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Bucket list destination:

Last updated: 19 June, 2023
Expert travel writer: John Malathronas

Some 2,600 years ago, a volcanic eruption turned this island upside down and created the stage for one of the most dramatic Greek island destinations.

The cliffs of Santorini’s semi-circular volcanic rim are frosted with sugar-cube villages, and boutique hotels are carved out of the cliff face, a giddying 300m drop to the sea. Dubbed the ‘black pearl of the Aegean’ because of its black sand beaches, the island’s volcanic soil also produces superb wines.

Its stark mystique and spectacular sunsets have long made it the ultimate setting for seduction.

Orientation

Santorini lies in the southern Cyclades. The action is centred in the capital Fira, all gold shops and overpriced cafés catering to day-trippers from the frequent cruise ships.

Five-star hotels and gourmet restaurants are lined up along the caldera, the flooded volcanic crater that created the island’s vertiginous cliffs.

Firostefani, Imerovigli and Oia are the most spectacular settlements on the caldera. Inland, a few more rustic villages, such as Megalochori and Pyrgos, have survived.

Our selection of the best Viator tours of this destination, plus helpful tickets and transfers

Private Arrival Transfer From Santorini Airport To All Destinations

Santorini

Private Arrival Transfer From Santorini Airport To All Destinations
Private Transfers From Santorini Airport • Covid 19 Clean & Safe • Flight monitoring • Hotel drop off service • Unlimited baggage • Meet & Greet service • Transportation by an air-conditioned van

Price: €20

Min age: 0

Rating 4.75 / 5 [202 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

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Santorini Day Tour with Sunset in Oia

Santorini

Santorini Day Tour with Sunset in Oia
Explore Santorini island on this full-day tour by bus to the most famous and attractive places on the island such as the Akrotiri Exchavation Site, the Black Sandy Beach, Emborio Village, the mountaintop of Pyrgos and of course Oia. Learn about the history of the island, admire the architecture of its traditional villages, leisure at its volcanic beaches and live Oia’s sunset experience! Includes wine tasting in a private area of 3 of the best wines in Santorini. All you need to see and experience on the island before going back home.

Price: €55

Min age: 4

Rating 4.38 / 5 [747 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

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Full Day Santorini Highlights and Venetian Castles Small Group Tour

Santorini

Full Day Santorini Highlights and Venetian Castles Small Group Tour
Experience the beauty of Santorini by joining us on a full day Santorini tour that is off the beaten path. Learn about ancient and medieval history of the island and discover the magnifiscent beauty of  the Venetian castles. Chill out in the most beautiful black sandy beach, feel the local culture combined with a wine tasting expirience and finish your day with an unforgettable sunset in Oia.

Price: €80

Min age: 0

Rating 4.85 / 5 [322 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

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Santorini 5 Hours Sightseeing Tour

Santorini

Santorini 5 Hours Sightseeing Tour
Spend the Half Day in Santorini with an expert local guide and a small group of 12-19 people or less. See Santorini landmarks like Oia, Imerovigli, Firostefani (Blue Dome Church), Prophet Elias, Megalochori, and Black Sandy Beach. -See the best sights in Santorini with our native guides. -Small-group 5-hour tour means personalized attention to up to 19 people -Licensed Mercedes Sprinter minibus. -See the most photographed churches, castles, and whitewashed houses. -This tour will introduce you to Greek culture, history, and local architecture.

Price: €99

Min age: 0

Rating 4.82 / 5 [120 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

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Half-Day Exclusive Catamaran Cruise in Santorini with Meal and Open Bar

Santorini

Half-Day Exclusive Catamaran Cruise in Santorini with Meal and Open Bar
Sail … the dream on a luxurious catamaran and unlock your senses. Cruise around the Caldera of Santorini. Feel the healing waters and mystical surroundings of the Hot springs. Swim and snorkel at the crystal clear waters of Red beach and Thirasia island. Enjoy a delicious freshly prepared meal prepared on board and open bar. Choose either Diamond Day or Scarlet Sunset cruise.

