Revisiting the Santorini Caldera

After 28 years, we had a reunion with the dramatic landscape of the volcanic island of Santorini in the Cyclades archipelago, which in turn is part of the Greek Aegean. As the winter ferry schedule is very sparse, we opted for the shorter flight to and from Athens for our arrival and departure. This allowed us to get a bird’s-eye view of those islands we got to know many years ago on a backpacking and ferry-hopping trip, as well as those still on our wish list.

The approach first offered a fantastic view over the western part of the now water-filled volcanic crater, formed during the eruption in the 17th or 16th century BC, allowing us to admire the entire spectacular cliffs with their white villages on the crater rim. Then, already significantly lower, we saw Perivolos Beach seemingly within reach, flew in a wide arc around the rocks of Profitis Ilias, and finally landed over the black Kamari Beach.

The view from Fira of the sea with the volcanic island of Nea Kameni remains unique and breathtakingly beautiful – whether from a restaurant or on the seemingly endless panoramic path along the cliffs.

For a comparison of the images, a slide from 1996 with the digital shot from 2024, the projection screen of the Volkan Cinema is ideal. The sheer size of the cruise ship alone is an indication of the change that tourism has brought about during this time.

Santorini has always been a heavily frequented travel destination, but a turning point seems to have been reached – up to five ships with several thousand day visitors, in addition to those arriving by plane and ferry, are also leading to phenomena here that are described as overtourism.