Day Tour to Santorini Island from Heraklion Crete
Description
Santorini, the gem of Cyclades. Well known worldwide island for the view of Caldera, its picturesque white houses built on its cliffs and the famous volcanic sand beaches. The fact that it’s just 2 hours away from the island of Crete, makes this activity a Must-Do when you visit Heraklion.
Tour Options
Itinerary
We will start collecting participants from pick-up points in the morning. Depending on the place of your hotel/apartment the bus drive to the port of Heraklion will differ.
Begin your adventure with a scenic 2-hour boat ride across the Aegean Sea. Board a modern catamaran from Heraklion Port and relax with sea views. Grab a coffee or snack from the onboard bar as you cruise toward magical Santorini.
Arrival on Santorini after about 2 hours boat trip. Embarkation on the buses for the guided tour.
Bus Drive to Oia: 40 minutes Upon arrival at Athinios Port, hop on a comfortable coach and head to the picturesque village of Oia, famous for its postcard-worthy views and iconic blue-domed churches. Free Time in Oia (10:30–12:30) Stroll through narrow alleys, take breathtaking photos of the caldera, and browse charming boutiques. Guests who wish to join the optional volcano and hot springs cruise will leave Oia slightly earlier to make their connection.
Bus Drive to Fira: 30 minutes Free Time in Fira or Optional Volcano Tour (12:50–15:00) Enjoy approximately 2 hours of free time in Fira, where you can explore the town, shop, enjoy local cuisine, or admire the panoramic views of the Caldera. Alternatively, you may choose the optional boat excursion to the volcano and hot springs (weather permitting, ticket available on the spot). Please note that these two options are mutually exclusive, meaning that guests either spend the full time in Fira or participate in the volcano excursion. If you choose the volcano tour, the visit to Fira does not take place. Bus Drive to the port: 30 minutes
Return to the port, embarkation on the boat and return to Heraklion port.
Embarkation in the buses and drive back to the hotels where we gathered participants in the morning. Depending on traffic and on the pick-up places of each one, the time of journey back to the hotel will differ.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Pickup is available from specific locations in Agia Pelagia, Lygaria, Ammoudara, Karteros, Kokkini Hani, Anissaras, Gouves, Gournes, Analipsi, Hersonissos, Piskopiano Pigadi, Stalis, Malia, and Sisi. You will receive a personalized email with your exact pickup time and place within 24 hours of booking. If your accommodation is outside these areas or inaccessible by bus, an additional charge may apply depending on the location. Please select the pickup option that matches your hotel’s location to ensure it is included in our pickup zone. Also, check your spam folder to avoid missing any communication.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Reviews(136)
Kristin was very helpful and we had an awesome time. Well organized trip from start to end. Would definitely recommend.
Was very busy in Santorini, and wasn’t quite long enough to see all the places. The journey going was excellent and on time, but on way back had to wait over an hour. Still was great to see Santorini.
Loved this trip. Really well organised and the perfect way to see Santorini. A beautiful destination, not to be missed. We have some beautiful photos. The views are breathtaking. Don't miss this trip. Our tour guide was great, she gave lots of great information while we were on the coach.
Santorini is a breathtakingly beautiful island that offers new, wonderful impressions of Greece. It is quite crowded, which we don't particularly like - but since it is absolutely worth seeing, a day trip was just right for us. This tour was great, especially because of our very nice, competent tour guide Carine. She guided our group perfectly throughout the day. Normally, we prefer to go on our own, but this time it worked out well for us. A major advantage was the interesting and engaging information from Carine during the bus ride about the island. Some things that we probably wouldn't have discovered on our own. We had the time in the cities at our own disposal and could use it as we wished. This made it an optimal interplay of a guided and a self-guided tour. I can absolutely recommend this tour!
Good trip, great tour guide, clear instructions. Good amount of time at each town for 'free time' Beautiful spot. Long day, but definitely value for money
According to the pickup locations our hotel Hersonissos Mitsis Lugana was a pick up and drop off point. The hotel is a very large big entrance and easy assessable for any bus. In the morning, we waited at our hotel only to receive a call that we have to walk to a buss stop. It is stressful cause we do not know the language here and have no clue where this municipal buss stop was. It clearly said the pickup is AT THE HOTEL. After we finally got the bus he drove to all the other pickup zones. All off the pickups was done AT their hotels. We were the only ones who had to walk far . When it was drop off time he dropped us off in the main street. Not even close to our hotel. I was disappointed cause we were mislead . We were not collected and dropped at the pickup point we paid for.
Very crowded boat ride. 20 coach buses waiting for boat to dock . Terrible sound system on coach bus making it impossible to understand every 3rd word of a thick accented tour guide. Visited same 2 cities as the 20 buses and towns were shoulder to shoulder visitors . Tour guide dropped off to shop and to try to get photos. Would not recommend .
i had imagined Santorini to be so different, Views were beautiful, the 2 places we stopped to visit were very quirky. But i’m glad i only went for a day trip and not a holiday. But still glad i did the trip . ticked off my bucket lidt
Very overrated trip. For this price, I expected way more. To be clear, I traveled from Heraklion, and the price per person was €200 for day in Santorini. So, what was included in this price: A guide with fancy stories. Bus transfer from the hotel to Heraklion port and back. Fast boat, 2-hour journey to Santorini port and return to Heraklion. Bus transfer from Santorini port to Oia and Fira. In both towns, you can walk around for about 1.5 hours + - Nice photos, if the weather allows it. Before you can take any photos, you may need to wait in queues, which can take around 10 minutes. So keep checking the time because the bus will not wait for you. Both Oia and Fira are very expensive. I mean, even a small souvenir costs around €60. A meal for 2 people will cost €60+ as well. Of course, the magnet will still cost €2.50. :) The views are beautiful, but nothing that special, I would say. Half of Crete has similar views if you know where to find them. Worst part is that the time is very limited. You don’t have enough time to visit all the places, so you need to choose carefully. Don’t forget about the queues for photos as well. Nobody will wait for you, so you constantly need to check the time because it goes by quickly. I would give it 4 starts if they will include vulcano visit. You can also visit volcano for extra price, but for such a short time, I don't understand how this is possible.
The best excursion ever, because of the guide Maria ...IT was realy good choice to go with them
