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The volcano of Santorini is one of the most significant features of the island near Crete. The Santorini eruption, also called as the Minoan eruption of Thera was one of the most destructive and largest volcanic eruptions on the Earth, and had completely wiped out the island of Santorini and its inhabitants. Though the volcano had had several eruptions in the past, the one in 1650 BC was one of the most devastating events in written history of the world. One of the must see sites of the island, the volcano simply has to be on your itinerary. Your flight to Santorini would land at the Santorini Airport near village Kamari and takes about 30 minutes from Athens.

The story of the volcano in terms of geography is quite interesting. The formation of the nearby island of Palea is completely attributed to a series of volcanic eruptions. The volcano remained inactive for almost 1300 years after the cataclysmic eruption of 1650 BC. However, the eruption in 198 BC led to the creation of an island called Hierra, followed by creation of another island called Theia in 46 AD. The two islands were united after a series of eruptions over the years from 60 AD to 1508 AD, leading to the formation of present island of Palea Kameni, followed by formation of another island called Mikra Kameni. The two were again united by another island that, interestingly, joined these two islands. You actually walk on the hardened black lava along the steaming volcano. The central portion is called Nea Kameni. Once you are on the shore, a 20 minute walk would take you to the crater of the volcano. Other openings with sulfur steam bursting from them can also be seen. The area also has several hot springs scattered about.

A visit to the volcano is an experience of a lifetime, especially for children, learning some really significant facts of geography and how these islands were formed. There are daily tours organized by almost every village near the volcano. These are generally conducted between the months of April and October and are available in two other languages apart from Greek, viz. English and French. You can take the boat trip organized by different villages which leaves from the old port. The tour usually lasts for about 6 hours, great for spending an entire day with family.