Price: €110

Min age: 0

Rating 4.79 / 5 [1358 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

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Santorini Tour on Electric Bike

Santorini

Santorini Tour on Electric Bike
This is a vivid 3-hour trek to the city’s coast with beaches and fabulous spots. Discover the hidden place in the old Castelli city of Emporio. Visit the cellar for wine tasting in Megalochori or cold drink. Feel the freedom of the southwest Caldera view.

Price: €110

Min age: 18

Rating 4.77 / 5 [154 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

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Explore Santorini with a local - 4 Hours Private Tour

Santorini

Explore Santorini with a local - 4 Hours Private Tour
Locals always have the privilege of knowing "secret" places, the fastest way to get somewhere, best tricks on how to spend your time on the island better. Combine your wishes with a driver's knowledge and find the optimal way of seeing the island. • No guide, but the driver has local knowledge so it will feel like a friend showing you around their home town • More affordable than a guided private tour • Transportation with luxury minivan Mercedes Tourer •Tour is absolutely tailor-made

Price: €137

Min age: 3

Rating 4.91 / 5 [174 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

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Private Cultural Villages Sightseeing & Akrotiri Excavations

Santorini

Private Cultural Villages Sightseeing & Akrotiri Excavations
Enjoy different and new destinations with an authentic and genuine experience. This 4-hour private journey will offer you a contact with the real Santorini, its culture and history. Your local guide/driver will take you to the traditional villages of Pyrgos, Megalochori, Emporio & the famous excavations of Akrotiri on a comfortable and deluxe van. Get involved with the local traditions by walking through picturesque paths, that will take you through the island's history and Greek lifestyle. Visit Venetian fortresses, learn about the unique architecture of the island and explore the famous excavations of the pre-historic town of Akrotiri. Departure time is flexible and pick up point is organized upon your location request. Choose your own departure and enjoy a memorable trip.

Price: €170

Min age: 0

Rating 4.94 / 5 [79 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

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Santorini Popular Destinations

Santorini

Santorini Popular Destinations
Meet your local guide and let him drive you around the whole island. Visit all the popular and most photographed places but also the traditional side of the island. See the famous blue domes in Oia, drive to the highest point of the island, visit a quaint small village and spend time at the two volcanic beaches. -Visit both the popular and secret gems of Santorini and get plenty of information about the culture of this island. -Enjoy a flexible itinerary and customize your tour -Have spare time at the red or black beach to swim or have lunch

Price: €185

Min age: 0

Rating 4.96 / 5 [97 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

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Santorini Must-See Highlights: Private Sightseeing Tour

Santorini

Santorini Must-See Highlights: Private Sightseeing Tour
A flexible, private Santorini sightseeing tour with your own personal driver-guide. Enjoy the sights and sounds of Santorini’s main attractions with plenty of stunning photo opportunities, traditional villages and panoramic sea views, from the luxury of your own private car, capitalizing on the knowledge and experience of a professional driver/ guide. Drive to all caldera’s cliff side coastline from the south to northern edge, enjoy a scenic drive around the island, have the chance to take amazing photos over the caldera, as portrayed in travel guides and visit places that only locals know.

Price: €189

Min age: 0

Rating 4.93 / 5 [253 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

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Santorini Private Custom Tour-5 Hours

Santorini

Santorini Private Custom Tour-5 Hours
In a constant effort to enhance our services and therefore maximize our customers’ experience and enjoyment, we also offer specially designed customized tours,allowing visitors to determine themselves the itinerary that best suits their needs: scenic villages, breathtaking views,culture, history, architecture, cuisine -wherever your interests may lie, there is a perfect route awaiting you. Initially, you will meet our guide at your hotel or another agreed-upon location. After boarding a luxury minibus, you will consult with our expert guide and plan a 5-hour tour which will be entirely customized to your individual preferences. Needless to mention that you may also decide upon finer details of the tour, i.e. theamount of time spent at each location and other. Possible stops on your route are Listed

