini island private tour on that place and a guide in order to give you the story of the island the best thing you have to do is to book a Nea Kameni guided private transfer.

History of Nea Kameni

The small island of Nea Kameni is the youngest island in Mediterranean sea as it’s creation started at the year of 1570. In that region there was also a smaller island Mikri Kameni which became a unique island along with Nea Kameni.

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Nea Kameni Santorini: The Volcano in the Middle of the Caldera

Nea Kameni Santorini is the black islet sitting in the centre of the caldera, the one you look down on from every terrace in Fira and Imerovigli. Islanders call it simply to ifaisteio – the volcano – and that is exactly what it is: the active vent of the system that blew the middle out of this island three and a half thousand years ago. Book with Santorini Tours, a licensed local operator.

There is nothing on Nea Kameni Santorini. No village, no shop, no canteen, no tree. It is bare lava, black and rust brown and grey, with a path climbing to the crater rim and steam leaking out of vents near the top.

Almost every visitor to Santorini sees it from a distance and a large proportion of them take a boat across. Both Nea Kameni and its older neighbour Palia Kameni are protected under the Natura 2000 network.

Where it is

In the middle of the caldera, a short boat ride from the old port below Fira, from Athinios, or from Ammoudi below Oia.

Why go

To stand on the rim of an active crater, smell the sulphur, and look back at the cliff villages from the thing that made them.

What Happens on Nea Kameni Santorini

The Nea Kameni Santorini landing. Boats tie up at one of the two anchorages – Taxiarchis bay on the southeast side or Erinia bay on the north. You step onto black rock.

The walk up Nea Kameni Santorini. A stone and cinder path climbs from the landing to the crater rim at about a hundred and thirty metres, taking twenty-five to thirty-five minutes at an ordinary pace. It is not difficult, but it is uphill, loose underfoot and completely without shade.

The craters. Several, from different eruptive episodes, the largest of them Georgios. You walk around the rim and look in.

The fumaroles. Steam and sulphurous gas escaping from vents near the summit, hot to the touch and unmistakable by smell. This is the clearest sign that Nea Kameni Santorini is dormant rather than extinct.

The view. The whole caldera from its centre: Fira and Imerovigli strung along the cliff, Oia at the north end, Thirasia opposite, and the layered rock face of the crater wall.

The time. Most boats allow an hour to an hour and a half ashore, which is enough for the climb, the rim and the walk back.

The hot springs. Not here. They are off Palia Kameni next door, and the boats usually go on to them afterwards. More on Palia Kameni.

The Geology of Nea Kameni Santorini

What Nea Kameni Santorini is. A lava dome complex growing in the flooded caldera left by the Minoan eruption. Everything you walk on was liquid rock within the last few centuries.

How it grew. The islet emerged and enlarged through a series of eruptions from the sixteenth century onward, each one adding lava flows and craters. The most recent activity was in the mid twentieth century.

Palia Kameni. The older, smaller islet beside it, built by earlier eruptions in the same cycle.

The colours. Black basaltic lava, rust where iron has oxidised, yellow-white where sulphur has crystallised around the vents.

The fumaroles. Groundwater heated at depth, escaping as steam and gas. They are the surface expression of a magma system that has never gone away.

Monitoring. The volcano is watched continuously by Greek and international institutes. Nea Kameni Santorini is dormant, not extinct, and the distinction is the whole point of the visit.

The caldera wall. From the crater rim you see it in section – the layered ash and lava of the eruption that buried Akrotiri, standing three hundred metres above the water with villages on top of it. More on Akrotiri.

Getting to Nea Kameni Santorini

Nea Kameni Santorini is reached by boat, and only by boat. There is no other way. Departures run from the old port below Fira, from Athinios and from Ammoudi below Oia.

The crossing. Fifteen to thirty minutes depending on where you leave from and what you are on.

The options. Large group excursions running to a fixed schedule, smaller sailing and catamaran trips that combine the volcano with the hot springs and Thirasia, and private charters.

The old port. Reached from Fira by the cable car, on foot down the zig-zag steps, or by donkey. The cable car queue in season is substantial in both directions; allow for it. More on Fira.

Entry fee. There is a small charge to land on the geological park, usually collected at the site or included by the operator. Take a few euro in cash.

How long. Half a day for the volcano and the springs, a full day if Thirasia and Oia are included.

By private transfer. We can get you to whichever port your boat leaves from, at the hour it leaves. Our private transfers run from anywhere on the island from 40€ per vehicle.

