top of page

What Is Therasia Known For?

Therasia forms one half of the same volcano that gave Santorini its shape, and a single ancient olive shrub discovered on the island recently helped scientists pin down exactly when that eruption happened.

 

Therasia is known first for its role in the Santorini caldera, since the island and Santorini together represent the surviving outer rim of a volcano that collapsed during the Minoan eruption, one of the most powerful volcanic events ever recorded, generally dated to the mid-16th century BC. Before that eruption, Therasia and Santorini formed a single, continuous landmass, and the two islands still trace the arc of that original caldera today, with a narrow channel marking where the eruption split them apart.

 

The island played a direct role in helping scientists date that eruption more precisely. Researchers found the remains of an ancient olive shrub buried near the Monastery of Panaghia Koimisis on Therasia's southern tip, and radiocarbon analysis of its growth rings, published in the journal Scientific Reports, helped confirm a date range for the eruption that aligns with volcanic sulfate markers recovered from ice cores elsewhere in the world, giving Therasia a genuine role in the ongoing scientific record of one of history's most significant natural disasters.

 

Therasia is also known as one of only two inhabited islands within the caldera itself, alongside Santorini. Manolas, the main village, keeps traditional Cycladic architecture along its narrow streets, while Potamos, a smaller settlement nearby, holds cave dwellings carved directly into the rock, a building style shared with parts of Santorini across the water. Despite its small size of just over nine square kilometers, the island holds 21 churches scattered across its landscape.

 

Therasia connects by ferry to Santorini, giving visitors an easy way to see the same caldera from the side most tourists never reach.

Discover Greece Travel

Tours and Activities.jpg

Activities & Tours

Discover Greek Islands.jpg

Guides To The Islands

Book Flights to Greece.jpg

Book

Flights

Greece Travel Packages.jpg

Travel Packages 

Tours and Activities.jpg

Private Photoshoots

Book Greece Hotels.jpg

Book

Hotels

Greece Itinerary Creator Sidebar Square.jpg

Itinerary Builder

Book Ferry Tickets Greece.jpg

Book Ferry Tickets

Greece Travel Blog.jpg

Travel

Blog

Discover Popular Tours in Greece

Travelers exploring Kefalonia’s Melissani Cave and enjoying panoramic views of Myrtos Beach and scenic island landscapes on a guided tour.

Book a Kefalonia Must See Attractions Tour with Melissani Cave and Myrtos Viewpoints

Guided island tour in Corfu featuring scenic coastal viewpoints, historic landmarks, traditional villages, and panoramic views across the Ionian Sea.

Book a Corfu Top 5 Highlights Island Tour

Travelers exploring the ancient ruins of Delphi with views of the Temple of Apollo and surrounding mountains during a guided day trip from Athens

Book a Delphi Highlights Small Group Day Tour from Athens with Expert Guide

Travelers exploring the traditional villages of Paros, walking through whitewashed streets, admiring panoramic coastal views and discovering authentic Cycladic island scenery.

Book a Paros Road Tour Around the Island

Travelers exploring the Corinth Canal, walking through the ruins of Ancient Corinth and viewing the Acrocorinth fortress from a hillside during a private guided tour from Athens.

Book a Private Corinth Tour with Minivans & Minibus from Athens

Woman posing in a flowing flying dress during a professional photoshoot in Mykonos with whitewashed buildings, blue sea views, and iconic Cycladic scenery in the background

Book a Mykonos Flying Dress Photoshoot and Video Experience

From the Podcast

The Greece Chats Podcast goes beyond the guidebook. In this episode we sit down with the founder of Hoper to talk about island hopping by helicopter and how it is changing the way people experience Greece.

GetGreece mini logo
bottom of page