Santorini Caldera Cruise: Nea Kameni and Thirasia Tour

Embark on a thrilling half-day tour of Santorini’s flooded crater, Nea Kameni and Thirasia islands. Sail across the stunning caldera, explore volcanic craters, swim in warm springs, and enjoy a leisurely lunch on Thirasia island.

Duration: 6 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Santorini Volcano - As the boat approaches the volcanic island, the rugged cliffs and striking beauty create an exciting backdrop for the adventure. Disembark and embark on a guided hike along volcanic paths while the tour guide shares intriguing geological history and tales of the island’s eruptions.
    A 5€ entrance fee is required to access the…
What's Included
  • Visit of the famous volcano of Santorini
  • Foam pool noodles
  • Visit and swim at the Hot Springs
  • Boat tour
  • Tour Guide
  • Pick up / Drop off included (if option is selected)
  • Visit Thirassia Island
What's Not Included
  • Food and beverages (available for purchase or bring your own)
  • Towels and swimwear (guests must bring their own)
  • Pick up and Drop off excluded (if the “without pickup” option is selected)
  • Entrance fees
  • Cable car ticket - per way, Santorini Volcano
Additional Information

Begin your adventure with a choice: either with a pickup from Athinios Port or without from the Old Port of Fira.
The first destination is the volcano, where you will have 1.5 hours to hike its rugged trails and discover its unique landscape. A 5€ entrance fee is required to access the volcano. Your tour guide will lead you along the paths, sharing…

