Catamaran Cruises in SantoriniSantorini Hot Springs: The Palea Kameni Swim
The Santorini hot springs are the orange-tinted cove on Palea Kameni where almost every caldera cruise pauses for a swim. This guide covers where they are, why the water runs warm and rusty, what the swim from the boat involves, and which cruises stop there. The caveats are real: no shore access, no lifeguards, and a swim of roughly 50 meters over open water to reach the warm patch. The bookable tours are compared on Santorini catamaran cruises.
A sailing catamaran in the caldera near Palea Kameni with the cliffs of Santorini behind. Photo: Norbert Nagel, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Quick answer The short answer
The Santorini hot springs sit in a small cove on Palea Kameni, where sulfur-rich water reaches 35 C (95 F) at its peak on the Greek national tourism site's figure and entry is free, by boat only. You swim about 50 meters from the anchored boat to the warm patch. There is no shore access and no lifeguard. Santorini View's volcano tour budgets 30 minutes at the springs.
Key takeaways
- The water is warmer than the sea but lukewarm rather than hot, colored orange and brown by sulfur, iron and manganese, and it permanently stains light swimsuits and silver jewelry.
- The ViSta Platinum Catamaran stops at the hot springs on a 5-hour cruise from Vlychada Marina for $113.38 per person with an open bar.
- The Santorini Star Catamaran caps the group at 18 guests and lists the hot springs, Red Beach and Thirassia among its stops for $111 per person.
- Strong open-water swimming is needed, so weak swimmers and families with small children should check the Santorini catamaran cruise for routes and group limits before booking.
- The nearby crater walk is a separate stop on Nea Kameni, covered in the guide to the Santorini volcano.
Where the Hot Springs Are
The springs are not on the volcano island most people photograph. They sit on the older, quieter islet next to it.
Palea Kameni, Not Nea Kameni
The hot springs sit between Santorini and Thirassia, near the two Kameni islets in the middle of the caldera. They sit in a small cove off Palea Kameni. The names translate plainly: Nea Kameni means new burnt and Palea Kameni means old burnt.
The two islets are very different in size. Nea Kameni covers 3.4 km2 and holds the crater walk. Palea Kameni covers just 0.5 km2, was formed by eruptions between 197 BCE and 47 CE, and is built from pumice and dacite lava with black lava craters. Wikivoyage gives its age as about 2,000 years and notes it has a church, a hot spring and one resident. The springs sit on the west side of Palea Kameni, according to Santorini View.
The Bay and the Chapel
Hot Springs Guides places the springs in Agios Nikolaos Bay on Palea Kameni. Santorini View refers to the same spot as the Agios Nicholaos beach, reached only by water. Wikivoyage mentions a church on the islet, and the bay carries the same saint's name. There are no managed facilities of any kind.
The boat ride out takes 20 to 30 minutes from Fira Old Port or Athinios, again on Hot Springs Guides' figures, and catamaran cruises from Ammoudi Bay or Vlychada include the bay on their 5-hour route. Entry to the springs itself is free. The only way in is by boat, and the only way out of the water is the boat's ladder.
Sources: Greeka, Wikipedia, Hot Springs Guides
How Warm, Why Orange
The springs are warm rather than hot, and the color is mineral chemistry.
Temperature, With the Sources Quoted
Set expectations before you swim. Greeka puts the spring water at 30 to 35 C even in winter. The Greek national tourism site credits the Palea Kameni springs with sulfur and iron and a peak of 35 C (95 F). Aroma Suites argues that lukewarm springs is the more accurate label, because the surrounding sea runs 24 to 25 C in summer. Grandpl describes the water as roughly 10 to 18 F warmer than the caldera around it and suggests jumping into the cooler sea first, then swimming into the warm shallows.
For contrast, the open caldera water is about 25 C in summer and 18 to 22 C in spring and autumn on Hot Springs Guides' figures. That contrast is why spring and autumn are rated the best seasons for the swim: the warm patch feels dramatic against cool water. In summer the difference is milder.
