Begin your sightseeing adventure in the north of Santorini, at the scenic village of Oia. Known for its breathtaking beauty, Oia is one of the island's most visually striking locations, offering stunning views over the caldera. Its charm has long inspired artists, and its iconic whitewashed buildings, blue-domed churches, and vibrant sunsets make it a must-see destination.
Make a short stop in Firostefani to see the famous Blue Dome Church, one of Santorini's most iconic postcard views. Enjoy a scenic stroll through its charming alleys, leading to this quintessential landmark. Along the way, learn about the island's unique geological formation and rich history, shaped by volcanic activity and ancient civilizations. A perfect blend of breathtaking sights and cultural insight.
Optional visit: Discover the ancient ruins of Akrotiri, a Bronze Age settlement buried by a volcanic eruption around 1600 BCE. Known as the "Pompeii of the Aegean," the site features well-preserved buildings, vibrant frescoes, and advanced infrastructure. Protected by a modern eco-friendly roof, Akrotiri offers a fascinating look into Minoan life.
Optional visit: Continue your journey to the southeastern coast of Santorini and unwind at Perissa–Perivolos Black Beach, famous for its unique volcanic sand and crystal-clear waters. This vibrant stretch of coastline is lined with charming seaside restaurants and beach bars, perfect for relaxing by the sea. In Perivolos, you'll have free time to capture stunning photos of the black sand beach, swim in the Aegean Sea, and, if you wish, enjoy a delicious lunch at one of the seaside restaurants.
Optional visit: Head to Profitis Ilias, the highest hill in Santorini, standing at 567 meters above sea level. From the summit, enjoy stunning panoramic views of the Aegean Sea. During your visit, you will have the opportunity to explore a Greek Orthodox chapel, listen to the soothing sounds of Byzantine music, and sample hand-made local products crafted by the monks.
Optional visit: End your tour with a visit to Santo Wines Winery, where you can indulge in a wine tasting experience. Santorini has a rich winemaking tradition dating back to ancient times, and at Santo Wines, you'll have the opportunity to sample the island’s unique varietals, crafted from its volcanic soil. Enjoy the stunning views and savor the flavors that reflect Santorini's deep-rooted history in winemaking—an unforgettable way to complete your island experience.
The above itinerary is provided as an example only. The sights and attractions are suggestions and can be tailored on the day to match your personal interests. Bespoke itineraries and custom additions to your tour are also available to ensure a unique experience. Your tour will conclude when your private driver drops you off at your accommodation, cruise ship port, airport, or any other preferred location.
Santorini was a great day! Our guide was very flexible. We toured the city, had a fast pass to the blue dome photo location, shopped, stopped at Santo wines, and had a great lunch near the black rock beach. It was a perfect day. Highly reccommend.
We had an absolutely fantastic day in Santorini with Theo. Visiting from a cruise ship means you only have a limited amount of time on the island, and Theo made sure we experienced as much of Santorini as possible without ever feeling rushed. From the moment we met him, Theo was friendly, knowledgeable, and completely focused on giving us a memorable day. He shared so much about Santorini’s history, culture, and everyday life, while also knowing exactly how to navigate the island and avoid the biggest crowds. One of the things we appreciated most was how well Theo knew the island. He took us to some terrific viewpoints and knew exactly where to go for incredible photos — even helping us work around the crowds so we could really enjoy the scenery. The winery visit high on the hill was another highlight, with spectacular views and a wonderful experience. Theo also gave us excellent recommendations throughout the day, including a beautiful lunch that was a perfect addition to our tour. By the end of the day, our only disappointment was that we didn't have more time in Santorini and more time with Theo! He made the experience personal, relaxed, informative, and fun. Great tour, outstanding guide, and a truly terrific day. If you are visiting Santorini on a cruise and want to make the most of your limited time, we highly recommend this tour — and especially Theo. We left Santorini wishing we could stay longer, and we definitely hope to return someday. Five stars and one of the highlights of our trip!
