About 50 km southwest of Athens in the Saronic Gulf is a small Peninsula of volcanic origin of Methane, which is part of the Hellenic volcanic arc. Suggest that volcanic activity in this region began a million years ago. Today on the Peninsula has many faults, and this area is recognized as an earthquake-prone area.
Overall, on the Peninsula of methana geologists have discovered more than 30 craters, most of which are andesite and dacite volcanic dome. The largest volcano on the Peninsula has two domes, one of which smoked so far, and its height is 760 meters above sea level. The last massive eruption of this volcano was recorded in the III century BC (written mention of this found in Pausanias, Strabo and Ovid) and today it has the status of a potentially active. The Methane volcano is the only active volcano on mainland Greece (the other active Greek volcanoes are on Islands). From its summit offers stunning panoramic views over the Saronic Gulf and the picturesque landscapes of the Peninsula.
The Peninsula of methana is inhabited since prehistoric times. During the archaeological excavations of the Mycenaean settlements, sanctuaries of the geometric period, two ancient Acropolis and many valuable artifacts that can be seen in museums on the island of Poros and Piraeus.
The closest settlement to the top of the volcano is a small village Kameni Chora, which means "burnt village". The inhabitants are occupied with agriculture, and also in the sphere of tourist service. On the Peninsula and is the namesake resort town, famous for its sulfurous geothermal springs. This is one of the largest thermal spas in Greece.