Santorini Private Tour: Flexible Hours, Custom Itinerary

You choose the stops. The guide handles the route and the timing.

A private tour of Santorini with a driver-guide who speaks English and customizes the itinerary to your interests. You pick the attractions (the archaeological site at Akrotiri, the village of Oia, Pyrgos, a winery, or a black sand beach), and the guide arranges the stops and timing around your preferences. The vehicle is air-conditioned, pickup is included at your hotel or cruise port (cable car access for cruise passengers), and the tour runs from 3 to 10 hours depending on the option you choose.

Step-by-step itinerary

Custom private tour of Santorini

• Meet private driver-guide at hotel or port
• Discuss preferred sights with guide
• Visit Akrotiri archaeological ruins
• Explore black sand beaches or villages
• Visit Pyrgos and Oia villages
• Taste wines at a traditional winery
• Discover hidden gems with guide

The experience

Santorini's layout rewards a guide who knows the island. You meet your driver-guide at your hotel or at the cable car station if you're arriving by cruise ship, and before the vehicle moves, you talk through what matters to you, whether that's the Bronze Age ruins at Akrotiri, the clifftop town of Oia and its sunsets, the traditional village of Pyrgos, a local winery, or one of the black sand beaches. Because the tour is private, nothing is locked in. Your guide can adjust the route, the stops and the time spent at each one based on what you're drawn to and how the day unfolds.

Akrotiri sits at the southern edge of the island and holds the excavated remains of a Minoan settlement buried by volcanic ash thousands of years ago. You walk through the site with your guide's commentary on what you're seeing. If beaches appeal to you more, the black sand shores are a short drive away. Oia is the village most visitors picture when they think of Santorini (perched on the caldera rim with views across the water), and it fills with crowds by mid-afternoon, so timing matters. Pyrgos is quieter, a traditional settlement inland where life moves at a different pace. A winery visit can round out the afternoon, and your guide can steer you toward producers they know or help you find one that matches what you're interested in tasting. The air-conditioned vehicle means you're not navigating the island's narrow roads yourself, and a bottle of mineral water per person is included.

The tour length is your choice: options run from 3 hours up to 9 or 10 hours, so you can fit it around a cruise port call, a half-day window, or a full day. If you're on a cruise ship, the cable car ride up from the port is a separate cost (6 euros per person, per ride). Entrance fees to Akrotiri or any winery you visit are optional and paid separately. Your guide speaks English and has the local knowledge to point out places and experiences that don't show up in guidebooks: the real advantage of traveling with someone who knows Santorini well.

What’s included

• Private driver-guide who speaks English.
• air-conditioned vehicle.
• pickup at your Santorini hotel or cruise port cable car station.
• mineral water (one bottle per person).
• flexible itinerary customized to your interests.
• live commentary on the sights and history.

Options for this experience

7 options

Private tour lasting 3 hoursGuide in English · 21 departure times: the first at 08:30, the last at 18:30Duration: 3 hours. Travel by air-conditioned m[inibus]. Private driver-guide. Pickup is included.

Private tour lasting 4 hoursGuide in English · 10 departure times: the first at 08:30, the last at 16:30Duration: 4 hours. Travel by air-conditioned m[inibus]. Private driver-guide. Pickup is included.

Private tour lasting 5 hoursGuide in English · 9 departure times: the first at 08:30, the last at 16:30Duration: 5 hours. Travel by air-conditioned m[inibus]. Private driver-guide. Pickup is included.

See 4 more options

Private tour lasting 6 hoursGuide in English · 15 departure times: the first at 08:30, the last at 15:30Duration: 6 hours. Travel by air-conditioned m[inibus]. Private driver-guide. Pickup is included.

Private tour lasting 7 hoursGuide in English · 10:00, 12:00, 14:00 and 16:00Duration: 7 hours. Travel by air-conditioned m[inibus]. Private driver-guide. Pickup is included.

Private tour lasting 8 hoursGuide in English · 11 departure times: the first at 08:30, the last at 13:30Duration: 8 hours. Travel by air-conditioned m[inibus]. Private driver-guide. Pickup is included.

Private tour lasting 9-10 hoursGuide in English · 9 departure times: the first at 08:30, the last at 12:30Duration: 10 hours. Travel by air-conditioned m[inibus]. Private driver-guide. Pickup is included.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day21 departure times: the first at 08:30, the last at 18:30

Book up to10h before

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 3 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyInfant seats availablePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Pigaia travel

Is this one for you?Choose the longer option if you're staying overnight and want to visit multiple villages, Akrotiri, and a winery with time to linger. Pick the shorter version if you're on a cruise ship with a fixed return time or prefer to focus on just Oia or one other stop.

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Top questions

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What is there to see at Akrotiri on this tour?

Akrotiri holds the excavated ruins of a Minoan Bronze Age settlement that was buried by volcanic ash. You walk through the site with your guide's commentary on the ancient remains and what daily life looked like thousands of years ago.

Can I visit Oia and still see other parts of Santorini on the same tour?

Yes. Because the itinerary is flexible, you can include Oia along with other stops (Akrotiri, Pyrgos, a winery, or a black sand beach), depending on which tour length you choose and what your guide can fit into the time available.

What happens if I'm arriving on a cruise ship?

Your guide meets you at the cable car station at the top of the port. The cable car ride up from the port costs 6 euros per person per ride and is paid separately. Your guide can help you arrange it.

How long does the tour last?

You choose the length when you book: options range from 3 hours to 9 or 10 hours, so you can tailor it to how much time you have and how many stops you want to make.

Are meals and drinks included?

A bottle of mineral water per person is included. Food and drinks beyond that are not included, though your guide can recommend places to eat or stop for a meal if you want one built into the day.

What if I want to visit a winery? Is that included?

A winery visit can be part of your custom itinerary, and your guide can help you choose one. Entrance fees and any wine tastings or purchases are optional and paid separately.