Popular excursions in Santorini
Things to do in Santorini
Santorini is a volcanic island group in the southern Aegean, shaped by an eruption around 1600 BCE that left a sea-filled caldera ringed by cliffs. Ships anchor in the caldera and passengers come ashore by tender at the old port below Fira. Most of what people do here is see the caldera from above, walk or ride between clifftop villages, and visit the volcano and its hot springs by boat.
What Santorini is known for
Pick one to see the best places, trips and tips.
Santorini at a glance
Santorini is a crescent of white villages on a volcanic rim, with black and red beaches, old ruins and vineyards below. Choose a place to see it, and the trips that go there.
The island is a ring of cliffs around a flooded caldera, with the towns on the rim and the beaches and ruins on the lower land. From the old port, Fira and the cable car lie a short way north, Oia is far to the northwest, and Akrotiri and Red Beach lie to the southwest, while Ancient Thera, Perissa and the Kamari coast lie to the southeast and east.
Popular excursions in Santorini
Booked with our partner Shore Excursions Group. Prices are per person.
More things to do in Santorini
Cable car up in about three minutes, then the caldera views from Imerovigli and the sunset at Oia, near the end of a long port day.
Fira's whitewashed streets and the village of Oia are the island's best-known towns to walk.
Guided highlights tours cover Oia, Fira and the caldera viewpoints in four to six hours.
Perissa has long black sand, Kamari has a long pebble beach, and Red Beach is reached from Akrotiri.
Warm sulfur springs near Palea Kameni are reached by boat, with a swim of about 30 minutes.
Day cruises and sunset sails leave from Fira bay, with swim stops along the caldera.
The walk from Fira to Oia follows the caldera rim on cobbles and cliff steps.
Food and cooking tours often include a winery, or a long lunch in Fira or Kamari.
Boat trips from Fira bay stop at coves for swimming and snorkeling.
ATVs, scooters and buggies can be rented in Kamari, and a guided jeep tour runs about four hours.
Half-day and full-day fishing trips head out from the island's coast.
A boat from Fira reaches Therasia, where village lanes and seaside tavernas are the draw.
Arriving and getting around
Arriving by ship
Cruise ships anchor in the caldera, and passengers are tendered to the old port of Fira. From the pier, the Santorini cable car climbs to Fira in about three minutes. You can also take a donkey or walk up the 588 steps, but the steps are narrow in parts, with low walls and donkey droppings, so many people choose the cable car. A fee applies each way on the cable car, donkey and steps.
Getting around Santorini
Fira is the hub for getting around. KTEL buses leave Fira Bus Station for Oia, Kamari, Perissa, the airport and Akrotiri, and most routes need a transfer at Fira. Buses take cash only, so bring coins. A taxi from the port to Perissa takes about 15 minutes. Walking the Fira to Oia caldera trail takes less than three hours and suits sturdy shoes.
April and May are the most pleasant months, with low rain chances and wildflowers on the hills. Summer is very hot, and many businesses close around midday. Ships call from March to January, and the caldera walks and boat trips are most reliable in spring and early autumn.
Good to know
- Wear closed, comfortable shoes. The caldera paths and steps are cobbled, steep and uneven.
- Carry cash in small bills and coins for buses, the cable car and tavern bills.
- Boat trips and tender service can be delayed or cancelled in bad weather, especially in winter. Keep track of your return time.
- Buses in peak season can fill up at their first stop and skip others, so allow extra time when heading back to the port.
Questions
How do you get from the cruise ship to Fira in Santorini?
Ships anchor in the caldera and passengers come ashore by tender at the old port. The Santorini cable car then climbs to Fira in about three minutes. You can also take a donkey or walk up the 588 steps.
Can you visit the Santorini volcano in one day?
Yes. A ferry from Fira reaches Nea Kameni in about 20 minutes. The rocky trail to the crater takes some time, and many boat trips include a swim at the hot springs nearby.
Sailings that stop in Santorini
873 sailings on 19 cruise lines call here in the next twelve months. Totals are for two guests, taxes included.
Explora II
Viking Libra
Celestyal Discovery
Azamara Onward
Volcanoes elsewhere
Sources: Thira Municipal Port Fund · Thira Municipal Port Fund · Santorini Cable Car · Nea Kameni, Wikipedia · Red Beach (Santorini), Wikipedia · Kamari, Wikivoyage
Photo: Pedro Szekely from Los Angeles, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
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