Private shore excursion
Private Shore Excursion: The Best of Santorini
4.9 on Tripadvisor · 119 reviewsA full cruise day on Santorini with your own guide: Oia, the blue domes of Firostefani, the island’s highest viewpoint, a local winery and two volcanic beaches. We meet you at the Fira cable car and take care of the driving and the timing.
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.
30% deposit to book
6 hours
You choose the start time when you book.
Private
Your party only, in an air-conditioned minivan.
Prefer to join a small group?
English, German, Spanish, French, Italian, Russian-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.
Select date and guests
From€370for 2 guests
Arriving 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
- Time to explore Oia’s lanes, shops and caldera views
- Photos at the Blue Dome Church in Firostefani
- The view from Profitis Ilias Monastery, the island’s highest point
- A stop at a Santorini winery, with an optional tasting
- Red Beach, then time to swim or have lunch at the Black Beach
What to expect
Your guide meets you at the top of the Fira cable car and stays with you all day. You travel in an air-conditioned minivan, and we plan the route around your ship, then take you back to meet it.
Oia
Santorini’s best-known village sits on the northern tip of the caldera. Walk its whitewashed lanes, browse the shops and try a handmade ice cream.
Firostefani and Profitis Ilias
Stop for photos at the Blue Dome Church in Firostefani, high above the sea. Then drive up past Pyrgos village to Profitis Ilias Monastery, the highest point of the island, with views over all of Santorini. Many of our guides are keen photographers and happy to take your picture.
A local winery
Santorini has made wine since ancient times. Volcanic soil and salty sea breezes give it a taste of its own. At a local winery you see the vineyards, and you can book a tasting there if you like.
Red Beach and the Black Beach
Red Beach is framed by red lava cliffs above clear blue water. At the Black Beach you have time to swim, relax on the soft volcanic sand or have lunch, from fresh seafood to traditional dishes.
Itinerary
Fira
Meet your guide at the cable car exit.
Oia
Free time in the village: lanes, shops and caldera views.
Firostefani
Photo stop at the Blue Dome Church.
Profitis Ilias Monastery
The highest point of the island.
Pyrgos
Drive through the hilltop village.
Winery
See the vineyards; a tasting is optional.
Red Beach
Red lava cliffs and clear water.
Black Beach
Time to swim, relax or have lunch.
What’s included
- English-speaking guide
- Air-conditioned minivan
- Bottled water
- Free Wi-Fi
- All taxes
- Back at the cable car in time for your tender
- Full refund if your ship can’t stop at Santorini
- Cable car tickets (paid at the station)
- Wine tasting (optional, paid at the winery)
- Lunch
Meeting point
Take the tender from your ship to Fira’s Old Port, buy cable car tickets for everyone in your party, and ride up to Fira. Your guide waits just outside the exit gate of the cable car station. You can also walk up the steps from the port, but allow extra time for the climb. Look for the Greece Holiday Tours sign.
- Your tour should start about 1 to 2 hours after your ship’s scheduled arrival.
Your guide and vehicle
Air-conditioned minivan
Your guide speaks English, German, Spanish, French, Italian or Russian. 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
What to bring
Sunscreen, swimwear, a towel, your camera.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
