Private tour
Customized Private Guided Tour
4.9 on Tripadvisor · 119 reviewsYour own guide, your own minivan and a route you choose. Tell us what you’d like to see, from Oia and the blue domes to wineries, museums and beaches, and we plan a 4 or 6-hour day around it.
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
4 or 6 hours
Private
Your party only, in an air-conditioned minivan.
English, German, Spanish, French, Italian or Portuguese-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
★★★★★
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€280for 2 guests
Highlights
- You choose the stops and how long to stay at each
- Oia, the blue domes of Firostefani and the view from Profitis Ilias
- A local winery, if you like (tastings paid at the winery)
- Time to swim at Red Beach or the Black Beach
- Pick-up from your hotel, the port, the airport or the Fira cable car
What to expect
This tour has no fixed route. Tell us what interests you: villages, history, museums, wine, photos or beaches. Your guide suggests a plan, and you can change it as you go. Here is a day our guests often enjoy.
Oia
Stroll through Oia with a handmade ice cream, take in the views from the cliffs and the village’s architecture, and shop for a gift or souvenir.
Firostefani, Pyrgos and Profitis Ilias
Next is the blue-domed church of Firostefani above the sea, a favorite spot for travel photos. Then climb to Pyrgos, a village of chapels and narrow lanes, and on to Profitis Ilias Monastery at the island’s highest point, with a view over all of Santorini.
A local winery
Santorini has been famous for its wine since ancient times. At a local winery you learn how the volcanic soil shapes its taste, can book a tasting among the vineyards (paid at the winery) and buy a bottle to take home.
A beach
End the day at Red Beach or the Black Beach, where dark volcanic sand meets clear, cool water. Bring your swimsuit.
Itinerary
Example day. You choose the stops
Oia
Village lanes, caldera views, shops and ice cream.
Firostefani, Pyrgos and Profitis Ilias
Blue domes, a hilltop village and the island’s highest point.
A local winery
Vineyards, with an optional tasting.
Red Beach or the Black Beach
Time for a swim.
What’s included
- Local guide
- Professional English-speaking driver
- Pick-up and drop-off
- Air-conditioned minivan
- A private route planned with you
- Bottled water
- Free Wi-Fi
- All taxes
- Cable car tickets (€10 per person, one way)
- Wine tastings (optional, paid at the winery)
Meeting point
Arriving by cruise ship? We meet you at the exit of the Fira cable car. Staying on the island? We pick you up at your hotel. We can also meet you at the airport or at Athinios port. Look for the Greece Holiday Tours sign with your name.
- Take the tender from your ship to Fira’s Old Port, then the cable car up to town (€10 per person, one way). Your guide waits at the exit.
- Choose a start time about 90 minutes after your ship’s scheduled arrival.
- The steps from the port also end next to the cable car exit, but we strongly recommend the cable car. The donkeys don’t stop at the cable car exit.
Your guide and vehicle
Air-conditioned minivan
Your guide speaks English, German, Spanish, French, Italian or Portuguese. You travel in a comfortable air-conditioned minivan with a professional driver.
Our guides
Chris, Chrysa and Vasilis: locals who live on the island and know it well.
Good to know
What to bring
Swimsuit, beach towel, sunscreen.
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 ★★★★★
Nik arranged for a beer/wine tasting tour followed by a home cooked dinner from a local small holder. … Chris was very knowledgeable about the wines but surpassed himself with his culinary knowledge and skills.
Review of Greece Holiday Tours
Hockbitt · Guest · via Tripadvisor · June 2026 ★★★★★
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 ★★★★★
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
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.