Minerals, Colour and Staining
The water changes from blue to murky brown, reddish or orange where the springs feed in. Greeka attributes this to sulfur, manganese and iron. Bubbling in the water is normal and Greeka calls the visit safe.
The minerals have a cost. Sulfur can permanently color swimsuits, and silver jewelry tarnishes for the same reason, so both Greeka and tour operators tell guests to wear an old or dark swimsuit and leave silver at the hotel. Skin can take on a temporary yellowish tint after the swim, which washes off. Greeka credits the springs with relief for rheumatism, arthritis, muscle stiffness and skin conditions such as dermatitis, eczema and psoriasis, but that is Greeka's claim and not medical advice.
Sources: Greeka, Visit Greece
Santorini HOT SPRINGS : Worth Visiting ? (and How Warm Are They ??)
A test of the Santorini hot springs and how warm the water really is. Third-party video by Greece Explained. This site did not shoot it and has no relationship with the creator.
The Swim From the Boat
No boat puts you on the rocks. Every visit starts with a jump into the caldera.
How Far, and Where the Boat Waits
Boats anchor offshore and keep their distance. Greeka says guests swim about 50 meters across open water to reach the springs, and Santorini View puts the stop about 30 meters from them, while Aroma Suites gives a range of 50 to 100 meters. Treat it as a short open-water swim of roughly 50 meters, and listen to the crew, who brief the distance and the conditions at the anchorage. Hot Springs Guides reckons the swim takes 2 to 5 minutes.
The water between boat and springs is ordinary sea. The warm water starts in the shallows near the rocks, so you swim from cool into warm as you go. One operator states its boat keeps a safe distance of 50 meters from the springs, which is why the swim is unavoidable.
Who Should Skip It, and What to Wear
This is not a pool swim. Hot Springs Guides says strong open-water swimming ability is required, that children must be strong swimmers under adult supervision, and that there are no lifeguards and nothing to hold except the boat ladder when you get back. Santorini View says very good swimming skills are needed to reach the beach and springs at Agios Nicholaos. Weak swimmers should stay on board and watch. One private operator also does not recommend its cruise for pregnant women, infants under 2, or guests with serious back or mobility problems, and its catamaran is listed as unsuitable for wheelchair users.
Wear a dark or old swimsuit, because sulfur and iron oxides cause permanent staining of light fabric and silver. Swimming shoes help: Greeka says the rocks near shore get increasingly slippery and give better traction with them. Do not apply soap or sunscreen before entering the thermal patch, which Hot Springs Guides forbids.
Sources: Greeka, Santorini View
The small chapel on Palea Kameni in the caldera. Photo: Norbert Nagel, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Cruises That Stop at the Springs
Most catamaran routes through the caldera include a hot springs swim. The differences are price, group size and departure port.
Comparing the Cruise Cards
The table below compares the cruises whose listed stops include the hot springs, using the catalog card prices in US dollars, the group limits and the departure ports stated on each card. Some sail from Ammoudi Bay below Oia, others from Vlychada Marina on the south coast, and durations are 5 hours on all of them. Free cancellation of 24 hours applies across the board. For the full line-up, see all Santorini catamaran cruises on the homepage.
Two stand out for this stop. The ViSta Platinum Catamaran takes up to 18 guests from Vlychada Marina at $113.38 per person, with a BBQ and seafood meal, an open bar and a special sunset wine, and the hot springs among its three swim stops. The Santorini Day Tours Small Cruise runs from Ammoudi Bay for up to 20 guests at $171.79 per person and lists the Palea Kameni warm springs by name alongside Red Beach, White Beach and Mesa Pigadia.
| Cruise | Price | Guests | Port |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sunset Oia Ocean Voyager | $67 | Up to 50 to 55 | Ammoudi Port, Oia |
| Spiridakos Sailing Catamaran | $85 | Not stated | Vlychada, Ammoudi on mornings |
| ViSta Platinum Catamaran | $113.38 | Up to 18 | Vlychada Marina |
| Caldera Yachting Thirassia | $229.06 | Up to 16 | Ammoudi Bay, Oia |
How Long You Get at the Springs
Stops are short. Santorini View's six-hour volcano, hot springs and Thirasia boat tour budgets 30 minutes at the hot springs, and the cruise cards here do not state how long the stop lasts. The budget option is the Sunset Oia Ocean Voyager at $67 per person, a shared catamaran for up to 50 to 55 guests with a barbecue meal and unlimited white wine. If you want a smaller boat, the small-group and luxury catamarans of 16 to 20 guests differ, so check each listing's stops for the springs. The volcano crater walk on Nea Kameni is a separate excursion covered in the Santorini volcano guide.
