Santorini, cliff to caldera.
Catamarans across the caldera, the hot springs at the volcano’s foot, Assyrtiko at a cliff-edge winery and the sky going gold over Oia: what each one is like, what it costs, and where to book.
Seven to book before you fly.
First visit or fifth, these carry a Santorini trip: the catamaran that circles the whole caldera, the cruise that ends at the hot springs, the winery table where the sunset does the rest.
Premium Small-Group Catamaran Cruise with BBQ, Open Bar, Transfer
Premium small-group Santorini catamaran with BBQ, open bar, transfers, hot springs swim, and calm-cove snorkeling plus photo stops.
From $151 per person
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The whole caldera in a day.
Board at the old port, sail the caldera rim past the red and white cliffs, then drop anchor over the hot springs and again off Thirassia for a swim. The crew fires up the BBQ while the island slides by. Lunch, drinks and the best seat for the sunset, all on one ticket.
Which sunset is yours?
Everyone comes for the sunset; how you watch it is the choice. Three ways to take it in, each already priced and reviewed, so you can pick the one that fits your evening.
On foot in Oia
From the village
9 hours · from $61 · 2,492 reviews
Walk the caldera path up through Imerovigli in the late afternoon, claim a spot by the blue domes or the old castle ruin, and watch the whole town turn gold. A guided sightseeing day gets you there without the parking scramble, timed to reach Oia just before the sky goes.
See the sunset tours →
Aboard a catamaran
From the water
5 hours (approx.) · from $95 · 1,105 reviews
Cast off in the afternoon, swim the caldera while the light is still high, then anchor beneath the cliffs as the crew serves dinner and the sun drops straight into the sea in front of you. The town watches from above; you watch from below.
See the caldera sunset cruises →
Up in the vineyards
From the vines
9 hours · from $61 · 2,492 reviews
The Assyrtiko comes out bone-dry up here. Taste across a caldera-edge winery like Santo as the terrace fills, the glasses catch the light, and the whole rim of the volcano turns pink at once.
See the wine tours →
The whole island turns to watch.
By six the boats are pointing west and the cliff-top terraces are filling. Take it from the water on a sunset sail, dinner and a drink in hand as the sky burns down over Thirassia, or from a caldera table with the town glowing gold behind you.
The blue is the whole point.
The caldera is a flooded volcano, which is why the swimming here is unreal. Wade into the warm sulphur springs off Nea Kameni, paddle a sea kayak under the red cliffs, or just step off the back of the boat into water that runs deep and clear beneath you.
Assyrtiko, and take your time.
The Assyrtiko here grows straight out of volcanic ash and tastes of salt and citrus. Spend an afternoon tasting across three cliff-top wineries, or roll your sleeves up for a Greek cooking class and eat what you make.
Slow down between the villages.
Fira stacks white cubes down the cliff, Imerovigli hides the best of the view, and Pyrgos and Megalochori keep the island’s older, quieter face. Wander the back lanes, find the churches with the blue domes, and let a guide fill in the four thousand years underneath.
Pick a stretch of the island.
Each corner of Santorini is its own day. Oia and Fira for the caldera views. Akrotiri for the ruins and the Red Beach. The volcano and Thirassia for a day on the water.
Here for something in particular?
Twelve ways to spend a day on Santorini, each one already priced and reviewed. Pick the one that sounds like you.
Your first three days, mapped.
You won’t see all of Santorini in one trip, but three days covers the essentials. This is the order we’d give a friend flying into the island tomorrow.
Day 1
Fira, and the walk to Oia
Drop your bags in Fira, walk the caldera path north through Imerovigli as the afternoon cools, and time it to reach Oia for the sunset. Easy pace, the whole view, no rush.
Plan day one →
Day 2
Out on the caldera
Give the second day to the water: a catamaran around the caldera, a swim at the hot springs and off Thirassia, lunch and drinks aboard, back in time to clean up for dinner.
Plan day two →
Day 3
The vines and the south
Slow the last day down: the ruins at Akrotiri, the dark sand at the Red Beach, then the wine country for a tasting as the light softens over the vines.
Plan day three →
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