Santorini: Sailing Tour with BBQ, Drinks & Hot Springs

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Free cancellationExcellent quality

1/7

Duration5h

GroupUp to 18

LanguagesEN

PickupAt your hotel

Santorini sailing with bbq swim at red beach hot springs soak

You’ll sail Santorini’s caldera with a local crew, stopping for swims at Red or White Beach and soaking in Nea Kameni’s volcanic hot springs. Enjoy barbecue lunch with unlimited wine or beer on deck—all with hotel pickup included. Expect laughter, new friends, and those strange moments when everything feels both familiar and completely new.

Step-by-step itinerary

Santorini sailing and volcanic caldera tour

Sail past Old Venetian Lighthouse
View Indian Head Mountain
Stop at Red or White Beach
Visit Old Burnt Island
Swim in New Burnt Island hot springs
Snorkel in caldera waters
Enjoy Greek BBQ with drinks

The Experience

We climbed onto the catamaran just below the cliffs of Santorini, shoes off and toes already salty. I didn’t know what to expect from a “shared sailing tour”—sometimes that means forced small talk, but honestly, everyone just seemed happy to be out on the water. Our guide, Maria, handed me a cold drink right away and grinned at my clumsy attempt to say “kalimera.” The sea was this unreal blue—almost too much—and you could smell charcoal from the little grill before we even left the dock.

First stop was Red Beach. I’d seen photos but up close it’s stranger—the cliffs look almost edible, like layers of cake (I was hungry by then). We jumped in for a swim; the water felt cool and heavier than I expected. Someone on board said something about volcanic minerals making your skin soft. Maybe it’s true, maybe it’s just local legend, but either way I floated there for a while just listening to distant voices echo off the rocks. There was this moment where everything went quiet except for the slap of water against the hull.

We sailed past White Beach (only reachable by boat), then drifted near these old volcanic islands—Nea Kameni and Palea Kameni. The air changed as we got closer: faint sulfur, like boiled eggs but not unpleasant. Maria pointed out the hot springs bubbling up near Nea Kameni and told us to jump in if we wanted. I hesitated (the color is kind of rusty-orange) but went for it anyway. It’s warmer than you’d think and sort of silky; I didn’t want to get out.

Lunch was grilled chicken and veggies right on deck—simple but perfect after swimming so much. Local white wine flowed easily (maybe too easily). Someone tried to teach me how to say “cheers” in Greek; I definitely butchered it but nobody seemed to care. By the time we sailed back toward port, everyone looked sun-tired and happy, hair tangled by wind and salt. I still think about that view over Santorini’s caldera as we drifted home—just light bouncing off white houses stacked above us. Hard to explain why that sticks with me.

What’s included

Your day includes hotel pickup and drop-off around Santorini, fresh towels ready for swimming stops at beaches only accessible by boat, all snorkel gear you might need, unlimited local wine or beer plus soft drinks throughout the cruise, and a barbecue lunch cooked right onboard before heading back in the late afternoon or after sunset if you choose that option.

Good to know

Easy physical levelInfant seats availablePets welcome

Operated by Santorini Sailing