Small Group Local Wine Tasting Tour In Santorini

Santorini’s wine story begins in its volcanic ground, and this four-hour tour gives you three distinct places to taste how that ground shapes the island’s grapes. Expect a mix of vineyard and winery visits, from Assyrtiko at Estate Argyros to a former winery that now displays Greek art.

I like that three wineries are included in one outing, with hotel pickup and transport, so you can taste without arranging a driver yourself. I also like the contrast between Argyros’s sea views, Karamolegos’s focus on Assyrtiko, and Art Space’s historic wine rooms and art gallery.

One thing to check before booking is the food and tasting count: the tour includes a Greek meze-style meal and 12 small glasses, but some people received snacks rather than a meal and counted 10 pours. If those details matter to you, confirm them with Makedas Travel.

• Three different winery stops: Visit Estate Argyros, Artemis Karamolegos Winery and Art Space.
• Santorini grapes in the glass: Assyrtiko takes center stage, with Aidani and Mavrotragano also featured at Argyros.
• A small-group format: The stated maximum is 15, with transport in an air-conditioned minivan.
• Tastings included: The tour specifies 12 small glasses, four at each winery.
• A meal is listed: A Greek meze-style meal is included, though the amount of food may vary.
• Easy pickup: Hotel pickup and drop-off are part of the price. Pickup details are sent after you provide your hotel name and location.

Three wineries, three sides of Santorini wine

This tour is a practical way to sample Santorini’s wine culture without having to plan a route between wineries or drive after tasting. You’ll visit three places in about four hours, with a guide-driver and minivan handling the transportation.

The wineries offer different reasons to stop. Argyros brings you into a vineyard setting with ocean views and a focus on local grapes. Karamolegos centers its identity on Assyrtiko and the island’s volcanic soil. Art Space combines wine with a visit to an old winery carved into pumice, now also used as an art center.

That variety matters. If you visit only one winery, you get one producer’s take on the island. Here, you can compare wines and settings, then see how a historic winery building has found a second life. The tour is not just a sequence of tastings, although wine is the main event.

The pace is brisk by design. The three stops are allotted one hour, one and a half hours, and one and a half hours, for a total of four hours. That leaves little room for extended lingering, and the listed stop times add up to the full tour duration, so treat the schedule as approximate rather than a promise of extra time between wineries.

Estate Argyros: Assyrtiko, Aidani and a sea view

The first stop is Estate Argyros, outside Episkopi Gonia, about 5.5 kilometers southeast of Fira. Its tasting room sits within the vineyard estate, with ocean views that give the first tasting a distinctly Santorini setting.

The winery works mainly with Assyrtiko, the island’s signature white grape. You may also taste Aidani, another local white variety, and Mavrotragano, a red grape that adds a different color and character to the lineup. Argyros’s Mavrotragano has received a 93-point score from Wine Advocate, a useful indication of its standing among the wines featured here.

A one-hour visit gives you a focused introduction, not a long seminar. The winery is described as offering guided tours, so you may get more context about production here than at a stop that is mainly a tasting. Still, the depth of explanation can depend on the visit and the staff on duty.

I like starting here because the range can quickly show you that Santorini wine is not only about one white grape. Pay attention to how the wines differ, and ask which ones reflect the estate’s own vineyard work. You’ll get more from the tasting if you treat each pour as a comparison, rather than simply counting glasses.

Artemis Karamolegos: Assyrtiko and volcanic ground

The second stop is Artemis Karamolegos Winery, with about an hour and a half allotted. Artemis Karamolegos was born and raised on Santorini, and the winery’s approach draws on his familiarity with the island’s volcanic soil and vineyards.

Assyrtiko is the focus. The winery explores how the grape can express itself across different parts of Santorini, while its winemaking philosophy emphasizes careful vineyard work and selecting consistently high-quality grapes. The winery also makes a case for Assyrtiko’s ability to age, a useful point if you tend to think of white wine as something to drink young.

This stop’s value is the chance to think beyond grape names. The same variety can produce different results in different places, and Karamolegos puts that regional variation at the heart of its work. If you enjoy learning why wines taste the way they do, this is a good place to ask how volcanic soil and vineyard location affect the glass.

The tour information does not specify exactly what you’ll taste here, so don’t count on a particular bottle or style. Past visits have also varied in practical details, such as whether staff use a fresh glass for each wine. If that matters to you, ask the winery or your guide at the start of the tasting.

Art Space: wine rooms turned art gallery

The final stop, Art Space in Exo Gonia, is the tour’s most unusual setting. The art center occupies chambers carved into pumice in an old winery dating to 1861. Since 1999, the space has displayed painting and sculpture, with a focus on contemporary Greek art.

Wine is still made here. Art Space has a contemporary winery on the premises and continues traditional production, so this is not simply a gallery visit with a wine label attached. You’ll find art and winemaking sharing the same site, a combination that gives the last stop a different feel from the vineyard estates.

The allocated hour and a half gives this visit the longest slot. That should leave room to take in both the artwork and the wine, though the balance may depend on how the tasting is organized. Some stops on this tour provide a guided winery visit; others may offer a tasting with small snacks instead.

For me, Art Space is the most distinctive change of pace. You can look at the shape of an old production space, then see how it serves a new cultural purpose while wine is still being made there. If art is not a priority for you, the stop still has interest as a historic winery, but you may prefer a tour built around vineyard visits alone.

