Getting Around Santorini
CAR HIRE
The best way of seeing Santorini is to hire a car to explore the island and all it has to offer, over as many days and at whatever pace you require.
Contact your Olympic Representative on live chat and book a car to make the most of this spectacular island.
Should you wish to travel independently and explore at your leisure, we can arrange a car for you easily and have it delivered directly to your accommodation, a fantastic service with a minimum of fuss.
It is far better to go through your tour operator and have complete peace of mind, knowing that we are here to support you and make all the necessary arrangements. Of course, the contracts are in English, and the insurance is clear, with different options to upgrade, but no hidden extras and certainly no huge deposits taken against your card.
All the cars are maintained and serviced, staff are English-speaking, and your rep does all the work. You just put the key in the ignition and drive away.
It’s one of the loveliest ways of exploring, being able to stop at all the gorgeous beaches, traditional villages and stunning beauty spots for as long as you like.
Contact your rep for details, to book and to check on any special offers.
EXCURSIONS
A great way to see the best of the island, with someone else doing the organising and the driving. See your Olympic Representative or live chat for details. Read more details about excursions you can take here.
TAXIS
They can be expensive, but if you need to be somewhere in a hurry or out of hours, then they serve a purpose.
BUS SERVICE
Since 1988, all the villages of Santorini have been connected to each other by a bus service. There are 23 buses on the island that run to a fairly good schedule by KTEL. For timetables and more information, check out the website.
HAPPY EXPLORING
Excursions
There are numerous excursions and activities to enjoy in Santorini, catering to a wide range of interests. Here are some popular options. You will find further details of our excursion programme in your welcome pack upon arrival.
Boat Tours: Explore the island's coastline, visit volcanic islands, swim in hot springs and watch the famous Santorini sunset from the sea.
Wine Tours: Experience Santorini's unique vineyards and taste its distinctive volcanic wines. Many tours include visits to local wineries and wine tastings.
Volcano Tours: Hike to the crater of the volcano in the centre of the caldera and learn about Santorini's volcanic history.
Sunset Viewing: Witness the breathtaking sunset views from Oia or other scenic spots on the island. Sunset cruises are also available for a different perspective.
Archaeological Tours: Visit the ancient ruins of Akrotiri, often referred to as the "Minoan Pompeii", and explore the prehistoric settlement buried under volcanic ash.
Cultural Tours: Discover the traditional villages of Santorini, such as Pyrgos, Megalochori and Emporio, known for their Cycladic architecture, narrow streets and historic charm.
These are just a few examples of the excursions and activities available in Santorini. Whether you're interested in history, nature, food or adventure, there's something for everyone to enjoy on this beautiful island.
We are proud to partner with some of the leading providers of days and nights out across the island. These can be booked by arranging a visit at a convenient time from your Olympic Holidays Representative. You can also refer to your welcome pack for full details, availability and prices.
Island Bus Tour: The Majestic Spots of Santorini: Visit the Prophet Elias Monastery, located at the highest point on the island of Santorini, explore Pyrgos Village and visit the Akrotiri Excavations. Swim at Red Beach, visit Fira Town and then Oia village for the sunset. Admire Santorini in one day.
Santorini Wine Experience: Discover the ancient winemaking traditions of Santorini during this wine-tasting tour. Learn about the protected appellation of origin of the island, with vines dating as far back as 400 years, at the wine museum.
Then, enjoy tastings of local wine varieties paired with snacks at two selected vineyards. This introductory tour is a great way to get a feel for the wines of Santorini, visiting three wineries in total. Our wine tour operates with no more than 16 people, creating an exclusive experience.
Traditional Villages & Sunset Tour: Discover the charming villages of Santorini during this afternoon bus tour around the island. Visit ancient churches, stroll past local vineyards, see the ruins of the island’s medieval capital and take in the views of nearby islands from various viewpoints. The final stop on the tour is the famous village of Oia, where you can watch a world-famous sunset.
Private Tours: If you enjoy the small pleasures of life, then this experience is definitely for you. Olympic Holidays gives you the opportunity to explore the beautiful island of Santorini in a more lavish way. You might want to keep the highlights of the island only for yourself, or you might want to share this special trip with your group of people. Whatever the case, we assure you that this tour will stay with you forever. We are able to provide both a private car and a guide upon request and tailor either a half-day or full-day tour.
Romantic Sunset Cruise:
The boat will sail under the caldera and our captain will take you to the best spots to enjoy the view and take spectacular pictures of the caldera and the volcano. At the same time, the crew will have prepared the delicious buffet dinner that will be served during the cruise. Before the sun starts setting into the sea, the captain will bring the boat to the best location to see the amazing sunset of Santorini. After the sunset, King Thiras will sail back to Athinios port.
Caldera Day Cruise:
Join the King Thiras boat on a cruise to the lava island of Nea Kameni. King Thiras will make a stop to give us the opportunity to ascend the soil path and approach the crater of the still-active volcano. After seeing the crater, we will walk back down the path and get on the King Thiras boat. We’ll sail to the second lava island of Palea Kameni and reach the hot springs. Here, you can dive in the green waters of the hot springs or relax and enjoy the view. The tour continues to Thirasia Island, which was part of Santorini before the big explosion of the volcano. We will stay in Thirasia for two hours, giving you the chance to go swimming, have lunch next to the sea or explore the village of Manolas with its winding steps and traditional houses.
Sailing across Oia, on the way back to Athinios port, you may take wonderful pictures of the cliffs and the breathtaking scenery. We also offer enhanced options, such as the opportunity to travel to Oia with us after the return of the boat to witness the sunset, or an early start to the day with the opportunity to visit Pyrgos and the Prophet Elias Monastery before setting sail on the caldera for the day.
Archaeological Bus Tour to Akrotiri Excavations & Red Beach:
Start with the breathtaking view at the Prophet Elias Monastery and visit the picturesque monastery. Then follows Megalochori village, an extremely charming traditional settlement, almost abandoned after the big earthquake, and Akrotiri Excavations, one of the most significant archaeological sites, which includes a vast structure once inhabited by 200 families and preserved buried under the volcano’s lava. Then you will have free time at Red Beach to simply enjoy the colourful formations of the mountain and/or visit Akrotiri Bay for coffee or lunch with Greek traditional mezedes and ouzo. Our day ends with a stop at a famous black sand beach for a swim stop.
Departure Info
Your Olympic team will make sure that you have your departure details in plenty of time, usually 24 hours prior to your departure day. You will also find them on the back of the welcome pack you received upon arrival here in Santorini.
You can also message or send an email to request them if needed.
On occasion, they are also left at the reception desk if you are staying in a large hotel that is staffed 24/7.
On the day of your departure, please make sure you hand your key in to reception or leave it in the door at the accommodation.
Make sure you have all your personal belongings, and that your passport and boarding pass are ready in your hand luggage.
Please make your way to the departure pick-up point in good time. We recommend 10 minutes before your pick-up time, and please be prepared to wait for at least 20 minutes, as there may be hold-ups with traffic.
We hope you have had a lovely holiday with us and hope to see you again in the future.
We would greatly appreciate it if you share your experience with our customers in our Google Reviews. There is also a review site called Trustpilot, which is very useful for us for comments and feedback, so if you can spare two minutes, please tell us about your holiday with us.
Kalo Taxidi, bon voyage.
From the Olympic Overseas Team