Santorini Island, Greece, spring 2019: hike from Fira to Oia along the caldera
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.
The terrace beneath the cathedral of Fira is a popular meeting point, with gorgeous view over the ol... [info]
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View towards the aristocratic part of Fira (the "Roman quarter") higher along the caldera cliff. (Ph... [info]
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View of the old part of Fira from near the cable car station. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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The old part of Fira was built into the pumice cliff, originally as system of cave houses. (Photo: T... [info]
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View from Fira towards the Skaros promontory (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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Small church along the way to Firostefani (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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Ruins in the upper part of Fira, still reminding the 1956 Amorgos earthquake which destroyed Fira. (... [info]
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View over the Skaros rock (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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Zoom onto the top of Skaros, where once the capital of the island was located. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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Elegant street along the caldera rim. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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View over the caldera from Imerovigli, with Skaros in foreground. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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Small boutique hotels are aligned along the caldera rim. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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Middle entrance to the Heliotopos hotel, one of the first luxury hotels on the island. (Photo: Tom P... [info]
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Caldera street of Imerovigli (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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View of the northern caldera basin with a meadow of daisies in front. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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Taking photographs (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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View towards Micro Profitis Ilias mountain, remnant of an old stratovolcano edifice formed about 600... [info]
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Colorful oxidized lapilli deposits along the way (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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Small chapel on Micro Profitis Ilias (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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The NE flank of the old stratovolcano, whose remains form Micro Profitis Ilias mountain. (Photo: Tom... [info]
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Daisies and the sea (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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View from Micro Profitis Ilias towards the SE (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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Terraced fields in northern Santorini (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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The old mule path along the NE flank of Micro Profitis Ilias (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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Red poppies (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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Delicious orange juice and home-made nut cake during a break at the caldera cafe of Margarita (Photo... [info]
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On the path to Megalo Vouno (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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Having a rest at the chapel close to the summit of the trail (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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Thierry explaining magma differentiation (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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santorini_k21352.jpg (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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Fields near Oia (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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Colorful rocks and plants (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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Another small chapel along the way to Oia (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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Sunset watchers (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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Sunset - not always so great... (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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But Oia is always crowded at sunset time. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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