Cruises in Santorini

On Santorini a boat is not entertainment but the way to see the island as it was designed. From above you only see the lip of the cliff; the true scale of the caldera opens from below, when a three-hundred-metre wall rises over you and the villages along its edge shrink to a white stripe. Hence the number of sailings here: catamarans run along the inner wall to the Red and White beaches, drop anchor for a swim in coves no road reaches, and finish at the hot springs of Palea Kameni, where the water tastes of iron.

The formats differ by hour and by company. The daytime run is about swimming and lunch on board: five or six hours, barbecue, drinks included, usually with hotel transfer. The sunset run times its course to be off Oia at exactly the right hour — from the water you get the same picture as from the packed terraces, without the crowd. There are Targa motor yachts for those who want speed and fewer people, private versions with dinner, and a small self-drive boat you handle yourself.

A line of its own goes to the volcanic islets. The boat lands on Nea Kameni for the climb to the crater over black scree, then continues to Thirasia, the fragment of the old island with three villages and no tourist bustle. Such trips are often combined with the hot springs and closed with the sunset off Oia. Another option is fishing: five hours with a local crew, tackle on board, the catch cooked at sea.