Palea Kameni
Best known for the hot springs just offshore, where volcanically warmed, mineral-rich water — visibly tinted orange-brown from iron oxide and sulfur — mixes with the cooler sea, and boat passengers swim or wade in from anchored boats rather than from any beach or dock. The water is genuinely warm in patches near the source and can stain light-colored swimwear, which is worth knowing before you jump in with your favorite suit.
It's a swimming stop rather than a place to walk around on land, typically included as the second half of a Nea Kameni volcano excursion.
The murky color puts some visitors off, but it's a novel experience — swimming in naturally heated, mineral seawater right beside a volcanic islet — that most find worth the short swim out from the boat.
Palea Kameni FAQs
It's warm in patches close to the underwater source, mixing with cooler surrounding seawater, so temperature varies as you swim through it — not spa-hot, but noticeably warmer than the open sea.
It can, due to the iron oxide and sulfur content that gives the water its orange-brown tint; darker swimwear is a safer choice.
From the boat — there's no beach or dock; passengers swim or wade a short distance from the anchored excursion boat to reach the springs.
Rarely — it's almost always the second stop on a combined caldera boat excursion that starts with the Nea Kameni volcano walk.
Yes, it's a popular and generally safe swimming stop, though the sulfur smell and murky color surprise some first-time visitors.
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