Things to Do in Santorini, with the Boat Trips Ranked
Updated October 27, 2026
Santorini is the rim of a drowned volcano, and most of what is worth doing here is about the caldera: looking down into it from the villages on the cliff, or getting out onto the water inside it. This list puts both kinds side by side and ranks them by what a first visit should not miss. We sell boat trips, so we have tried to be fair to the things that are free or on land. Several of them are better value than anything with a ticket.
-
#1A catamaran cruise around the caldera
$88Five hours on the water, three swims, a meal, and the cliffs from below.
4.6 7,400 reviews
The one thing you cannot do from the land. A shared catamaran swims at the hot springs, Red Beach and White Beach, which you can only properly reach by boat now, and serves a BBQ with drinks. From $85 to $145 per person, with hotel pickup. The sunset catamaran here is the most-reviewed one we found: 4.6 on 7,400 reviews of this cruise on GetYourGuide, from $88, free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
- #2
The sunset from Oia
Free, famous, and the reason the village fills up every evening.
Oia sits on the north-west tip of the island, facing the sun as it sets over the caldera. Sunset on the 15th of the month is about 20:37 in June and 18:43 in October, so plan the evening around it. Arrive early for a spot, or watch from a sunset cruise below the village instead.
- #3
The walk from Fira to Oia
About 10 km along the caldera rim, and free.
The path runs through Firostefani and Imerovigli to Oia: around 10 km, 3 to 5 hours depending on your pace and stops, a mix of paved village lanes and dirt trail. Most of it is exposed, so start early in summer. Finish in Oia for the sunset and take the bus back to Fira, about €2.20.
-
#4The volcano and hot springs by boat
$34The cheapest boat onto the caldera, and the only kind that lands on the volcano.
4.3 11,637 reviews
A big wooden boat from Athinios lands you on Nea Kameni to walk to the crater, then stops for a 30-minute swim at the hot springs off Palea Kameni. From $34; the volcano fee of €5 is paid in cash on the island. Rated 4.35 on 11,637 reviews of this cruise on GetYourGuide. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
Check availability Read the full page Open in Maps Wikipedia
- #5
The prehistoric town at Akrotiri
A Bronze Age town buried by the eruption that made the caldera.
The settlement near Akrotiri village was buried in volcanic ash in the 16th century BCE, and the ash preserved it well enough that excavators have found buildings three storeys high and frescoes in far better shape than those on Crete. A full ticket is €20, with free entry for EU citizens under 25 and non-EU visitors under 18. Pair it with the Red Beach viewpoint nearby; the beach itself is closed on land.
- #6
A wine tasting
Vines grown in baskets, on an island phylloxera never reached.
Santorini's white grape is Assyrtiko. The vines are trained low into basket shapes called kouloura to protect the grapes from wind and sun, and many are old, own-rooted vines because the island is described as phylloxera-free. Several wineries on the island run tastings; an afternoon tasting fits well on a day without a boat.
-
#7A full day: volcano, Thirassia and Oia
$64Three of the caldera's sights in one 12-hour ticket.
4.4 800 reviews
The crater on Nea Kameni, the hot springs, free time on Thirassia across the caldera, then a bus to Oia for the sunset from land. From $64, meals not included, 4.37 on 800 reviews of this trip on GetYourGuide. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before. A long day, and good value if you want all three.
Check availability Read the full page Open in Maps Wikipedia
- #8
Ammoudi Bay below Oia
Oia's harbour: fish tavernas, a swim off the rocks, and around 280 steps.
Walk down the long flight of steps from Oia, or take a taxi for a fixed €10. Past the last taverna a dirt path leads in about five minutes to a swim spot facing St Nicholas islet. Small boats leave here for Thirassia, and several catamarans start from the quay.
-
#9Your own boat for the day
$291No licence, no crew, up to five people, and the route is yours.
5.0 228 reviews
A licence-free motorboat from Vlychada, with a safety briefing, snorkel gear, snacks and WhatsApp support. The listing suggests Red Beach, White Beach, the volcano, Thirassia and Oia. From $291 per boat for up to 5 people, fuel extra. Rated 4.96 on 228 reviews of this rental on GetYourGuide. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
- #10
Fira's old port by cable car
The quick way down the cliff, and the way cruise-ship passengers come up.
The cable car runs from Fira to the old port at the foot of the cliff for €10 one way, €5 for children. The alternative is about 600 steps. The old port is where many caldera boats and the cruise-ship tenders tie up, so it is worth seeing even if you are not sailing from it.
- #11
Vlychada beach and the tomato museum
Wind-carved pale cliffs and a factory museum, next to the catamaran marina.
Vlychada, 10 km from Fira on the south coast, has a dark-sand beach under pale volcanic cliffs and the Tomato Industrial Museum in a tomato-paste factory opened in 1945. It is where many catamarans leave from, so it fits before or after a cruise.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best things to do in Santorini?
A boat trip on the caldera, the sunset from Oia, the walk from Fira to Oia, and the prehistoric town at Akrotiri. Two of the four are free.
Is a boat trip worth it in Santorini?
Yes for most visitors. Red Beach is closed on land and White Beach has no road, so a boat is how you swim at them, and only a boat reaches the volcano and the hot springs.
What can you do in Santorini for free?
Watch the sunset from Oia, walk the 10 km caldera path from Fira to Oia, and swim off the rocks at Ammoudi Bay.
How many days do you need in Santorini?
Three days covers this list comfortably: one for a catamaran, one for the volcano or Akrotiri, and one for the cliff walk and the Oia sunset.
Sources