Greece — a land with volcanoes that changed history!

Around 1627 BC, one of the greatest natural disasters in human history struck the southern Aegean Sea. The volcano on the island of Kallistē — today’s Santorini or Thera — erupted violently and destroyed much of the highly developed Minoan civilization, one of the Mediterranean’s most powerful cultures at the time. Today, Santorini is among Greece’s most famous travel destinations. The volcano has been dormant since 1950, yet future eruptions in the caldera or along its rim remain possible.

The island of Milos is widely known for the iconic Venus statue discovered there and now displayed in the Louvre in Paris. But Milos is also geologically fascinating: craters, lava domes, and hot springs shape its striking volcanic landscape.

Less well known is the dramatic volcanic peninsula of Methana, just a short distance from Athens. Its most recent eruption occurred around 270 BC. Today, Methana is famous for its thermal springs and spa baths, offering visitors a unique blend of geology and relaxation.

On the island of Kos, an enormous eruption took place about 140,000 years ago — even more powerful than the great Minoan eruption of Santorini. The active center of this volcanic region is now mainly found on the nearby island of Nisyros, where craters and fumaroles still reveal ongoing geothermal activity.

Almost unknown is the Sousaki volcano near Megara on the Saronic Gulf. Although currently inactive, gases continue to seep from deep within the earth.

This remarkable geological diversity makes Greece a unique destination to experience active volcanism, study geological processes, and understand their profound impact on nature and human culture.