Location
Santo Star Travel - Old Port of Fira
If you choose the "without pickup option," the tour starts at the Old Port of Fira, accessible by cable car (10€ per way) or a 30-minute walk down the steps. The meeting point is at the "Santo Star" office. Please arrive 45 minutes before departure. Cable car users should plan for queues.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.4
(1301 Ratings)
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Stefan_r
Oct 27, 2025
Great tour & price! - Great experience here on the boat to hike the volcano (€5 entry) on Nea Kameni, swim in the "hot" springs (not very hot, basically warm patch of ocean with Sulphur) on Palea Kameni and visit the small island of Thirasia with 270 step hike and restaurants, café & bars. On the way back you cruise by the village of Oia for a great photo OP before returning to Old Port of Fira. About a 5.5hr tour all together.
Review provided by Viator
Kat120
Oct 26, 2025
Amazing day trip! - The catamaran was a change in plan. And we’re not notified that the wooden boat was not available. However due the winds and roughness of the sea! It was a good change. The mate was attentive to our needs and tried to explain without hesitation to area , the rock’s formation. The food was a lite fare of chicken, sausage, salad, beans. Dips. It was delicious. The swimming stops were amazing and we took full advantage of the opportunity even though it was refreshing temperatures. The sunset was perfect. So beautiful. It was a great afternoon.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Delphine_l
Oct 19, 2025
Great experience - Nice trip to visit the volcano island, the hot springs and Thirassia. Very affordable option for a qualitative time.
Review provided by Viator
Katherine_g
Oct 17, 2025
We enjoyed this excursion... - We enjoyed this excursion that took us to hike the volcano, swim in the hot springs, and visiting Thirassia. We visited in early October so it wasn’t too hot for the hike. The water was a little cold when we jumped in, but we got used to it quickly. The hot springs weren’t that hot but it was still a cool experience. We had gyros for lunch on Thirassia before heading back.
Review provided by Viator
Allanm
Oct 30, 2025
Great tour but be alert on the volcano walk - There were 110 people on this tour and when walking to the top of the volcano we needed to be very close to the tour guide as when on the occasions that he stopped and talked only the closest 15 to 20 people could hear his speak. There is no need to spend two hours on the island of Thirassia.
Review provided by Viator
Celia_d
Oct 20, 2025
Nice. - Nice and reasonable price for a 6 hour excursion but in our opinion it is not a must. The island of Thirasia is not very big and you have to pay 5 euros to access the island of Nea Kaméni 🌋
Review provided by Viator
Zach_g
Oct 17, 2025
Not bad, wont do again - Overall, it was only okay. Not great, not horrable. It all started with checking in. Our tender dropped us off very early, so I went to check in. The lady behind the desk resonated a "i really dont wanna be here" energy as well as being short and quite rude to me telling me to come back at 9:45am to check in. Upon checking in later, we were told to wait in a line that really turned into a giant pile of people that the staff did nothing to control. We boarded the boat and all of our boat staff was fantastic. They helped my wife get on and get off with my 1 year old who sometimes was sleeping. They were polite when we talked to them. The locations were pretty. But we has some issues as well. Up first was the Volcano. It was very pretty but was mostly a walking trail with very loose lava stone gravel. Felt like there wasn't much there for the 5 euro entrance fee. Secondly was the hot springs swim. This is where we had the biggest issue. We were not told that the swim would be from the boat, so my wife and I did not wear our suits onto the boat because we thought there would be somewhere to change like all of the other hot springs we have been to and not wanting to hike up a volcano in a swim suit. Also with the swim, we only had 30 minutes to swim, and this included the get in and get out process. Normally this would be fine but once I got in, we had to swim about 50 meters to the spring. By the time I was able to get in and swim over, they blew the horn saying it was time to come back. It would have been nice having 45 mins or an hour there. Lastly was the town of Theresa. We loved this area. The reatraunt we ate at was reasonable and the food was good. We took our 1 year old along the coast and let her play in the water. On our way back we took the long way back past Oia and Fira, not unpleasant, but made our ride back to the island approximately an hour and 20 mins. It was unexpected. Overall, it wasn't bad, but it wasn't somthing I would do again.
Review provided by Viator
Wg491
Nov 4, 2025
They don't care about customers, rude, automated service - What was intended and starting like dream day, ended with nothing but bad taste... If you like being treated like a cattle, not human being - their service is just for you. First, they will keep you for 30 minutes at the port behind something which looks like cattle fence. Then they will squeeze about 100 passengers on small boat - not sure how this is even allowed. If you're lucky, you'll be on top deck with the view. If you're unlucky, then you'll sit all day inside in crowded mess, seeing next to nothing. They cheat on what is sold there - menu says that 500ml bottle of water is €2 (already rip off), but when you try to buy it, it's actually 330ml. Not sure how that's even legal. There is no changing facility on the boat and only 2 toilets. Then it's only gets worse: there are 3 to 5 boats doing same trip in the same time. They know each other very good. But apparently that's not enough to arrange spreading arrivals to each stops at least few minutes to ease crowds. No. It appears like it's done on purpose. So in every place there is 300-500 people doing same thing in the same time. Volcano trip time is carefully calculated to ensure you have no time to stop and enjoy. You have only enough time to walk up, listen to guide person, walk up again ten quickly, very quickly walk down. In hurry, scared they can leave without you. There is NO such thing like swimming in hot springs, don't be fooled. There is just enough time to swim TO hot springs and immediately swim back, listening to boat crew shouting at you to come back IMMEDIATELY!!!! Then is the longest break in the least interesting place - Thirasia island. Probably because they want to have lunch there, possibly free, funded by restaurant in exchange of bringing 100s customers. They mention you can swim there, but after seeing what was spit out boats exhaust (dirty dark diesel sludge mixed with diesel oil leftovers) I wouldn't get into water there. Entire place is sort of a port with motorboats everywhere. If you don't spot dirt, the water looks innocent, but I managed to spot it unfortunately. At the very end there is fact, they're completely not prepared to anything above regular trip. There was strong wind forecast more than day before our trip. Sea was rough (not a problem for us), but at the end it was too dangerous to disembark at New Port and boat captain decided to do it at Old Port, below Fira town. I fully understand and support that decision. But what happened next was shocking to us. They just dumped us out at the port telling to take cable car to Fira. We found they had completely no arrangements with the port and we been forced to pay extra €10/person just to be able to return to hotel. When we asked our guide why we have to pay extra when it's their responsibility to make sure we can get to agreed destination, they just responded "I don't know, I dont't care, not my business" It's really disturbing when in such situation you hear such words from your guide! So they squeezed us on overcrowded boat, not giving time to enjoy places we want to see, ripping us off even on water, then dumped in unexpected place with rude excuses instead of help and explanation. Not the service I would expect even if it was free, not to mention paying substantial amount for it. AVOID!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lena_m
Oct 30, 2025
Careful reading - To read carefully! I booked an excursion to Santorini volcano via Viator / Santo Star Travel. From the start, Welcoming set the tone, an incredibly unpleasant, haughty old lady who spoke to us like idiots simply because our English was not perfect. But worst of all, no information on the site before buying tickets regarding the closure of the stairs. So, we find ourselves obliged to pay 40 € extra for the cable because otherwise impossible to access the excursion. In itself the excursion was good but Welcoming and lack of information is limited especially when we are not informed of the extra cost before..
Review provided by Viator
K1998ygscottc
Oct 29, 2025
Clueless staff and frustrating day - Wow - what a screwup! We selected the cruise with the three stops and dinner and sunset. Checked all the boxes for us. But JUST TO MAKE SURE we walked a great distance and paid for a cable car to go to the actual dock THE DAY BEFORE to verify the next day's trip. Stopped at the counter. Yes, no problem, she said, it will be great, here is where we meet up, here is the dock, all good, etc. See you at 12:30 tomorrow! So... The next day we show up eager and ready - after the same long walk and cable car fee. We went to the same counter to check in. The staff had a short conversation and then informed us that they don't do that boat excursion this late in the season! They did not even know their own boat schedule one day in advance! Really disappointed just>. We had to re-plan our day and it would have a great day on the water and in the three islands. And it would have covered dinner and sunset. Ouch!
Review provided by Tripadvisor