This has to be the top tour and tour guide I've ever experienced. Theodore was the absolute best. He picked us up very promptly from the airport and started the day off with a breakfast stop, and then we were able to hit up every single major point of interest in Santorini.. This was an all day eight hour tour and even though we were tired, having flown in that morning from Athens, he enthralled us with his storytelling and his facts and the history of the island. he took us to a local authentic Santorini restaurant that was some of the best food we've eaten in Greece. He probably has a calling as a photographer because he took so many pictures of us and they were amazing. He knew all the secret spots on the island and did not rush us ever. he spent extra time with us making sure we saw everything we needed to see, he was kind, attentive, entertaining, and we begged him to have lunch with us because he was such great company. There's absolutely nothing I would change about this tour and I'm so appreciative and grateful for Theodore. We got to see every part of the island within a day. I strongly and highly recommend this company and Theodore in particular for tours. We were a family of five with three teenagers and all of them had such a fantastic time.
Our tour guide Theodore was amazing and made the trip wonderful. He accommodated all the things we wanted to do and see. Even called ahead to wineries to set up appointments for us. Took us to a family restaurant away from the tourist area where we had a great meal.
We had a fantastic experience with Kallisti Tours during our private tour in Thira. The BMW X1 provided was comfortable, and the booster seat for our daughter was thoughtfully arranged in advance. Our guide, Theodorus, was punctual and impressively knowledgeable. His insights into the island’s culture added meaningful depth to the tour. He made efficient use of our time and showed genuine care during the more physically demanding moments. Thanks to Theo, we captured beautiful photos and created lasting memories. We typically keep our experiences private, but this one was too meaningful not to share. Highly recommended.
We met our driver, Theodore from Kallisti Private Tours shortly after arriving in the cable car to the top of Fira. Theodore, warm, friendly,and cordial, greeted us and we proceeded on a walking tour of Fira then off to his vehicle. We spent the day touring the whole island of Santorini from tip to tip. From Fira to Oia, to the Akrotiri Lighthouse. Theodore was very knowledgeable and informative. He took us to see the best sights and vistas as well as the best gyros on the island, according to locals. Theodore made quite the impression on our small group and is an excellent representative of the island of Santorini. When you use Kallisti Private Tours ask for Theodore and tell them Jeff recommended you.
Theodore was an amazing guide who tailored the trip exactly to our interests and gave us lots of interesting information along the way. It was the ideal way to see Santorini without having to worry about driving and we would highly recommend this company. Customer service was excellent and they responded immediately during the planning phase. We can’t recommend them highly enough.
Our driver Theodore was very nice and helpful! He explained to us about the history of the places we visited.
Our tour guide, Theodore (Theo), was the absolute best! He picked us up at our hotel and took us all over the island. We went to the highest point, multiple scenic viewpoints from different parts of the island. Per our request, we visited the Art Space winery (and yes-purchases were made!) then the Crazy Donkey Brewery. Theo knew everyone and was able to get us great seats, views, special attention, and I suspect may have been the reason for the celebratory shots given to us to celebrate my birthday when we stopped for dinner at Perivolos right on the black sand beach in Kamari. (Highly recommend their Greek salad!) HIGHLY recommend!
Theodore was an excellent driver & guide who showed us the major sites in a cheerful and professional manner. He was attentive and polite with an air-conditioned Mercedes Van that sat us all comfortably ..we contributed much to our having a great time in Santorini
Our tour was phenomenal! This was largely due to our tour guide, Theo! He went above and beyond to make us feel comfortable. He was kind and made great suggestions! His kindness truly stood out, though. When my four year old son got tired of walking, Theo picked him up and carried him around. I would highly recommend this tour and Theo as a tour guide!
The Kallisti tour guide/driver was very good. He knew the history and all the attractions of Santorini. He was also very patient and level headed. I highly recommend Kallisti Private Tours.
Wonderful private tour! Theo was terrific! He was very helpful - showed us all the best places. Always made sure we were comfortable - ran to get the van, pre-cooled it, offered us cold waters, took the best photos (like we had our own professional photographer at every stop!), gave terrific recommendations for drinks, food, gelato, and was so knowledgeable and happy to share more about his hometown and culture throughout. The way he led us around a crazy crowd to get the very best pictures in a private area of the three blue domes was probably worth the excursion alone, but then he took us to the best beach club at the black sand beach and got us a table at 41 when there were no beds available so we got to swim and eat yummy Greek food - it was just fabulous. Would highly recommend and I think this experience has confirmed we are private tour only people! Go with this company instead of a crowded and busy cruise ship excursion!
