Kamari: Black Volcanic Sand on the Beach

Kamari combines a distinctive stretch of coast with seaside leisure: the beach is a stretch of black volcanic sand along the shore of the recently developed village. It is a bathing beach and a place for relaxation, recreation, and entertainment from day into the evening. Swimming conditions can vary. If a beach and time by the sea are your main priorities when choosing a holiday destination, Kamari is a specific place to consider.

Beach and Awards

Kamari Beach has two Blue Flags. In 2026, Santorini retained a total of seven Blue Flags for the beaches of Agios Georgios, Vlychada, Kamari 1, Kamari 2, Monolithos, Perivolos, and Perissa. The municipality linked the awards to clean seas, safety, and high environmental standards.

Relaxation and seaside recreation are at the heart of the black sand beach, with entertainment available from day into the evening. This makes it easy to distinguish the character of the village when planning a holiday from the other aspects associated with Santorini as a whole. Consider whether you want to focus your stay mainly on the beach and coastal leisure, or whether you also want to take hiking trails, culture, and regional cuisine into account when making your choice.

Santorini: Landscape and Activities

Kamari is on Santorini, the southernmost island of the Cyclades. The island group is characterized by a landscape with active volcanoes. Santorini’s caldera was formed by a massive eruption around 1600 BC.

A trail runs along the edge of the caldera from Imerovigli to Oia, offering views of the sea, the caldera, and the volcano. Other hiking trails connect Pyrgos with Profitis Ilias, Emporio, and Ancient Thera. If activity is an important part of your travel plans, you can consider these trails as Santorini experiences in their own right, alongside beach days in Kamari.

Other activities take center stage on Santorini’s southeast coast: sailing and kitesurfing are options there, along with parasailing and views of the Aegean. Beach leisure, trails along the caldera, and activities on the southeast coast showcase different sides of the broader destination. Which ones suit your trip depends on whether you prefer time by the sea, activity, or a combination of different island experiences.

Culture and History on Santorini

Pyrgos was designated a protected settlement in 1995. In August 1997, the ecclesiastical collection of Pyrgos opened as a permanent exhibition at the Monastery of Profitis Ilias. Akrotiri is home to remarkably well-preserved Minoan frescoes and buildings buried under volcanic ash. Together, Pyrgos and Akrotiri represent different chapters in Santorini’s history: the protected settlement and ecclesiastical collection in Pyrgos, and Akrotiri’s Minoan heritage.

Regional Cuisine

Cuisine also offers a way to explore what makes Santorini distinctive. Santorini Fava is a PDO product made from the cotyledons of the legume Lathyrus clymenum L., which grows exclusively in Thera’s volcanic soil. The Santorini tomato is also a PDO product and has been cultivated since the early 19th century. Both products show how closely regional specialties are connected to the products associated with Santorini.

Regional cuisine also includes the white Santorini eggplant, with its sweet aroma and juicy flesh that does not absorb oil when fried, as well as Chloro, a creamy goat’s cheese produced in very limited quantities on Santorini. Local chefs make tomato fritters called Tomatokeftedes with PDO cherry tomatoes.

Choosing Kamari as a Holiday Destination

When looking for a holiday apartment, you can first decide what role the beach should play in your trip. Kamari offers a direct connection to black volcanic sand, a beach holiday, and seaside leisure. Hiking trails, cultural sites, and regional products, on the other hand, are part of the wider Santorini context and can complement your other interests. The flight from Athens International Airport to Santorini Airport takes 50 minutes; check the schedule and duration before your trip. This lets you take both Kamari’s beach-focused character and your plans for Santorini into account when choosing where to stay.

Discover more destinations: Vothonas, Agkali, Perissa, Vlychada, Folegandros, Manganari Ios, Mylopotas, Vourvoulos.

Go to the main travel overview: Santorini.