Why is there a volcano on Santorini?

It was created by one of the largest known eruptions around 3,600 years ago. The explosion was so powerful that it wrecked Santorini's ancient city of Akrotiri and dealt a fatal blow to the seafaring Minoan civilization, which had settled on the island at the time.



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Prior to 1620 BC, the island of Santorini, now known as Thera, was built up by layers of lava created by overlapping shield volcanoes, and it had experienced three significant eruptions that formed overlapping calderas, or collapsed magma chambers.

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Santorini is gifted with a unique kind of natural beauty and wild scenery. That constitutes the result of several volcanic eruptions throughout the years. Although the massive volcano of Santorini has been dormant since its last eruption in the 1950s, it is still considered active.

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The East Mediterranean's most active underwater, and potentially dangerous, volcano, Kolumbo, is five miles northeast of Santorini and part of the same volcanic system. Submerged in the Aegean Sea, Kolumbo has been quiet for nearly 400 years – but it is not asleep.

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Greece has a large volcanic arch, created millions of years ago by the sinking of the African lithosphere (Oceania) under the Eurasiatic plate (mainland).

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Jumping off our boat into the hot springs was a fun thing to do on our Santorini sunset cruise. Most cruises take you to the hot springs and stop for a while so you can swim. The hot springs are just off the volcanic islands of Nea Kameni and Palea Kameni, which were formed by a series of volcanic eruptions.

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Later Atlantis suffered a terrible earthquake and a flood, sinking in its entirety into the sea. Finds from the excavations at Akrotiri have led scholars to conclude that the lost Atlantis was none other than Santorini. However over the centuries, as myth was retold, experts beg to differ.

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The experience of walking on the lava and the volcanic rocks as well as the view of the special coastline of Santorini with its steep slopes, is unprecedented and wonderful. ?nclosed toe shoes, a hat, sun screen and water would be necessary.

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The existence of the volcano is visible all over the island of Santorini, especially on beaches that are covered in black sand and pebbles made of solidified lava; the red volcanic rocks at Red beach are one of the most popular spots for international visitors.

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According to Mythology, Santorini was created from a lump of earth that was thrown into the sea by Euphemus, Poseidon's son. Euphemus had a dream one evening that he had made love to a nymph who was the daughter of Triton (the son of Poseidon and Aphrodite).

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Due to the challenging weather conditions (heavy hurricanes in winter and solar heat in summer) and protection from pirate invasions, Santorini's architecture is very similar to the other Cycladic islands. Of unique charm is the sunset of Fira and Oia, for which the island welcomes thousands of visitors.

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But the buried city of Akrotiri was forgotten about until the 1860s. Workers quarrying ash to build the Suez canal dug down and discovered artefacts from the old city. Some small-scale digs took place but the remains stayed where they were for another hundred years until excavations began in 1967.

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Yes, Santorini is worth it for it's volcanic topography. Absolutely. Formed over 3,500 years ago from a volcanic eruption, Santorini is the remains of the rim of a volcanic crater, known as a caldera.

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Technically, Santorini's tap water is safe to drink. However, it's also brackish, and the water supply system itself isn't always reliable. Single-use water bottles are popular in Santorini, but terrible for the environment.

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We recommend that you always use bottled water for drinking. Washing up and brushing your teeth can be safely done using tap water throughout the island.

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Its wild volcanic landscape, rugged cliffs, wild nature, and beautiful shores, combined with its rich history and traditions, make the island the gem of Greece. Santorini got its current half-moon shape around 1,650 BC after a huge volcanic eruption.

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