Shore excursion · Small group
Best of Santorini Shore Excursion
4.9 on Tripadvisor · 119 reviewsFive hours, five of Santorini’s best places, and no planning on your part. Meet your local guide at the top of the Fira cable car, walk the caldera villages of Firostefani, Imerovigli and Oia, stop in the traditional village of Megalochori, then swim at Kamari’s black-sand beach before heading back to where you started.
About this tour
Timed to your ship
Choose a start time so the tour ends at least 2 hours before all-aboard.
Back in time for your ship
We get you back to the cable car in time for your tender. If your ship can’t stop at Santorini, you get a full refund.
Free cancellation*
Up to 24 hours before the tour.
*The card processing fee (about 3%) isn’t refunded.
50% deposit to book
Pay the balance on the day of the tour.
5 hours
You choose the start time when you book.
Small group, up to 14 guests
In a Mercedes Sprinter or V-Class.
Prefer your own guide?
English-speaking guide
A local who lives on the island.
Meeting point
Cable car exit, Fira. Look for the Greece Holiday Tours sign.
What guests say
★★★★★
Billy was by far the best tour guide we’ve had. … We saw beautiful Oia, churches, beaches, cliff side winery with a view of the caldera, highest point in Santorini, and the list goes on. All while still making stops for us for restroom breaks and making sure we made it back to cruise ship perfectly on time to see sunset.
Review of Private Shore Excursion: The Best of Santorini
Select date and guests
From€87per person
· Children 50% offArriving by cruise ship?
Take the tender to Fira’s Old Port and the cable car up. Your guide meets you at the top. If your tender is late, we adjust the time.
Port and meeting detailsHighlights
- Caldera views and the blue-domed church in Firostefani
- Imerovigli, the highest village on the caldera rim
- Oia’s cave houses and whitewashed lanes, with almost an hour to explore
- A short walk through the traditional village of Megalochori
- Time to swim at Kamari’s black-sand beach
What to expect
Meet your guide at the cable car exit in Fira. You travel with up to 14 guests in a Mercedes Sprinter, and your guide is a local who lives on the island.
Firostefani and Imerovigli
The tour starts on the caldera rim just north of Fira. Firostefani, one of the oldest villages on the island, has wide views and its blue-domed church. Next is Imerovigli, at the highest point of the caldera, looking out over Skaros Rock.
Oia
Then on to Oia, with almost an hour to stroll its lanes, see the cave houses and take in the caldera views.
Megalochori and Kamari Beach
Heading south, a short walk through Megalochori, a quiet traditional village among the vineyards. The last stop is Kamari’s black-sand beach on the east coast, with about 40 minutes to swim or relax. The tour then returns to the Fira cable car, where it started.
Itinerary
Example for a 09:00 start
09:00Start
Meet in Fira
At the cable car exit in Fira.
09:1015 min
Firostefani
One of the oldest villages on the island, just above Fira, with caldera views and its blue-domed church.
09:3020 min
Imerovigli
The village at the highest point of the caldera rim, looking out over Skaros Rock.
10:1555 min
Oia
Caldera views, cave houses and free time to stroll the village.
11:4520 min
Megalochori
A short walk through a traditional village among the vineyards.
12:3040 min
Kamari Beach
Free time on the black-sand beach of the east coast to swim or relax.
13:45End
Back in Fira
The tour ends at the cable car, where it started.
Megalochori photo: Jan M, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
What’s included
- English-speaking guide
- Transport by Mercedes Sprinter (sometimes a V-Class, when available)
- Bottled water
- Drop-off back at the Fira cable car, in time for your tender
- Full refund if your ship can’t stop at Santorini
- Cable car tickets (paid at the station)
- Food and drinks (water is included)
Meeting point
Meet your guide at the exit of the cable car in Fira. Look for your guide holding a Greece Holiday Tours sign.
- Take a tender boat from your ship to Fira’s Old Port, then ride the cable car up to town (€10 per person, one way, paid at the station). We meet you at the cable car exit.
- The tour ends back at the Fira cable car, so you can ride it down to the port for your tender.
- If your ship or tender is delayed, we adjust the tour time.
Your guide and vehicle
Mercedes Sprinter or V-Class
Your guide is a local who lives on the island. This tour runs in a Mercedes Sprinter, or sometimes a Mercedes V-Class when available.
Our guides
Chris, Chrysa and Vasilis: locals who live on the island and know it well.
Good to know
What to bring
Sunglasses, hat, sunscreen, water, camera, comfortable shoes, swimwear and towel.
Moderate walking at the stops.
Children aged 14 and under get a 50% discount on the adult price.
Accessibility
Our tours aren’t really suitable for wheelchair users or guests with limited mobility. Please message us before you book.
Reviews
Ratings for Greece Holiday Tours across all tours.
★★★★★
Billy was by far the best tour guide we’ve had. … We saw beautiful Oia, churches, beaches, cliff side winery with a view of the caldera, highest point in Santorini, and the list goes on. All while still making stops for us for restroom breaks and making sure we made it back to cruise ship perfectly on time to see sunset.
Review of Private Shore Excursion: The Best of Santorini
Genevieve E. · Cruise guest · via Tripadvisor · June 2025 ★★★★★
Ted made our Santorini experience truly unforgettable. … The pacing of the tour was perfect—not rushed, but never dull—and everything was well-organized.
Review of Private Shore Excursion: The Best of Santorini
Naman J. · Guest · via Tripadvisor · May 2026 ★★★★★
Our guides, Billy and Nick, were amazing! Very professional and knowledgable. … We were two families with six teenagers from the US! Highly recommend this tour.
Review of Private Shore Excursion: The Best of Santorini
Tara B. · Guest · via Tripadvisor · July 2025 ★★★★★
Before we left I knew that we wanted a more personal and tailored tour to explore Santorini than the cruise ship was offering. … it was a brilliant tour and possibly the best one we took during the week.
Review of Santorini by Car with a Local
Emma D. · Cruise guest · via Tripadvisor · October 2025
Questions about this tour
Where do we meet if we arrive by cruise ship?
At the top of the Fira cable car. Your guide waits just outside the exit, holding a Greece Holiday Tours sign.
What happens if my ship or tender is delayed?
Don’t worry. We adjust the tour time to when you arrive, and your guide waits for you at the cable car exit.
What if my ship can’t stop at Santorini?
You get a full refund. If your ship skips Santorini, or the tender boats can’t run that day, we refund everything you paid.
Do we need to take the cable car?
Yes, if your ship anchors off Fira. Take the tender to the Old Port, then the cable car up to town (€10 per person, one way, paid at the station). Your guide meets you at the cable car exit. You can walk up the steps instead, but allow extra time for the climb.
When do I pay, and can I cancel?
It depends on the tour: each tour page shows its deposit and cancellation terms under “About this tour”. For the Best of Santorini Shore Excursion, you pay a 50% deposit to book and the balance on the day, and you can cancel free of charge up to 24 hours before the tour.