The routes change with weather and the sunset time, so the order of stops and the time in the water can shift.
Hot Springs Tips
Small choices make the difference between a good swim and a stained suitcase.
Do
- Do wear a dark or old swimsuit, because sulfur and iron oxides permanently stain light-colored fabric.
- Do leave silver jewelry behind or at the bottom of your bag, because the sulfur in the water can permanently color it.
- Do wear swimming shoes or sturdy water sandals, because Greeka says the rocks near shore get increasingly slippery and shoes help with traction.
- Do rinse off sunscreen and soap before entering the water, because Hot Springs Guides says neither is allowed in the thermal patch.
- Do listen to the crew briefing before jumping in, because the swim is roughly 50 meters of open water and the crew know the conditions at the anchorage.
Don't
- Don't attempt the swim without confident open-water skills, because Hot Springs Guides says strong swimming is required and there are no lifeguards or ropes, only the boat ladder.
- Don't let weak or young swimmers go alone, because children must be strong swimmers under adult supervision at this stop.
- Don't expect facilities on shore, because there is no shore access, no managed facilities and no way out of the water except the boat ladder.
- Don't treat the water as a scalding thermal bath, because it runs lukewarm against the sea, peaking at 35 C (95 F) on the Greek national tourism site's figure.
Santorini Hot Springs FAQ
How do I get to the hot springs in Santorini?
By boat only. The springs sit in Agios Nikolaos Bay off Palea Kameni with no shore access, and Hot Springs Guides puts the ride at 20 to 30 minutes from Fira Old Port or Athinios. Catamaran cruises from Ammoudi Bay and Vlychada include the stop on their route, and you can compare them on the Catamaran Cruises in Santorini homepage.
How hot are the hot springs in Santorini?
Warm rather than hot. Greeka puts the water at 30 to 35 C even in winter, the Greek national tourism site gives a peak of 35 C (95 F), and Aroma Suites calls the springs lukewarm because the summer sea reaches 24 to 25 C nearby. Full figures and the color chemistry are in the section on how warm the water is and why it is orange.
Can you swim to the Santorini hot springs from the boat?
Yes, and you must. Boats anchor offshore and keep a distance of about 50 meters, so guests swim across open water to the warm patch, which Greeka describes as the way in. Strong swimming is required, which is why the small-group ViSta Platinum Catamaran route suits confident swimmers who also want a capped deck of 18.
Is the Santorini hot springs swim safe?
The visit itself is safe, Greeka says, and bubbling water at the springs is normal. The real risk is the open-water swim with no lifeguards and no shore to stand on, so weak swimmers should stay aboard. Operators also advise dark swimsuits because of permanent staining. For the wider picture, including the thousands of quakes recorded around Santorini in early 2025 and the 2026 sequence, during which ferries, the airport and hotels kept running, see the Santorini caldera guide.
Which cruises stop at the Palea Kameni hot springs?
Most caldera catamarans do, from the $67 shared Sunset Oia Ocean Voyager to the $229.06 semi-private Caldera Yachting Thirassia cruise. Santorini View's volcano tour budgets 30 minutes at the springs, and the swim is included in the price with no fee for the springs themselves. The full card-by-card comparison is in the section on cruises that stop at the springs.
Is there an entrance fee for the hot springs?
No. Hot Springs Guides says entry to the springs is free and the only way in is by boat, so you pay for the cruise, not the water. The nearby Nea Kameni crater walk is different and carries a 5 euro cash fee paid on site. That hike belongs to the volcano island and is covered in the guide to the Santorini volcano.