Great tour. Great tour guide. Theodore was so knowledgeable and accommodating to our needs. We saw so much of the island and learned so much about life on Santorini.
Theodore was awesome! He was excited to show us the island where he has lived his whole life. He was thoughtful, very insightful about the island, focused on safety and comfort, and patient with us. We enjoyed our conversations and he took us to some beautiful and popular locations as well as some special and unique local spots. He was willing to take multiple pictures and even called up a local organic winery Art Space to fit us in for a fun tour. He is a kind soul and we wish him and his young family much success!
Theodore was awesome! He was excited to show us the island where he has lived his whole life. He was thoughtful, very insightful, focused on safety and comfort, and patient with us. We enjoyed our conversations and he took us to some beautiful and popular locations as well as some special and unique local spots. He was willing to take multiple pictures and even called up a local organic winery Art Space to fit us in for a fun tour. He is a kind soul and we wish him and his young family much success!
Excellent. Michael gave us a lot of information and went at our pace. We stopped for a gyro at a locals place and it was excellent. Highly recommend.
Michael was the best tour guide we had on our entire trip! He was awesome and we highly recommend him as a guide. He was extremely informative and enjoyable to be with all day.
Theodore was the best tour guide. He picked us up at the Fira Cable Cars and from the beginning he was very accommodating and attentive. We started out with a quick tour of the Fira and the history about the Capitol. We stopped at several very beautiful scenic points to take pictures and learn more about Santorini’s history. We drove to Oia which was just incredible. The views were amazing. We learned about the history of Oia. Theodore knew all the best spots behind the scenes and did a great job navigating us through the very busy Old Town section of Oia. We drove to the highest point of the island where we could see the entire island. And had lunch at Black Beach. Just an amazing day and we highly recommend this tour company and especially Theodore.
Don’t look any further- this is a fantastic tour!! Michael was our guide, and he was wonderful. Very knowledgeable, personable and such a pleasure to spend the day with. His car was roomy and comfortable, he answered all of our questions, and had a cold water for us on this very hot day. He kept us moving without feeling rushed, and did a wonderful job getting us to all of the sites we wanted to see. His suggestion for lunch was delicious. We highly recommend Kallisti. Thank you Michael for a great day.
Michael was exceptional. All the reviews are spot on. His is so sympatico & was excellent with both my Teenage daughter and 85 yr old mother. Extremely thoughtful and courteous, he waited 45 mins whilst we dealt with unexpected queues, took us exactly where we were interested (no more, no less) just so happy to be flexible. If you’re on a cruise with limited time, this is the way to go (do not take the packaged cruise option, you see so much more in comfort). Also got us past long lines waiting for photographs at key spots with his easy manner and local knowledge. He could not do enough to fulfil our Santorini visit. He is a special man and wonderful tour guide. Thank you for a great day!
My husband and I had a private island tour with Nicholas, in Santorini. It was a wonderful day and we got to see the whole island in four hours. We stopped at the end of the day at a beach restaurant, had a drink and a snack it was paradise.
Michael showed us his beautiful island of Santorini in a nice air conditioned van and provided tons of historical knowledge. He even squeezed in a stop for a traditional gyro (our random request) from a local spot, delicious! We ended the tour with an amazing sunset view at a beautiful vineyard while taste tasting wine! We loved and enjoyed our tour of Santorini and highly recommend Michael!
We booked the Santorini Private Sightseeing Tour prior to visiting Santorini by cruise ship. Kallisti Tours had great communication from the minute we booked, and they took away any apprehension we had as first-time visitors to the island. On the day of our visit, we were fortunate enough to get Theo for our guide. He greeted us promptly at the top of the cable car, and from there the experience just got better and better! From the blue domed chapels to the black sand beaches to a spectacular front-row seat at a local winery to view a breathtaking sunset, Theo made sure we had the very best of everything. We sampled local Gyros - and they were the best we had during all of the stops in Greece! We book private tours frequently, and we can honestly say if you are considering this tour, and are fortunate enough to get Theo, you will enjoy one of the best experiences possible!
