Santorini

Stricter restrictive measures have been imposed on the islands of Mykonos and Santorini in a bid to prevent a spread of Covid-19 in the two popular holiday destinations. 

At the same time, the villages of Damaskinia and Dragassia in the municipality of Voio, northern Greece, came out of quarantine on Monday.

Greece's civil protection agency issued a plan for addressing the consequences of a possible activation of the volcano of Santorini, state-run news agency ANA-MPA reported Thursday.

An official from the General Secretariat for Civil Protection told the news agency the specific scenario, named "Talos," is part of an umbrella master plan to prepare for any natural disaster. 

Athens University and the General Secretariat for Aegean and Island Policy will be presenting the most recent finds from five excavations that are taking place at important archaeological sites on the islands of the Cyclades and Ionian.

While residents of Samothraki and Kythira as well as several other islands in the Aegean Sea fear another problem may deprive them of maritime transportation this year - following similar experiences in recent years - coastal shipping companies are striving to offer more vessels on the popular routes to the Cyclades and Crete.

The government is mulling a list of measures proposed by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) to tackle overtourism on the popular island of Santorini, Kathimerini understands. 

The number of cruise passengers arriving at Greek ports grew by 15.64 percent last year compared to 2018, while the number of cruise ships increased 14.34 percent year-on-year, according to data released on Tuesday by the Greek Ports Association.

However, many of those stops were at oversaturated destinations that suffered as a result, according to tourism industry sources.

Tourist services in Greece have become cheaper since September 1st, BNR reports. This coincides with the expectations of Greek resorts for a large number of guests from Bulgaria.

The situation on Samothraki, with the ferry connection to the island in the northern Aegean cut off for 12 days earlier this month, brought to light the myriad problems afflicting Greek ports.

It's November 2015, on the Cycladic island of Santorini. In defiance of the bitter cold, a large group of scientists of various specializations from the United States, Britain and Greece are stood on the bridge of the Marcus Langseth, one of the largest seismic vessels in the world, scanning the horizon for traces of an orange flag.

Greece and destinations such as Santorini and Mykonos are among the top European locations affected adversely by air pollution emitted by cruise ships, according to the European Federation for Transport and Environment (Transport & Environment), which campaigns for cleaner transport.