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Thirassia
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
city · GR

Thirassia

Recommended stay: 1 day
Getting around: Thirassia is a small island just across the caldera from Santorini's main island, reached by small boat from Santorini's old port (below Fira, via cable car or the steps/donkey path) or from Oia's Ammoudi Bay; there are no car ferries and no real road network for rental vehicles in the conventional sense. Once on Thirassia, the settlements are close together and walkable, connected by a path along the caldera rim.
Hours: Boat services to Thirassia are limited and mostly tied to organized excursions or a modest local ferry schedule, generally operating only through daylight hours and considerably reduced or absent outside the summer season, so check current timetables before planning a visit.

Thirassia is what remains of Santorini's original volcanic rim after a massive eruption around 1600 BC split the landmass apart, and it offers a striking contrast to its far more developed neighbor: a small, sparsely populated island with unpaved paths, a handful of tavernas, and caldera views that rival Oia's without any of the crowds or infrastructure. Its main settlement, Manolas, sits atop the caldera cliff and is reached by a steep set of steps from the small port below (Korfos), similar in principle to Santorini's own approach from its old port but on a much smaller, quieter scale.

Most visitors come as a half-day or full-day excursion from Santorini, often combined with a boat trip around the volcano and hot springs; very basic overnight accommodation exists but is limited, and Thirassia functions mainly as a glimpse of what Santorini's caldera villages looked like before large-scale tourism development.

Thirassia FAQs

How do I get to Thirassia from Santorini?

By small boat from Santorini's old port near Fira (often as part of a volcano/hot springs excursion) or from Ammoudi Bay below Oia; there's no car ferry, and services are limited, especially outside summer.

Is Thirassia worth a visit?

Yes, if you want to see caldera views without the crowds of Santorini's main villages and get a sense of the pre-development, quieter version of that landscape; it's usually done as a half-day trip rather than a base.

Can I stay overnight on Thirassia?

A small number of very basic rooms exist, but options are limited, and most visitors treat it as a day excursion from Santorini rather than an overnight base.

What is the main village on Thirassia?

Manolas, perched on the caldera rim and reached by a steep staircase from the small port of Korfos below; it has a handful of tavernas and caldera views comparable to Oia's.

Do boat excursions to Thirassia include other stops?

Commonly yes — many organized boat trips combine Thirassia with the active volcano islet (Nea Kameni), the hot springs at Palia Kameni, and sometimes Oia, as a full-day caldera excursion.

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