The 15 Best Santorini Shore Excursions

1.The Best Santorini Small-Group Shore Excursion for Cruise Ships

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 344 reviews · 4 to 5 hours (approx.) · from $83Our pick

This four-to-five-hour Santorini shore excursion visits Firostefani’s blue-domed church, Oia, the traditional lanes of Megalochori, and black-sand Perivolos. You travel by air-conditioned vehicle in a group capped at 19, with an English-speaking guide and one bottle of water. Guides on past departures have included Elena, Spiros, Victor, and Alex.

“Traveling with family with all ages. This tour was a perfect way to see and learn about Santorini. Our guide was on time and super friendly and helpful. We got some beautiful photos and spent a little time shopping. The guide was flexible with our schedule and we learned about the history of the island. She was very patient with our group.”

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2.SKIP CABLE CAR® The Original Santorini Tour for Cruise Passengers

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 268 reviews · 5 hours (approx.) · from $47Best value

Take a boat transfer around the cable-car queue, then tour Santorini by air-conditioned minibus with an English-speaking local guide. See the blue-dome viewpoint near Finikia, Oia, Megalochori and Perivolos Beach. Guides such as Zeus, George and Viera have led tours, though your guide is not guaranteed. The day lasts about five hours and includes free time at the beach.

“Great to skip the cable car line, which was very long. Staff and crew were very helpful and friendly.”

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3.Skip Gondola Shore Excursion: No Cable Car, Water Taxi Provided!

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 87 reviews · 6 hours (approx.) · from $54

Cover Santorini’s highlights in about six hours, from the Three Bells of Fira and Oia to Pyrgos, Megalochori, and the black-sand shore at Perivolos. The tour includes air-conditioned transport, WiFi, bottled water, and water transport to and from the Old Port. Guides such as George, Nicolas, and Alex have led tours, but your guide is not guaranteed.

“Our driver and guide, Lisandros did a fantastic job looking after us and nothing was too much trouble! This tour is highly recommended if you don’t have too much time and want to get a flavour of the island and perhaps pick one or two places to return to and spend more time later. Lisandros talked to us about what we most wanted to see and other trips we had planned. He made a few suggestions and we set of in our (customised) tour, in a very comfortable Mercedes SUV. We got lots of information along the way, and a guide at every stop off, showing off many highlights we…”

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4.Santorini 8-Hour Private Tour with Hotel & Cruise Port Pickup

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 64 reviews · 6 to 8 hours (approx.) · from $392

Explore Santorini by private vehicle on a 6 to 8 hour tour, from Oia and the Three Bells of Fira to the island’s summit, black and red beaches, and a winery tasting of four wines. Hotel and airport pickup are available. Cruise passengers meet in Fira near the cable car. Your guide and driver handle the route while you set the pace with your group.

“We had 12 travelers & they were able to accommodate our group in a very nice van. They were also able to shift to an alternative port pick up at the last minute when there was a power outage at the main port with the funicular. Our guide was able to show us the whole island, avoid the crowds & do a wine tasting all in 6 hrs. Fabulous day! Definitely recommend doing a private tour with them on Santorini. Very worth the price! Slight hiccup at the end of the day with a super long line for the funicular due to the earlier power outage & 5 cruise ships…”

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5.Private Shore Excursion: Best of Santorini Customized Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 55 reviews · 4 to 8 hours (approx.) · from $199

Explore Santorini in a private, air-conditioned vehicle with a local driver-guide and an itinerary shaped around your interests. Choose from Oia, caldera viewpoints, beaches, villages, Akrotiri, and wineries. The four-to-eight-hour tour includes port, hotel, or airport pickup and drop-off; admission and tasting fees are extra.

“Michael, our driver/tour guide was friendly and knowledgeable and provided an amazing, customized experience.”

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6.Skip Gondola Private Tour : Cruise Port pick up included

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 54 reviews · 6 to 7 hours (approx.) · from $199

See Santorini by private, air-conditioned vehicle on a flexible six-to-seven-hour tour. Stops include Oia, Pyrgos, the Three Bells of Fira, Prophet Elias Monastery, the Heart of Santorini, and Perivolos Beach. Wi-Fi and bottled water are included. Guides such as Nikos, Katerina, Vasilis, and Tony have led tours, though your assigned guide may differ.

“Had a great experience. Alex, was our guide and he was awesome. He was patience, courteous and very informative. I highly recommend taking this tour.”

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7.One Day in Santorini from Cruise Ship: Ultimate Island Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 53 reviews · 4 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $120

Cover six Santorini stops in a private, air-conditioned vehicle, from Oia and the blue domes of Imerovigli and Firostefani to Pyrgos, Perissa and Akrotiri Lighthouse. The 4.5-hour tour includes bottled water and hotel pickup; cruise ship visitors meet in Fira. Past praise centers on guides Stratos and Efstratios.

“Our tour guide in Santorini was excellent. Knowledgeable and personable , he made our visit to Santorini quite enjoyable.”