Ask us and we will match the boat to what you want – a large excursion is cheap and busy, a small sailing trip costs more and stops where the crowds are not.

Practical Notes for Nea Kameni Santorini

Closed shoes for Nea Kameni Santorini. The most important line here. The path is sharp volcanic cinder that will destroy flip-flops and the soles of your feet with them.

No shade. None whatsoever, on an island of black rock that absorbs heat all day.

Water. Carry it. There is nothing to buy on Nea Kameni Santorini – no shop, no canteen, no tap.

A hat and sun cream. Non-negotiable in summer.

Cash. For the landing fee.

The smell. Sulphur near the vents. Harmless in the open air and startling the first time.

Mobility. The climb is half an hour on loose uneven ground. It is not accessible, and anyone unsteady should stay on the boat.

Children. Fine for anyone who can walk uphill for half an hour in the heat, and hard work for anyone who cannot.

Timing. Morning boats are cooler. Sunset cruises reach the volcano in the late afternoon, which is more pleasant but busier.

Swimming. Not at the volcano. The hot springs are at Palia Kameni and the water there stains light-coloured swimwear.

When to Visit Nea Kameni Santorini

April and May. The best window for Nea Kameni Santorini. Cool enough for the climb and the boats are running.

June. Warm but manageable on a morning departure.

July and August. Hot on black rock with no shade. Take the earliest boat of the day, carry two litres of water, and do not underestimate it.

September. Warm, calmer seas, and the best month for the combined volcano and hot springs trip.

October. Excellent, with clear air and long views from the crater rim, though sailings thin out through the month.

November to March. Very few boats and frequent cancellations for weather. Nea Kameni Santorini is effectively a summer excursion.

Time of day

The first boat. The rock is cooler, the crowd is smaller and the light across the caldera is better than it will be at two in the afternoon.

Frequently Asked Questions About Nea Kameni Santorini

What is it? The active volcanic islet in the centre of the Santorini caldera, built by eruptions from the sixteenth century onward.

Is the volcano active? It is dormant rather than extinct. Steam and gas escape from fumaroles near the summit and the system is monitored continuously.

How do I get there? Only by boat, from the old port below Fira, from Athinios or from Ammoudi.

How long is the walk? Twenty-five to thirty-five minutes uphill to the crater rim, on loose cinder with no shade.

Is there an entry fee? Yes, a small charge to land. Carry cash.

What should I wear? Closed shoes, a hat and sun cream. Not sandals.

Is there anything on the island? No shop, no canteen, no water and no shade.

Are the hot springs here? No. They are off Palia Kameni next door, and most boats go on to them.

Can I swim at Nea Kameni Santorini? Not at the landing. Swimming happens at the springs.

Is it suitable for children? For those who can manage half an hour uphill in the heat, yes.

Is it accessible? No. The path is steep, loose and uneven.

How long does the whole trip take? Half a day for the volcano and springs, a full day with Thirasia and Oia.

Is it worth it? Yes, if you want to stand on the thing that made this island. It is a geology trip rather than a beauty spot.

What is Palia Kameni? The older, smaller islet beside it, with the hot springs. More on Palia Kameni.

Tours That Include Nea Kameni Santorini

We are a licensed local operator with guides who live on the island year round. Prices are per vehicle rather than per person, pickup is included from anywhere including both ports, and an 80€ deposit confirms the date.

Port transfers – to whichever harbour your boat leaves from, at the hour it leaves, from 40€ per vehicle.

Personalised tour – from 220€, built around a volcano morning and the island in the afternoon.

Full day tour – eight hours from 460€, the whole island by road.

Historical tour – Akrotiri and Ancient Thera, which together explain what the volcano did and what came afterwards. More on Ancient Thira.

Every itinerary and all prices are on the santorini tours page. Tell us which boat you are on and we will have you at the port on time.

Is Nea Kameni Santorini Worth It?

Nea Kameni Santorini is not beautiful. It is a heap of black rock with no shade, a sharp path and a smell of sulphur at the top, and anyone expecting scenery will be disappointed within ten minutes of landing.

It is also the reason this island exists in the shape it does. Standing on the rim of a crater that was last active within living memory, looking back at three hundred metres of layered ash with white villages balanced on top of it, is the one experience on Santorini that puts everything else in order.

Take the first boat, wear proper shoes, carry water, and go on to the hot springs afterwards.

Send us your dates and we will get you to the right port for the right boat.