Santorini photos 2018-19:

On one of the days during our geologic walking tours, depending on sea and weather conditions, we take the time to visit the historic volcanic islands of Nea and Palea Kameni in depth. The following shows some impressions from this excursion from 1 May 2019, and includes a dramatic weather display in the afternoon, caused by the arrival of moist warm air masses from Africa. Fortunately, this remained only a visual display and played out entirely high above in the atmosphere without affecting the ground. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)

Santorini Island, Greece, spring 2019: excursion to Nea and Palea Kameni (68 Images)

Normally, our last excursion during the geologic walking tour leads us to the non-volcanic basement, which forms the highest mountain Profitis Ilias and its neighbor Mesa Vouno, where the Ancient Greek city of Thera was located and whose excavated ruins are certainly a highlight that should not be missed during a visit to Santorini.
Spectacular views, very interesting geological formations, and - in spring - extraordinary spring colors by the rich flora, wait for you. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)

Santorini Island, Greece, spring 2019: hike from Pirgos to Prof. Ilias, Ancient Thera to Perissa (92 Images)

A selection of photos taken during the Santorini walking tour 4-12 May 2019 by our photographer and tour guide Tobias Schorr. (Photo: Tobias Schorr)

Santorini Island, Greece, spring 2019: tour photos May 2019 (134 Images)

Before going to Fira for our caldera hike to Oia during our geologic walking tours, we decided to make an additional stop in the traditional village of Vothonas, one of the most scenic and still largely untouched-by-tourism on the island. It is located at the feet of the northern slopes of the Pirgos hill. It had developed from cave-house settlements in the area where several of the large characteristic pumice canyons meet to a form a broad valley. Besides an excellent place to study the traditional cave-house architecture, it offers excellent outcrops of the massive pumice layer from the 1600 BC eruption. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)

Santorini Island, Greece, spring 2019: impressions from Vothonas (20 Images)

The winter 2018-19 was particularly rainy in Greece. As a result, Santorini island was exceptionally green even at the end of April, when Tom guided our regular geologic walking tour on the island. Images taken on 27 and 28 April: (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)

Santorini Island, Greece, spring 2019: spring time at the caldera (20 Images)

Normally, our first excursion during the geologic walking tour, we visit the area of the oldest volcanic rocks of Santorini found in the SW peninsula near Akrotiri and the lighthouse. It is a very varied walk along beaches, the caldera, through fields on old, mostly forgotten trails and mule tracks. Geologic highlights include spectacular submarine tuffs and lava domes, often with fantastic hydrothermal alterations. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)

Santorini Island, Greece, spring 2019: tour on Akrotiri peninsula (48 Images)

On our second excursion during the geologic walking tour, we visit the most interesting sites along the southern caldera, an abandoned pumice quarry, as well as the excavated Minoan town near Akrotiri. The images here show the first part of a tour as on 30 April. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)

Santorini Island, Greece, spring 2019: Caldera hike (36 Images)

Another excursion during the geologic walking tour is the 12 km hike from Fira to Oia, a classic walk considered one of the best and most scenic hikes in the world and one of particular geologic interest as well. It leads through the elegant streets of Fira, Firostefani, Imerovigli and Oia as well as old mule paths, and for most of the time offers breathtaking views over the northern caldera of Santorini, which was the site where the violent Minoan volcanic eruption around 1600 BC took place and reshaped the island forever. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)

Santorini Island, Greece, spring 2019: hike from Fira to Oia along the caldera (36 Images)

Impressions from our geologic walking tour on Santorini during 3-11 May 2019: (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)

Santorini Island, Greece, 3-11 May 2019 Fascination Volcano tour photos (119 Images)

Balos is a small bay and beach on the caldera side near Akrotiri. It can be accessed from a trail leading down from the caldera rim above or following the coast, starting at the caldera beach with its access road. Both can be combined to a highly interesting short round trip of about 1-2 hours.
It is one of Santorini's least crowded and best places to swim inside the caldera. Until today, it is also used as a small harbor and boat shelter, as well as a famous place to collect capers. Most likely, the Balos Bay was already used as harbor in Minoan times. Remnants of Minoan building had been found on the cliff above during the 19 and 20th centuries (but unfortunately construction and erosion have by now destroyed most of it).
Geologically, it is also of particular interest: along the coast, the cliffs expose an old basaltic-andesitic cinder cone in cross section where a transition from water-magma interaction (phreatomagmatic activity) to purely strombolian-type eruptions (magmatic activity) is brilliantly recorded. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)

Santorini Island, Greece, spring 2019: Balos hike (20 Images)

The oldest volcanic rocks on Santorini are found in the SW part of the island, in the area of Akrotiri (Loumaravi) complex and near the lighthouse (Cape Akrotiri). They consists dominantly of andesitic and dacitic domes and flows as well as large amounts of mostly fine-grained, silica-rich and bright-in-color submarine volcanic breccia and ashes. Hydrothermal alteration is common, leading to reddish and greenish secondary minerals in the tuffs.
A great way to observe these features is to take the beach shuttle boat from Akrotiri (opposite Nikolas Cave tavern) to the Black Beach via the Red and White Beaches.
Images taken during excursions on 11 and 17 May 2019. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)

Santorini Island, Greece, spring 2019: Loumaravi (24 Images)

Various photos of the sea, beaches, our hotel, Kamari and Exo Gonia villages that don't fit into the other galleries... taken during 3-17 May 2019. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)

Santorini Island, Greece, spring 2019: miscellaneous (40 Images)

Little seems to be known about the old hermitage on Mesa Vouno on Santorini, although it once must have been a sizeable complex with many different construction units providing shelter, food and water for at least a number of hermits. It was connected to the site of Ancient Thera on top of Mesa Vouno via a paved trail and probably remained inhabited for a much longer time.
By now, only few ruins remain including a former kitchen in a cave, a number of roofed cells for living and a chapel for praying. Several fields must have existed to provide vegetables and many large cisterns, both using natural caves and built at the side of the rocks can be found as well. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)

Santorini Island, Greece, spring 2019: the hermitage on Mesa Vouno (22 Images)

Impressions from Santorini Island during a geologic study tour in March 2019. (Photo: Tobias Schorr)

Santorini Island in spring - tour photos March 2019 (92 Images)

Santorini is not only a highlight when it comes to present a natural showcase of fantastic geology and volcanic history deeply interwoven with Europe's ancient history, but it is also a very photogenic island. Tobias Schorr presents a selection of photos taken during our Santorini walking tour in Oct 2018: (Photo: Tobias Schorr)

Santorini, Greece: tour photos Oct 2018 (80 Images)

Upon request we organised a privately guided 3 days geology tour on the island of Santorini from 8 to 10 February 2018 of which tour guide and geologist Dr Ingrid Smet compiled this selection of photographs.
The islands looked very different from summer time when they are overrun by tourists and the heat has dried up most vegetation. Although the weather is of course less sunny and with higher chances of rain and clouds - and strong winds which sometimes result in the cancellation of all flights - it is well worth visiting Santorini in the winter time to take in the unique and quiet atmosphere and see the colourful winter and early spring flowers...

For many years now we organise 8-9 day group tours to Santorini both in autumn and springtime (Fascination Volcano tour) but if you can also contact us for a private multiple day tour at any custom date. (Photo: Ingrid Smet)

Santorini Island, Greece: February 2018 geology tour (106 Images)

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