Private tour
Santorini by Car with a Local
4.9 on Tripadvisor · 119 reviewsSee Santorini with a local who knows it well. Your driver-guide takes you in a private air-conditioned minivan to the villages, viewpoints, wineries and beaches you most want to see, and you decide how long to stay at each.
About this tour
Free cancellation*
Up to 24 hours before the tour.
*The card processing fee (about 3%) isn’t refunded.
30% deposit to book
5 hours
Private
Your party only, in an air-conditioned minivan.
English-speaking guide
A local who lives on the island.
Meeting point
Fira cable car or your hotel. Look for the Greece Holiday Tours sign.
What guests say
★★★★★
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.
Select date and guests
From€320for 2 guests
Highlights
- Learn about everyday island life from a local
- Oia, Pyrgos and Megalochori, and the view from Profitis Ilias
- Visit wineries that make Vinsanto and Nychteri, with optional tastings
- Red Beach and the black-sand beaches of Perissa and Kamari
- You set the route and the pace
What to expect
This is your tour, so you choose where to go and how long to stay. Here is one example of a day.
Oia
The first stop is usually Oia, on the cliffs of the caldera, famous for its sunsets and blue domes. Walk to the windmill and through the old village.
Profitis Ilias and Pyrgos
Profitis Ilias Monastery was built in 1711 on the island’s highest point, 567 meters up, and has views over all of Santorini. On the way to the wineries you pass Pyrgos, a protected hilltop village built like an amphitheater around the ruins of a Venetian castle.
Wineries and Megalochori
Visit the wineries that make Santorini’s own wines, such as Vinsanto, Nychteri and Mezzo, and book a tasting at the source if you like. The volcanic soil and climate have given them their own taste for thousands of years. Close by is Megalochori, a traditional village in the wine country, with tavernas on the square, colorful wooden doors and blue-domed churches.
Beaches
Red Beach takes its color from the iron-rich rock of its cliffs, and its clear water is good for snorkeling. You can sit on the beach or at a tavern built into a cave. Perissa and Kamari have long black-sand beaches with tavernas and water sports.
More ideas
You could also visit Akrotiri, where a 3,500-year-old Minoan town was preserved under volcanic ash, with buildings several floors high and remarkable wall paintings. Nearby are a Venetian castle with wide views and a quiet lighthouse that is good for photos.
Itinerary
Example day. You choose the stops
Oia
Caldera views, blue domes and the windmill.
Profitis Ilias Monastery
The island’s highest point, 567 meters up.
Pyrgos
A protected hilltop village with a Venetian castle.
Wineries
Home of Vinsanto and Nychteri; tastings optional.
Megalochori
A traditional village in the wine country.
Red Beach
Red cliffs and clear water for snorkeling.
Perissa and Kamari
Black-sand beaches with tavernas.
Akrotiri (optional)
The Minoan town, a Venetian castle and the lighthouse.
What’s included
- Air-conditioned minivan
- English-speaking local driver-guide
- Pick-up from anywhere on the island
- Bottled water
- Free Wi-Fi
- All taxes
- Wine tastings and museum entrance fees
- Cable car tickets (€10 per person, one way)
Meeting point
Staying on the island? We pick you up at your hotel. Arriving by cruise ship? Take the tender to Fira, then the cable car up to town (€10 per person, one way). We meet you at the cable car exit.
Your guide and vehicle
Air-conditioned minivan
Your driver is also your guide: a local who speaks English. You travel in a comfortable air-conditioned minivan.
Our guides
Chris, Chrysa and Vasilis: locals who live on the island and know it well.
Good to know
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.
★★★★★
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.
Emma D. · Cruise guest · via Tripadvisor · October 2025 ★★★★★
We had Billy as our requested driver and it certainly was a great choice. … We were with Billy for 5hrs in a very comfortable car.
Charlie B. · Guest · via Tripadvisor · May 2026 ★★★★★
What an awesome way to explore Santorini when we just had one day on a cruise ship to see this island. Billy was tour guide and he was a 10 out of 10 and beyond. He gave us so much history and knowledge of the island …
Kelly S. · Cruise guest · via Viator · September 2025 ★★★★★
This private tour with just John and the 2 of us in a comfortable Audi sedan was just what we were looking for. … This was the perfect private, customized tour!
Cheri C. · Guest · via Viator · October 2023 ★★★★★
Nickolas was prompt, professional, personable and very knowledgeable about the city and Greek politics. He gave us plenty of time at each location. I would highly recommend this tour and request Nickolas.
Peter C. · Guest · via Viator · May 2023
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.
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.
What is the difference between a small-group and a private tour?
On a small-group tour you share the vehicle and guide with other guests on a set route. On a private tour the vehicle and guide are for your party only, so you can shape the route and the pace.