We opt for private tours when we cruise quite a bit - and this one was by far one of the best we have ever taken. Theo was our guide, and as a life-long native of Santorini he made us feel like we were special guests the whole time. We saw everything, including some of the most spectacular vistas we have ever seen! From the blue domed chapels to the black sand beach, he introduced us to the island and all its charms - we even enjoyed the best authentic Gyros we had during our entire time visiting Greece. Theo capped off the day with amazing seats at the Santo winery with views of the caldera and one of the best sunsets ever. A tip if you arrive by ship: TAKE THE CABLE CAR UP AND BACK DOWN! The path is long and steep, and the donkeys make a mess of it. We made it a point to be first off the ship and had a very short wait going up. BUT, we probably enjoyed the sunset at the winery a bit too long and got back a bit late. The line for the cable car was long and we decided to walk down MISTAKE! It was a challenge avoiding the donkey poop on every step, not to mention a rigorous physical exercise even though we were walking downhill.
Michael was a great tour guide! He was totally flexible in customizing the tour to what we were more interested in. So worth it to have a local to take you around and give you some context for the places you're visiting...and actually it would be worth it just to not have to navigate the roads and the traffic! Michael was very friendly, informative, and patient (when we were getting behind schedule ;) Highlights were Akrotiri, Santo Wines (not originally on the itinerary!) and getting a legit local-approved gyro for lunch in his home village. We thoroughly enjoyed our time and highly recommend him to anyone who wants to get to know the island a little better.
Teddy was a fabulous guide - satisfied everyone even though everyone wanted something different- so helpful and trying to please everyone- knowledgeable and made changes on the fly - we were a tough group that day
What a great experience. We had a large group and they were able to accommodate all of our interests. We were able to experience some smaller towns for leisure shopping with fewer crowds, relax at the beautiful black beach and went to a fantastic winery at the top of the mountain. Wonderful day and great experiences. Tour guide was extremely knowledgeable and very accommodating! Highly recommend! Ann O’
Santorini is beautiful, and our guide showed us the entire island. We loved Akrotiri and all the towns he took us to. He was incredibly accommodating, knowledgeable, and informative. Highly recommended.
This was an excellent tour. Our tour guide, Michael was very informative and seemed to have a great love for his home...He was very accomodating and made a point of explaining the historical facts behind the beautiful sights that we were seeing. He is very kind and positive in his approach.
Our tour guide was fantastic. He was very knowledgeable about Santorini since he was a native and he shared some of his family’s history. The views were breathtaking. Our tour guide was flexible with our requests and very patient with those of us with mobility issues. All in all everyone had a great day.
Viator placed us with Kallisti Tours and our guide, Michael, was fantastic! Great experience! Michael was attentive, courteous, professional, spoke great English and had lots of local knowledge.
My family and I enjoyed an amazing private tour of Santorini. Michael was our guide, and as expected, he knew the the right places to take us. He patiently waited for us as we made our way to Fira by cable car and drove us to sights that we wouldn’t have had the time to visit if we explored on our own. Our absolute highlight was lunch at an authentic Santorini restaurant which Michael recommended.
Michael was phenomenal. Very fun and knowledgeable. If you want to get away and have a less touristy experience, this is for you. Incredible tour!
Guide was excellent. He knew great locations and sites we would never have found on our own. We traveled the complete island not just the tourist spots in a very comfortable ride.. Oia village was the women's favorite for shopping.
Theodore was a great guide and his English was easy to understand. It was extremely windy and cold the day we were there and he helped us find a local shop to get warmer clothes. He was very knowledgeable about the island and recommended a great local restaurant for lunch
My husband and I had a 6 hour sightseeing private tour with Theodor. I was worried it was to long but it was too short and Theordore went over to show us even more sights. His attention to detail, excellent safe driving and information about the island was perfection. He took photos at every site,had access to private property, called ahead to make reservations for an amazing seaside lunch. Made reservations for wine tasting at a small private vineyard we were Interested in. Every detail was thought out. Thank you Theordore and Kallisti Tours for making our day on he island more than I could have dreamed of.
This was absolutely a must do tour. It was awesome. Michael, our tour guide, did an exceptional job taking us to incredible sights and places to experience. He explained a great amount of history about Santorini. Extremely professional, kind, and humorous. Great driver as well. Unforgettable experience!!! Thanks Michael!!!