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8.6hr Small Group Shore Excursion Villages & Wine

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 45 reviews · 6 hours (approx.) · from $156

Spend six hours crossing Santorini by air-conditioned vehicle, from the views at Profitis Ilias to a traditional village, the Castle of St Nicholas and a wine tasting with food pairing at Anhydrous Winery. Groups are capped at 18, and morning and afternoon departures are offered. Guides including Elisa, Marko and Nicklos have been praised for their island insights and clear pacing.

“Santorini is very hectic; the extreme shortfall of cable car capacity vs the volume of cruise ship passengers results in a frustrating experience at the island. That said, this excursion provides a variety of experiences across the island, from the highest point, to the beauty of Oia, to a fun wine tasting. Megalachori was underwhelming; perhaps the weather, and we did not stop in Pyrgos. Could have used more time in Oia (beautiful), but there's not much to do but eat, shop, and take selfies anyway. Will likely not return to Santorini if I can avoid it, but for an all-in-one-day non-ship intro to Santorini, this fits the bill. Not…”

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9.Santorini 4-Hour Private Tour including Wine Tasting, Shore Excursion

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 45 reviews · 30 minutes to 1 hour (approx.) · from $192

This private Santorini shore excursion combines Oia’s cliffside lanes and blue domes, a brief Firostefani photo stop, island-wide views from Profitis Ilias Monastery, and a tasting of volcanic wines with local snacks at Venetsanos Winery. A Mercedes minivan provides transfers from hotels, the airport or cruise port. Guides named in feedback include Michael Angelo and Marios.

“Highly recommend this tour if you only have a short time in Santorini. Our tour guide Michael Angelo was very informative and knew all the right spots to take us for great pictures. The wine tasting was also great! Got a lot of information about the wine of Santorini.”

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10.Santorini ATV Quad off-road Tour: Perfect for Cruise Passengers

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 37 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $167

This three-hour Santorini ATV tour combines a black-sand beach, caldera viewpoints, Megalochori’s village lanes, vineyards, Emporio’s windmills and a Greek lunch. Training, helmets, water and fuel are included, and groups are capped at eight. Start in Fira at 1pm, with a 12:30pm pickup option. Drivers must be 21 or older and bring a license.

“Fun way to see some of the island, seafood was a nice finish and we don't even like seafood that a much!”

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11.Exclusive 3 Hour Caldera Private Tour for Cruise Ship Travelers

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 29 reviews · 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $126

Explore Santorini’s caldera viewpoints with a private English-language guide, starting in Firostefani and Imerovigli before spending time in Oia. Pickup is offered anywhere on the island. You’ll have time for the white-marble lanes, the Big Blue Dome, shops, coffee, and photos. Giorgos is a guide named in a past account, but guide assignment may vary.

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12.5-Hour Private Shore Excursion

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 24 reviews · 5 hours

Explore Santorini by air-conditioned Mercedes minivan with an English-speaking local guide. The five-hour private route can include Oia’s Blue Dome Church, a traditional village, a caldera-view wine tasting, Perissa and Perivolos beaches, and Prophet Elias Monastery. Guides Panos and Mary/Maria have led the tour. Pickup is available across the island, including at Fira’s cable car exit for cruise passengers.

“Excelente! Nuestra guía María habla español & teníamos este tour en inglés y fue súper!”

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13.5 Hour Santorini Shore Excursion for Cruise Passengers

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 21 reviews · 5 hours (approx.) · from $82

This five-hour Santorini tour links Firostefani, Oia, Profitis Ilias, Megalochori and Perivolos Beach by comfortable transport, with an English-speaking guide. Guide names include Gina, George, Anastasia, Demi and Johanna. Old Port pickups meet at the cable-car station; Athinios pickups meet at the port.

“Beautiful tour in a day to see Santorini. The agent accommodated our entire group of 18 with a great van and the best tour guide DEMI!”

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14.Shore Excursion: Customizable Santorini Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 21 reviews · 5 hours (approx.) · from $266

Spend about five hours touring Santorini by private vehicle with a guide and driver. Shape the day around your interests, from Oia and the island’s high point to Red Beach, Santo Wines or Akrotiri. Pickup is offered at the cable-car exit, your hotel, port or airport. Wine tasting and archaeological-site entry cost extra.

“Johanna was very knowledgeable and an excellent tour guide ! I highly recommend this customizable tour specially with Johanna”

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15.Santorini Deluxe Tour for Cruise Passengers

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 18 reviews · 5 hours (approx.) · from $76

Explore Santorini with an English-speaking guide and a group of no more than 19, stopping in Firostefani, Oia, at Profitis Ilias, in Megalochori, and on Perivolos Beach. Guides named on past outings include Victor, Nicky, and Alex. You meet at the cable car’s upper station, then travel between stops in a comfortable vehicle.

“We loved the beautiful views and finding about the culture there. Our guides were very informative. They took us to a great restaurant and winery.”

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