Methana
General Info
All you need to know about Methana
The Methana peninsula, located in the northeastern part of the Peloponnese, is 163 km away from Athens. The area is renowned for its thermal springs, volcanic landscape, picturesque coastal villages, and diverse flora and fauna. Thanks to its volcanic origin, Methana has been one of the oldest tourist destinations for thermal spa treatments. Since 1870, when the spa complex was established, Methana has been a popular spa town, attracting numerous European tourists eager to enjoy the benefits of its thermal waters and treatments.
Historically, Methana exhibits signs of continuous habitation starting from the Neolithic period. Evidence of civilizations from various historical periods has been discovered all over the peninsula. Important archaeological sites are located in several areas, including Paleokastro hill, Vathy, Megalochori area, Throni plateau, Oga hill, Kameni Chora and Chelona.
Interesting sites
Mavri Petra volcano at Kameni Chora village
Various geomorphological features like lava domes and craters
The thermal springs which are identified as sulphate springs with high salinity, sodium-chloride and acidic springs
Carstic formations,
Geo-mythical, ancient and historical sites such as pehistoric settlements, acropolis, castles, classical walls, chapels and monuments
Mining sites of mineral raw materials
Thermal Springs
From ancient times, the existence of 30 thermal springs with water temperatures ranging from 26° to 42°C has been documented. These springs are the result of the volcanic activity, fueled by active magma chambers beneath them, enriching the water with valuable trace elements of metals and minerals. The “Baths of Pausanias” in Agios Nikolaos are the most famous thermal springs of the peninsula. The baths have natural, sulphate, sodium-chloride and radium water boasting the highest concentration of silicic acid in the world. Additionally, the spa town of Methana offers basic therapeutic facilities currently in operation. Other spa facilities are found in Agios Nikolaos renowned for their rich silicic acid content.
Volcanic History
Upon entering the peninsula, the volcanic topography of Methana is distinctly evident. Methana, a dormant volcano that emerged from the sea about 3 million years ago, is one of the forty active volcanoes in Greece. It has a long recorded volcanic history, including various eruptions that created 30 volcanic domes. According to the ancient writer Pausanias, the volcano erupted around the middle of the third century BC, making it one of the youngest in the country. The last eruption occurred in 230 BC, as recorded by the ancient geographer Strabo. The crater from this last eruption is located in the village of Kameni Chora (or Burnt Country). Recently, scientist have discovered a volcanic crater 200 meters underwater that indicates that the youngest eruption occurred in 1987.
The volcanic complex of Methana peninsula comprises of volcanic domes, lava flows and pyroclastic rocks, divided into eight phases based on age, rock type, and eruption style. The oldest rocks are the volcanic domes in eastern and southern Methana, which form the volcanic basement, while the younger formations include domes and flows from historic eruptions in the northwest part of the peninsula.
For more information about Methana Volcano Peninsula visit this story map.