What the tasting and meal may look like

The tour specifies 12 small glasses of wine, four at each winery, along with a Greek meze-style meal. In practice, the tasting count and food may not always match those details: some people received 10 tastings and snacks rather than a meal. I’d treat the listed inclusions as the plan, but confirm with the operator if the exact count or a substantial meal is important to you.

The distinction matters because four hours of wine tasting can feel different depending on how much food is served. Some small snacks may be enough for a light tasting, but they are not necessarily a replacement for lunch. The tour begins at noon, so consider eating beforehand if you need a full meal or have a long afternoon ahead.

Let Makedas Travel know about food allergies or special dietary needs. The tour information explicitly asks you to share them. A bottle of water is also included, and past tour groups have appreciated having water after the tastings.

Alcoholic drinks are served only to people aged 21 and older. Anyone under 21 is served non-alcoholic drinks, so this is not an adults-only activity, but minors should not expect to taste the wines.

The guide, group size and van

Pickup and drop-off at your hotel are included, with the exact pickup details sent by email after you provide the hotel name and location. That takes away the need to find a winery meeting point, a plus on an island where arranging transport between several tastings can be a nuisance.

The tour runs in an air-conditioned minivan, with a stated limit of 15 people. That is small enough to feel more personal than a large coach, although it is not a private tour. A past group of 11 was described as a comfortable size. One account describes a group of 19 being fitted into one vehicle, which differs from the advertised maximum; if group size is a deciding factor, confirm the number with the operator before booking.

The driver-guide can shape the day. Yanni and Spyros, also spelled Spiros, have been named by people who took the tour, with praise for friendly service, island knowledge and help with cruise timing. Those names are not a guarantee of who will lead your outing. One past experience also felt that the operator’s role was mostly transportation, with winery staff providing the wine information. Go expecting a guide-driver who can help with the island and logistics, but not necessarily a detailed wine lecture throughout.

Is $180.24 a fair price?

At $180.24 per person, this is not a budget tasting. The price makes more sense when you count what is bundled: hotel transport, three winery stops, a guide-driver, an air-conditioned van, the stated 12 pours, water and a meze-style meal.

The main value is convenience and variety. You can compare three producers without arranging separate rides, and the wineries represent more than one kind of visit. If you were planning to hire transport and pay for several tastings on your own, the package may be worthwhile. If you prefer to linger at one winery or want a guaranteed full meal, the price may feel high for a tightly timed group outing.

The difference between 12 advertised pours and the 10 that some people received is worth resolving before you pay. The same goes for the meal: ask what the operator means by Greek meze-style and whether it is served at one winery or across the stops. Clear answers help you judge value against what you actually want from the afternoon.

Who will enjoy this tour most

I’d choose this tour if you want a compact introduction to Santorini wine and would rather leave the driving to someone else. It suits people who like comparing grapes and producers, and those who want a cultural stop alongside winery visits. The Art Space gallery gives the outing an extra angle beyond vineyard scenery and tasting rooms.

It is also a sensible option if you are staying at a hotel and want pickup arranged for you. The English-speaking driver-guide and included transport make the day straightforward, while the small-group format keeps it from feeling like a large coach excursion.

It may be less suitable if your priority is a deep technical wine class, a long visit at one estate or a guaranteed substantial lunch. The stops are divided across three venues, and some wine explanations come from winery staff rather than the driver-guide. If you want to spend an afternoon slowly tasting, consider visiting fewer wineries independently.

Practical details before you book

The tour starts at 12:00 pm and lasts about four hours. It is offered in English, confirmation is received at booking, and service animals are allowed. Public transportation is nearby, though hotel pickup is included if you provide your accommodation details.

Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the start time. Cancellations made less than 24 hours ahead are not refunded, and changes within that same 24-hour window are not accepted. The cutoff follows local time.

Should you book it?

Book this tour if you want three different Santorini wine stops in one manageable outing, plus hotel pickup and a guide-driver to handle the road. The mix of Argyros’s local grapes, Karamolegos’s Assyrtiko focus and Art Space’s historic winery rooms gives the route real variety.

Before booking, ask Makedas Travel to confirm the expected number of tastings, what the meze meal includes and the group size for your date. If the answers suit you, this is a useful way to sample the island’s wines without turning transportation into your own full-time job.

FAQ

How long is the tour?

It lasts about four hours. The three winery stops are listed as one hour at Estate Argyros, one and a half hours at Artemis Karamolegos Winery and one and a half hours at Art Space.

What time does the tour start?

The stated start time is 12:00 pm.

Is hotel pickup included?

Yes. Hotel pickup and drop-off are included. Provide your hotel name and location when booking, and pickup details will be sent by email.

Which wineries does the tour visit?

The scheduled stops are Estate Argyros, Artemis Karamolegos Winery and Art Space in Exo Gonia.

How many wines are included?

The tour specifies 12 small glasses, with four at each winery. Some past outings had 10 tastings, so confirm the expected count with Makedas Travel if it is important to you.

Is a meal included?

A Greek meze-style meal is listed as included. Some past outings had snacks rather than a meal, so ask the operator what food is planned for your date.

How large is the group?

The stated maximum is 15 people. Confirm the expected group size with the operator if you want to be sure.

Can people under 21 taste wine?

No. Alcoholic drinks are served only to people aged 21 and older. Minors below 21 are served non-alcoholic drinks.

Can I cancel for a refund?

You can cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours before the start time. Cancellations made less than 24 hours before the tour are not refunded.