Find your way around Santorini
Santorini brings together white caldera settlements, volcanic shores and vineyards in the Cyclades. Start by choosing how you want to see that landscape: on foot between Fira and Oia, from a boat below the cliffs, or on an island drive linking different areas. These are different days, with different starting points and physical demands. A view of the volcanic islands from a boat is also a different experience from landing and walking to the craters.
Fira is the island capital above the caldera and a useful starting point for bus journeys. Oia is known for cave houses and captains' houses, while Imerovigli sits high on the rim. Inland, Pyrgos offers traditional settlement architecture around its Kasteli. Kamari and Perissa are beach settlements, making them a different starting choice from the cliffside villages. Our area guide helps connect your accommodation location to the activities you want.
Explore Santorini
Choose the caldera hike for a guided walk, or the catamaran for a meal on the water. The Akrotiri ticket suits a self-guided visit with smartphone audio.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in euros (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Wine tasting with a meal
- Up to 10 wines
- Lunch or dinner
- Local guide/sommelier
The winery entrance fees and minivan transport are included.
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Caldera cruise with Greek meal
- Snorkel equipment
- Open bar
- Freshly prepared Greek meal
The morning option includes a light cooking class on board.
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Guided Fira to Oia caldera hike
- Expert local guide
- Snacks and water
Meet the guide at the upper cable car station.
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Island tour with driver-guide
- Pickup and drop-off
- Air-conditioned mini van
- Bottled water
Choose the available duration when booking. Cable car and any optional site admissions are extra.
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Volcano and hot springs boat trip
- Guided tour
- Hiking to craters
- Swimming at hot springs
The volcano park entrance is extra.
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Akrotiri admission with smartphone audio
- Adult entry ticket
- Self-guided audio tour
- Offline content
The ticket is valid for one day; bring a compatible smartphone and headphones.
Check availability →Ways to experience Santorini
Choose an island drive, a Nea Kameni landing, a catamaran with a meal, a wine outing, a guided caldera hike or Akrotiri entry with smartphone audio.
Choose the experience that shapes your day
A private island drive suits visitors who want a route arranged around their interests and road transport between areas. The customised minivan outing includes a driver/guide, pickup, return transport and water; optional Akrotiri and museum admission are extra. For a fuller comparison of the different formats and prices, see private tours. Keep the driver-led island overview distinct from a specialist guided visit inside an archaeological site.
For time on the water, the meal-and-open-bar catamaran includes hotel transfers, snorkelling equipment and a Greek meal. Its coastal cruise has no volcano hike or beach landing. The Nea Kameni boat outing instead leaves from Fira's Old Port for a guided crater walk and a separate swim stop at Palea Kameni. The regular volcano park ticket is 5 EUR under the 2026 tariff, paid separately from that boat ticket. The warm-water stop involves swimming and excludes non-swimmers.
The guided caldera hike starts at the upper cable car station in Fira, includes snacks and water, and has no pickup transfer. It is a walking day on terrain that includes rough volcanic ground and steps. Akrotiri entry with smartphone audio is another way to explore independently: bring your own compatible phone and headphones. Its one-day validity describes the ticket, rather than a full day with a live guide.
Wine landscapes and ancient streets
Low vines are part of the island landscape. The basket-shaped training method is called kouloura, and Assyrtiko is one of Santorini's documented grape varieties. A guided food-and-wine outing includes minivan transport, pickup and return, winery admission, a guide or sommelier, up to ten wines and lunch or dinner. It suits a day built around tasting rather than driving yourself between visits.
Akrotiri takes the story further back, to a prehistoric settlement buried by the Bronze Age eruption. Multi-storey houses, streets and drainage are among its archaeological features. The Museum of Prehistoric Thera in Fira displays finds and frescoes and has its own ticket. Plan the excavation and museum as separate visits; Ancient Thera is also a separate archaeological site. Read the history overview for their different contexts.
Explore every part of your trip
Use these guides to move from a broad idea to a practical plan. Choose an activity, then connect its starting point with your arrival port or accommodation. For boats, distinguish a sunset sailing from a volcano landing; for land visits, distinguish an island circuit from an archaeological tour.
Tours and island outings
Compare land and water experiences.
Things to do
Find villages, landscapes and ancient sites.
Santorini Airport
Plan JTR arrivals and the connection to Fira.
Getting there
Separate flights, ferry arrivals and onward travel.
Where to stay
Choose between caldera, inland and beach locations.
When to visit
Match hiking and boat plans to the season.
Island history
Place the settlements in their historical context.
Catamaran cruises
Compare sailing, meals and swim stops.
Sunset cruises
Plan an evening on the water.
Volcano and hot springs
Separate the crater walk from the swim stop.
Wine tours
Choose tasting formats and transfers.
Caldera hiking
Prepare for terrain, heat and the return journey.
Akrotiri
Compare entry, smartphone audio and guiding.
Volcanic beaches
Understand coastal locations and access limits.
Oia
Discover the cave houses and sunset setting.
Fira
Connect the capital, museum and Old Port.
Private tours
Compare private drivers and an Akrotiri guide.
Shore excursions
Plan around tenders and excursion pickups.
Good to know
Ferries arrive at Athinios; cruise tenders arrive at the Old Port below Fira. The cable car connects that Old Port with Fira, with a regular fare of 10 EUR each way. A meeting point at the upper station therefore requires a separate journey from the tender landing. From the airport, the bus goes to Fira; continue there for Oia. Leave room in your schedule for these connections.
Match the season to your activity. April, May and October are recommended for hiking, with water, firm shoes and a start that avoids extreme heat. Rough surfaces and steep settlement steps deserve attention even on short outings. Winter ferry services need date-specific planning: the municipality highlighted limited winter 2026/27 connections on 30 October 2026. Boat plans also depend on weather and harbour restrictions.
Questions about visiting Santorini
Should I choose a catamaran or a volcano boat?
Choose the catamaran for sailing, a meal and weather-dependent swimming. Choose a trip with an explicit Nea Kameni landing for the crater walk. These experiences have different routes and inclusions.
Where should I start planning transport?
Start with your arrival point: JTR airport, Athinios ferry port or Fira's Old Port for cruise tenders. Then connect it to your accommodation and the excursion meeting point.
Is this guide connected to the authorities?
This is an independent guide with no connection to the municipality of Thira, the Ministry of Culture, the Ephorate of Antiquities or Santorini Airport.