Palea Kameni Hot Springs

What to expect

Santorini is the rim of a collapsed volcano, and in the middle of its flooded caldera sit two dark islets of lava: Nea Kameni, the newer and larger, and Palea Kameni, the “old burnt one”. Palea Kameni grew from eruptions between about 197 BCE and 47 CE, and a Roman writer recorded its appearance near Thera. On its northeast side a small bay, which tour operators call St Nicholas Bay, collects warm water seeping from the volcano.

This is not a pool. It is a patch of the sea a few degrees warmer than the rest, tinted orange-brown by iron and smelling faintly of sulphur. One operator gives the water in the bay as about 86-95°F30-35°C. It is warmest right by the shore, where the springs come in, and cools quickly toward open water. The bottom is dark volcanic rock and mud, and there is no beach to stand on.

Almost everyone gets here on a boat tour. The boat anchors in the bay and you swim the last 30 m (33 yards). Expect company: in summer several tour boats share the bay at once, and the swim is over in about half an hour.

What a casual visitor can do: book a volcano and hot springs tour, swim to the warm water, float for 20 minutes or so, and climb back aboard. If you do not want to swim, you can stay on deck and watch.

Getting there

You need a boat. Two common tour formats run from Santorini:

• From Fira Old Port: Three-hour cruises cross the caldera, land on Nea Kameni for a guided walk to the crater, then anchor at Palea Kameni for the swim. One listing seen in October 2026 started at about US$35, with an 11:00 departure. Fira Old Port sits at the bottom of the cliff below Fira; you reach it by cable car, by the stepped path, or by mule. The cable car ticket is not included in tour prices.
• From Athinios: Santorini Excursions runs a tour from Athinios, the main ferry port, at 10:15, back around 14:15, from €32. It gives about 1 hour 15 minutes on Nea Kameni and about 30 minutes at the hot springs. Hotel pickup is not included.

Both formats add a €5 cash entry fee for Nea Kameni, paid on the day. Boats do not usually land on Palea Kameni because it has no good harbour. Private boat charters and sailing trips around the caldera also stop at the bay; ask before you book whether the itinerary includes the hot springs.

When to go

Tours run through the tourist season and are cancelled in bad weather (operators refund when they cancel). The caldera is sheltered, but wind can make the swim harder.

• Late spring and early autumn are the best balance. The sea is warm enough that the swim from the boat is not a shock, and there are fewer boats than in July and August.
• Morning tours tend to be calmer and less crowded than afternoon trips timed for the sunset.
• Midsummer is hot on Nea Kameni, where there is no shade on the crater walk. The swim is a welcome cool-down.

Rules and etiquette

• Swimwear is expected. This is a public bay used by tour groups.
• Old or dark swimsuits only. The iron-rich water stains light fabric.
• Follow the crew. The captain decides how close the boat goes and how long you stay. A July 2026 traveller reported that some catamarans did not get close enough to reach the warmest water, so ask the operator how near they anchor.
• Leave nothing behind. There are no bins, toilets or facilities on Palea Kameni.
• Do not dive from the boat unless the crew says the spot is safe.

Where to stay nearby

You cannot stay on Palea Kameni. Base yourself anywhere on Santorini.

• Fira is the island’s main town, on the caldera rim, with the cable car down to the Old Port where many tours start.
• Firostefani and Imerovigli, just north of Fira, are quieter caldera-edge villages within walking distance.
• Oia, at the north tip, is the famous sunset village but a longer trip to the ports.
• Kamari and Perissa on the east coast have cheaper hotels and black-sand beaches, with buses into Fira.

Safety notes

• This is open-sea swimming. The 30 m swim is through deep water off a boat. Only confident swimmers should go without a float. Children need to be able to swim, or be in a life jacket with an adult beside them. Ask the crew for a float or noodle.
• Climbing back aboard up a ladder is the tricky part, especially in a swell.
• Footing: If you stand near the shore, the rocks are sharp and the bottom is soft mud.
• Sun and heat: The Nea Kameni walk has no shade. Take a hat, water and proper shoes, not flip-flops.
• Volcanic area: Santorini’s volcano is active and monitored by scientists. Check local news and official advice before you go.

Nearby stops worth adding

The Nea Kameni crater walk is part of most tours and the reason many people take one: a gravel path climbs to the rim of the youngest craters, with views back to the caldera cliffs. Back on the main island, the Akrotiri Bronze Age site and the cliff path from Fira to Oia are the classic additions. Santorini has no other natural hot spring listed here; for a Greek soak on land, the islands of Ikaria and Kythnos have shoreline springs.