Monday, March 24, 2025
Greece has reassured tourists that the picturesque island of Santorini is safe and fully prepared to welcome visitors, as the first cruise ship of the season, carrying 1,170 passengers, mostly from the U.S., arrived on Sunday.
Following a prolonged period of seismic activity that impacted the lives of residents in Santorini, Amorgos, and Anafi, all restrictions have now been lifted. Efforts to refurbish tourist accommodations are underway, and local hoteliers are gearing up for the upcoming travel season.
Experts have confirmed that the seismic activity, which started in late January and lasted nearly a month, has now diminished. Inspections of public buildings across the island have verified that they have withstood the tremors and are deemed safe for reopening. While the earthquake-related safety measures have been enhanced, they will continue to be maintained for added security.
In April, 35 cruise ships are expected to dock, with reservations for 2025 indicating a rise of at least 10% in both cruise and passenger traffic, according to the president of the Cruise Association.
It’s worth mentioning that last year’s season concluded with a total of 7.9 million passengers, with 1.3 million visiting Santorini. This highlights that tourists are increasingly choosing cruises that include the island as a key destination.
Santorini is now considered safe after a series of earthquakes that recently impacted the island. Scientists remain on-site, closely monitoring the ongoing seismic activity and continuing their measurements.
Between January 26 and February 22, more than 20,000 earthquakes of magnitude 1 or higher were recorded, often occurring only minutes apart. These tremors were attributed to natural tectonic movements and shifts in magma beneath the seabed. In response, authorities declared a state of emergency on the island, as well as in neighboring Amorgos, in early February, prompting thousands of residents and workers to evacuate.
As one of Greece’s top tourist destinations, Santorini is famous for its volcanic caldera. It lies within a volcanic arc that includes several underwater volcanoes near the island’s coast, such as Nea Kameni and Kolumbo.
Santorini’s volcanoes had been dormant for nearly 400 years until this recent activity. The last eruption of Kolumbo occurred in 1650, claiming over 70 lives and triggering a massive 40-meter tsunami, accompanied by powerful earthquakes, aftershocks, and the release of toxic gases and smoke.
The latest eruption occurred between January 10 and February 2, 1950.
