Sailing the Caldera in Santorini

“A rough day at sea is better than any day at the office.”

If you are anything like us, our vision of Santorini, Greece included bright blue waters and cliffside living.  The towns are scattered on the edge of the cliffs facing the rich blue waters of the Aegean Sea.  What makes Santorini so unique is that a caldera has formed which helps to create the basis for the cliffside towns.  Quick geography lesson on calderas, they are essentially a volcanic crater that is formed when the magma is emptied from a volcano chamber and collapses.  Anyone else find that to be as cool as me?

Santorini has plenty of opportunities to get a bird’s eye view of the caldera!  We outlined some of our favorite lodging options here which offer a natural viewing option for the caldera in Santorini.  We always like to see areas from various vantage points therefore, we decided to explore Santorini from the water as well!

We chose to book with Santorini Sailing, not only do they offer small group sailings but they pride themselves on the culinary experience as well.  The best of both worlds for us!

Included in the rate is a roundtrip transfer from your hotel.  We were transported to the Vlihada Marina in a comfortable, air conditioned van.  The marina offers a few shops to explore while we waited to sail.

We chose to book the 5 hour Sailing Catamaran Tour of the Caldera in Santorini.  Their sailing fleet offers 3 boats, we were on the Blue Lagoon but you really can’t go wrong.  I am sure service and food are the same on both!  Here is one of the other boat options, the Dream Catcher.

After departing the marina, we sailed past the red rock beach.

It was really interesting to learn about the variety of rocks that form the island. Can you see the red tint to the rocks? No surprise this beach is named red beach.

Soon after we set sail, we were offered beverages.  A glass of wine and this view of the caldera in Santorini?  I was in heaven.

The staff was extremely friendly and offered to take photos for us along the way.

Once we set sail, the rock formations were instantly intriguing as the colors really varied.  We did not appreciate this difference from above.

Our first stop was for a swim! As usual, Brian was eager to jump in the water.

After about 45 minutes of swimming, it was time to make our way to the next stop.  We were headed to the island in the middle of the caldera.

It was time for more swimming as our lunch was prepared.  This was a unique stop in that as you got closer to the rock, a natural hot spring was formed due to the thermal activity.  Word of caution, there is a lot of sulfur as you get closer to the rocks.  Either don’t swim there or be prepared for an orange tinted swimsuit when you are done!

It was time for lunch…..let me just say this is where Santorini Sailing sets itself apart from any other sailing trips we have experienced.  The cuisine is amazing that was prepared on-board this catamaran!

We were served fresh calamari, seafood pasta, a vegetarian dish and greek salad.  Fresh bread, wine and beer were free flowing as well.  To top it off, we ended the meal with Ouzo!  Absolutely worth the price when you consider all these inclusions!

With our bellies full, it was definitely time to relax before heading back.

Overall the views were quite different than we experienced from above.  We had a great appreciation for the various rock formations and how the caldera was formed by getting down in the water!

Overall we highly recommend seeing the caldera from a different perspective.  Santorini Sailing is highly recommended.  As of May 2016, their advertised rates are €165 per person.  When you include the roundtrip transfer and hearty meal(plus drinks), it is worth every penny!

Have you been to Santorini? What was your favorite spot to view the caldera in Santorini?