Santorini Shore Excursions
Are you taking a Greek cruise and stopping in Santorini? Do you have a Santorini dream vacation planned or on your mind? Make your time in one of Greece’s beautiful port destinations a visit you will never forget with an Insiders Tours private or small group excursion.
With a wonderful team of local specialists who know the history, culture, and twists and turns of this intriguing island, Insiders in Santorini delivers an exclusive experience focused on your needs. The number of daily tours and guests on each Insiders Tours in Santorini excursions is limited. Book early and assure your spot.
Insiders Tours will customize a tour just for you…email dates and preferences to info@insiderstours.com (don’t forget to include best contact phone number) and we will respond within 24 hours with an experience package just for you.
OR…Choose from one the popular excursions listed below to maximize your visit in Santorini and make the most of every minute! From the moment you step off the ship’s tender, to the moment we return you to the drop off location, an Insiders Certified Guide will lead you through the highlights of your destination.
Tips and Most Popular Itineraries
Santorini is a tender port. Cruise ships are in drifting position during their entire stay at the island. All passengers must tender to the island for disembarkation/embarkation. Guests embark/disembark from/at the “Old Port” (the port of Fira). Once you arrive at the pier, you will take the cable car up to the town (2 minute ride, with a current cost of approximately 6,00€ pp which is not included in the price of the excursion). Arriving at the exit of the upper Cable Car station, our Insiders Tours guide will meet you holding a sign with your name written on it.
We start with a short walk through the vibrant town of Fira, making our way to an awaiting private vehicle reserved exclusively for your group. The tour commences immediately. It is strongly advised for all guests to arrange their ship disembarkation the previous day with the very first tenders to avoid long queues and delays at the cable car. Our meeting time is usually 2hrs after the arrival of the ship.
Insiders Tours offers private half day excursions, up to 4hrs, of the island, and we can always customize them to fit your preferences. If the ship’s schedule allows and you would like a full day itinerary, please contact us at info@insiderstours.com for rates, but please know the excursion time doesn’t take include the time needed to tender to and from the ship. Click here for a snippet of what’s to come!
Majestic Oia and Iconic Santorini Winery
Your tour will take you to the major must see sites on the island. The order you experience the locales is dependent on traffic and may vary from the tour description order.
One of every traveler’s bucket-list destination is the excursion’s featured stop at the village of Oia, located at the northern tip of the island. As you travel along the beautiful road to Oia, you will see the different layers of lava which the volcano has produced marking a distinct time line of the island’s history. Oia offers magnificent views of the caldera and numerous neighboring islands. Depending on the time of day, the sun colors the cliffs with different shades and light like an ever-changing landscape painting. Perhaps this is one of the reasons that Oia attracts so many artists. With its cobble stone streets, beautiful old mansions and houses perched on the cliff side, you can admire the traditional Cycladic architecture for which Santorini is so well known.
Departing Oia, we drive to one of the local iconic Santorini wineries where you will learn about how wines were traditionally produced on the island, as well as the unique way in which grapes are currently grown and harvested on this volcanic island. A wine tasting is included in the excursion, where you may some savor of most famous vintages of Santorini. And no worries, there will be plenty of opportunity during the tour to pick up a few souvenirs from your time on the island.
From the winery, we make our way back to the town of Fira, the picturesque capital town of the island perched on the rim of the caldera. Your guide will lead you through the main pedestrian streets where s/he will give you a brief orientation on how to navigate the town before you set off to explore on your own. Wander the endless maze of whitewashed streets looking for jewelry, gifts or the perfect view of the caldera while you enjoy a coffee or wine. The tour ends in Fira, affording you the opportunity to experience the atmosphere of this beautiful place at your leisure before returning to the ship.
Please Note: The tour duration does not include the time required to tender ashore from your ship. This tour ends in Fira Town.
Traditional Village and Majestic Oia Experience
This popular tour offers a nice mix of traditional Santorini and the breath-stealing views so many travelers have placed in their bucket-list of musts. The order you experience the locales is dependent on traffic and may vary from the tour description order.
A traditional village is the perfect place to lose yourself in the essence of historic Santorini. Take a casual stroll through cobblestone lanes of white-washed houses, striking churches, and quaint artisan shops. Your guide will detail the historic transformation of the village as you make your way to the the square. Then, take a little time to savor the slow pace in town square, with tavernas and bougainvillea-covered patios, sipping on traditional Greek coffee with your guide.
We will then journey to the picturesque village of Oia, located at the northern tip of the island. As we travel along the road, you will see the different layers of lava which the volcano has produced marking a distinct time line of the island’s history. Oia offers magnificent views of the caldera and numerous neighboring islands. Depending on the time of day, the sun colors the cliffs with different shades and light like an ever-changing landscape painting. Perhaps this is one of the reasons that Oia attracts so many artists. With its cobblestone streets, beautiful old mansions and houses perched on the cliff side, you can admire the traditional Cycladic architecture for which Santorini is so well known. You will have an hour of free time in Oia to experience the village.
Returning to Fira, the stunning capital town of the island perched on the rim of the caldera, your guide will lead you through the main pedestrian streets. S/he will give you a brief orientation on how to navigate the town before you set off to explore on your own. Wander the endless maze of whitewashed streets looking for jewelry, gifts or the perfect view of the caldera while you enjoy a coffee or wine. The tour ends in Fira, affording you the opportunity to experience this beautiful capital at your leisure before returning to the ship.
Please Note: The tour duration does not include the time required to tender ashore from your ship. This tour ends in Fira Town.