Price: €197

Min age: 0

Rating 4.89 / 5 [144 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

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Santorini in a Day: See the Best of Santorini Private Tour

Santorini

Santorini in a Day: See the Best of Santorini Private Tour
See the Santorini of your dreams on this private, 4-hour, 6-hour, or 8-Hour tour with a local driver-guide. Customized entirely to your interests, your itinerary is totally flexible. With preplanned logistics and transport in a comfortable, air-conditioned vehicle included, this tour has everything you need to make the most of your time in Santorini. Visit quintessential sights such as the postcard-perfect village of Oia, the Black Sandy Beach or head off the beaten path and visit the spots often missed by visitors.

Price: €200

Min age: 0

Rating 4.93 / 5 [408 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

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Half or Full Day Private Custom Santorini Island Tour

Santorini

Half or Full Day Private Custom Santorini Island Tour
See the best of Santorini, from its historic villages to its volcanic beaches, on this private driving tour of the island. A proposed itinerary is available for visitors, though you can also customize the day’s schedule in accordance with your preferences. Choose from one of 2 options of tour duration when you book.

Price: €220

Min age: 0

Rating 4.98 / 5 [253 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

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Santorini Private Sightseeing Tour

Santorini

Santorini Private Sightseeing Tour
Explore magical Santorini on this Private Sightseeing Tour. After a convenient hotel, airport, or port pickup, craft your dream itinerary with a knowledgeable local guide and visit sites like the picturesque village of Oia, the beautiful Blue Dome Church, the Black and Red beaches. Enjoy a delicious glass of wine at a local winery and capture panoramic photos from Prophet Elias Monastery.

Price: €240

Min age: 0

Rating 4.89 / 5 [101 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

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Santorini Walking Tour with a Personal Photographer

Santorini

Santorini Walking Tour with a Personal Photographer
Explore Santorini on a walking photo shoot with your own private photographer. While visiting some of Santorini most picturesque locations, your photographer will capture images of you and your companions against a backdrop of Aegean islands' landscapes, blue and white streets, or colourful Santorini villages. Learn about this unique island and receive your high-quality images within 2-3 days via online album, to share with friends and family. We do the morning photoshoot in Oia and Imerovigli in the evening. Both locations are nice, views of the caldera, blue dome churches, etc.

Price: €299

Min age: 0

Rating 4.89 / 5 [109 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

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When to go

Little Santorini swarms with tourists in July and August – avoid if you can.

Greek Easter (usually in April) is a wonderful time to experience the spring bloom and local traditions, but it’s too chilly for swimming.

May, June, September and early October are the best times to go; the weather is reliably hot, the beaches, restaurants and resorts are less crowded, and prices are lower.

Pretty much everything shuts down between November and March.

Getting there and away

The small airport (domestic and charter flights) is near Monolithos. There’s a regular bus service to Fira, where you can get connecting buses to other destinations. There’s often a long queue for taxis. Most hotels charge for port and airport transfers.

Ferries dock at the tiny, shabby port of Athinios. Cruise ships moor off the old port of Gialos, from where it’s a dizzying cable car or swaying donkey ride up the sheer hill to Fira.

Getting around

Local buses are infrequent and taxis are scarce and pricey; it’s better to hire a car or moped to explore the sights. Many tourists rent quad bikes, but they’re not the safest form of transport.

Where to stay

First-time guests usually choose to stay on the caldera – you pay a high premium for that stunning view, but it really is worth it. Imerovgli and Oia are the prettiest and most coveted places to stay here.

Crowded, noisy Fira is best avoided unless nightlife is a priority. Bars are few and far between on the rest of the island. Inland, Pyrgos and Megalochori offer a taste of more traditional island life.