Theodore picked us up from the top of the cable car at 10am as promised. He walked us through the winding streets to his Mercedes Sprinter van that accommodated the party of 6 very comfortably. We walked through the labyrinth of walkways of Thira overlooking the harbor with the white stucco buildings and brilliant Aegean blue rooftops. One unbelievable gorgeous view after another. From here we headed out to Oia to walk the streets there and do some shopping. Stopped for a coffee and bathroom break here as well. Again the views were amazing!Next we headed to the highest point on Santorini, where there is an old monastery. All along the way Theodore took lots of photos of our group and as couples. By now we were hungry and we went to Perissa for a bite to eat at Forty One. It’s located right on the beach. Food was very good. Not done yet. Off to see the lighthouse. More gorgeous views looking back to the harbor. A couple of more stops on our way back to our pick up point for photo ops! Theodore seems to know all the right places to stop. As an aside our trip was in early September and there were no lines for the cable car coming or going. We thoroughly enjoyed our day with Theodore and would highly recommend this tour!
Our driver/guide, Theodore was amazing! He was very personable and knowledgeable, sharing his culture and history made our visit to Santorini so memorable. We saw the entire island! I would highly recommend this tour with Theodore!!
Theodore was our guide for the day. He was excellent! Couldn’t have asked for a better guide. He was very informative, professional and personable. He knew all the perfect spots for taking pictures. I highly recommend this tour and hopefully you’ll get Theodore! If we’re ever back in Santorini we will definitely look him up and book another tour.
Theo showed us all the great spots on the island and customized our tour to exactly what we wanted to see and do! It was a wonderful day!
Saw all there was to see in comfort- with The fabulous Theo our driver and guide. Thank you for a wonderful fay
Theodore made whole day easy to see with older minimal walkers like us Have plenty of background while taking us over whole Island when ready for rest he found us nice restaurant on sand beach- then winery to end the day with great views
Hello thank you for the tour. We had a very pleasant guide, let’s call him Tomas, but he did not really give us a narrative for the history of the island or the significance of the architecture. Compared to the other guides who we heard giving history about each location, Tomas didn’t tell us much. For example when we were at the monasteri other guides talked about the basilica and the art but we just went in and came back. Tomas did not accompany us, he stood outside and did not explain anything. Same with the church in Oia. We did mention to him to tell us more, and not to worry about the kids chattering, (who actually kept quiet when he spoke), and he said OK. However, there was no change at all. At the price we paid for this tour and the description of the services, we didn’t have a guide. Just a driver. I have given 3 stars because he was a kind man and veteran at his job. I mean no disrespect. But we were disappointed. I wanted my kids to hear and learn. The way the tour went I would’ve just done it myself.
My husband and I had a blast. Theodore is full of knowledge and super helpful - he really looked after us, made sure we were comfortable, and suggested locations based on what we were most interested in. We were driven around in a spacious air-conditioned van and saw lots of sights in a short amount of time. Highly recommended.
We were able to explore the whole island with our tour guide Theo. He was able to bring our experience Alice with the culture and history of the island. He made sure to take us to the most amazing points to capture photos and took some amazing photos of my fiancé and I. He took us to an amazing lunch at an authentic Greek restaurant, home grown and family cooked meal.
Nice Mercedes’ private tour. Michael was excellent. Only complaint was his primary role is as a driver and the company had him do a job for another couple before our all day trip and because they were late to get out of bed, our driver arrived 45 mins late to pick us up and we were 30 mins early. We were pretty irate about that. I blame the organizer the tour operator for that. Don’t book the our all day tour guide to a job prior. Otherwise great in every way. We saw all we wanted to see and weather was perfect. Michael was excellent.
We had an excellent time this week in Santorini with our guide Theodore. He showed us all the interesting places, shops, vistas for foto ops. He was super-knowledgeable, friendly & safe. Thanks for a great time!
Excellent experience, Theodore was knowledgeable, helpful, flexible and very enjoyable on the tour. He is more than happy to take many quality pictures for you. The restaurant he took us to was authentic and delicious, would never have gone there without him. Thank you so much!
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