Santorini island tour: Oia, volcanic beaches & monastery

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Free cancellationExcellent quality

1/8

Duration5h

GroupPrivate

LanguagesEN

PickupAt your hotel

The highest point on the island holds a monastery built in the 18th century and views across the entire Aegean.

A five-hour guided tour of Santorini with a local driver covers the island's most photographed spots—Oia's blue-domed churches, the Monastery of Profitis Ilias at the island's peak, red and black volcanic beaches—plus a quieter traditional village in the wine-growing south. You choose between swimming time and lunch at Perivolos Beach or a visit to either Akrotiri's archaeological site or a local wine farm; pickup is included, and the itinerary can be customized to your pace.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Santorini's highlights and beaches

Meet local guide and start tour
Visit Oia village and blue domes
Stroll through southern wine village
See Monastery of Profitis Ilias viewpoint
Hike and swim at Red Beach
Relax and swim at Perivolos Beach
Optional visit to Akrotiri excavation or wine farm

The Experience

Your guide picks you up and drives you north first, to Oia. You walk through the village to the famous viewpoint where the blue-domed churches sit against the caldera, and you get time to photograph them without rushing. The narrow streets themselves are lined with traditional cave houses carved into the cliffs and a Venetian castle, so there is plenty to see beyond the postcard angle.

From there the route heads inland and up. The Monastery of Profitis Ilias stands at about 600 meters—the highest point on the island—and the view from the top stretches across the whole of Santorini and out to the Aegean. The monastery dates to the 18th century and holds a collection of religious icons and artifacts. On the way down, you stop in a small traditional village in the southern wine region, where you can walk the narrow alleys, see old houses and churches, and sit in the main square with a coffee before moving on.

The afternoon splits between two choices. You can spend time at either the Red Beach or Perivolos Beach—both volcanic and ideal for swimming. If you pick Perivolos, you can eat at a seaside restaurant of your choice and then swim in the clear water. At that same stop, you have the option to visit Akrotiri instead, a prehistoric settlement buried by volcanic material in the 17th century BC, or to tour a local wine farm where you can taste handmade organic products and wine. The tour includes bottled water, maps, an air-conditioned vehicle and wet wipes; lunch is on you if you choose to eat.

What’s included

Bottled water.
maps.
air-conditioned vehicle.
wet wipes.
local guide in English.
hotel or accommodation pickup.

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Santorini Premium Tours

Is this one for you?The flexible itinerary means you steer the afternoon toward what interests you—a swim and meal at the beach, an archaeological dig, or a wine tasting—so the tour fits your pace instead of a fixed schedule rushing you through each stop.