Santorini Cruise Passenger Tour — private, from Fira

Oia

Oia is the north tip of the island. The marble lane runs along the caldera edge past the windmills to the castle ruin, and at sunset there are four thousand people on a path built for four hundred. The quiet parapets are a few turns off the main lane; the driver knows where.

90 min on site Groups of 21+: coach-park stop with a walk in

Sunset crowds: the main lane is shoulder to shoulder from an hour before sunset.

Coach parking is outside the village; groups of 21+ walk in from the coach park.

Fira

Fira is the capital, stacked above the old port on the caldera cliff. The cable car and the donkey path both come up from the tenders below; the cathedral square and the cliff-edge lane are ten minutes apart on foot.

60 min on site

On cruise-ship days the cable-car queue can be long — it is why the cruise buffer exists.

Red Beach

Red Beach is a strip of dark sand under a wall of rust-red volcanic rock, seen from the viewpoint on the path above it. The colour is iron in the lava; the cliff is unstable, which is why the stop is a viewpoint and not a swim.

25 min on site

Red Beach is visited as a viewpoint stop. The path down sits beneath unstable volcanic cliffs subject to rockfall, and access is periodically restricted by the local authorities. We stop at the official viewpoint and follow whatever restriction is in force on the day. Descending to the beach is not part of any tour.

Amoudi Bay

Amoudi is the fishing harbour directly below Oia, under the red cliff: a row of fish tavernas on the quay, boats pulled up on the slip, and the swimming rock a short walk round the point. It is about 300 steps down from Oia, or a narrow road.

45 min on site

About 300 steps down from Oia, or road access; fish tavernas. Each tour states whether the descent is on foot or by road.

Pyrgos

Pyrgos was the capital before Fira and is built as a kasteli, a fortified hill village with the houses as the outer wall. The lanes climb in steep cobbled steps to the castle ruin at the top, where the view takes in the whole southern half of the island.

45 min on site Groups of 21+: coach-park stop with a walk in

Steep cobbled Kasteli: the climb to the top is on uneven steps.

Perissa Black Sand Beach

Perissa is the long black beach on the south-east coast, running under the sheer face of Mesa Vouno. The sand is fine, dark and hot by midday; the tavernas sit right on the front. Sunbeds are rented by the beach bars.

90 min on site

Swimming, tavernas. Sunbeds and umbrellas are rented on the beach and are not included.

Skaros Rock

Skaros is the rock headland below Imerovigli where the Venetian capital stood until the 1800s. The path out is uneven and about twenty minutes each way; the chapel of Panagia Theoskepasti hangs on the far side, facing the volcano.

45 min on site Groups of 21+: coach-park stop with a walk in

Reached on foot from Imerovigli: uneven path, about 20 minutes each way. Budget 45 minutes minimum.

Profitis Ilias

Profitis Ilias is the highest point on Santorini, the summit with the 1711 monastery on it. A quick photo stop for the 360° view: the caldera on one side, the farmland, the beaches and the Aegean on the other, Anafi on the horizon. The group does not enter the monastery.

15 min on site

Vlychada Marina

Vlychada is the beach with the lunar cliffs: wind-carved pumice walls, pale and ribbed, standing over grey sand on the south coast. The small marina next to it is where the fishing boats and the day-cruise boats tie up.

40 min on site

Lunar cliffs, marina.

Megalochori

Megalochori is a wine village on the road south: bell towers over arched gateways, mansions built by Vinsanto merchants, and canava cellars dug into the rock. Quiet at any hour.

30 min on site

Akrotiri Lighthouse

The lighthouse stands on the south-western tip, built in 1892, with open sea on three sides and the caldera cliffs running away to the north. Best in late afternoon, when the light comes in low across the water.

25 min on site

Best in late afternoon.

Kamari Beach

Kamari is the black pebble-and-sand beach on the other side of Mesa Vouno from Perissa, with a paved promenade of tavernas and cafés behind it and the rock face closing the view to the south.

60 min on site

Swimming, tavernas. Sunbeds are rented on the beach and are not included.

Imerovigli

Imerovigli sits at the highest point of the caldera rim, above Fira and Firostefani. The lane along the edge looks straight down at Skaros and across to Thirasia; the light in the afternoon is the best on this side.

40 min on site Groups of 21+: coach-park stop with a walk in

Narrow access: large vehicles park below the village and walk in.