Santorini Boat Rental: License-Free Motorboat from Vlychada

Can you rent a boat in Santorini without a license?

Yes. This boat is in the license-free class, so you can drive it with no boating license and no experience. Charter platforms summarise the Greek rule as motorboats of up to 30 hp; ask the operator about the engine if you want to check. Before you leave, you get a 30-minute briefing on how the boat works, the dos and don'ts, and the parts that are costly to damage, such as the engine and anchor. Two of the 10 recent reviewers had never driven a boat and say they felt confident after the briefing; another says you get the hang of it within about 10 minutes. One adds that a QR code on board brings the instructions back up mid-trip.

Price per boat, not per person

The $291 (€260) price is for the whole boat and up to 5 people, which makes it about $58 each for a full boat. That is less per head than the shared catamarans on this site. Two things are extra: fuel, which you pay for separately, and a skipper, if you would rather not drive (on request, extra charge). The €260 is the listing's starting price; the listing shows the price of each option for your date. Compare it with the Santorini catamaran cruise prices.

How far you can go

On a calm day you can reach the whole caldera. The listed stops are Red Beach, White Beach, the Black Mountain (Mavro Vouno), the volcano, Thirassia and Ammoudi below Oia. One reviewer on the 10-hour slot reached all of the islands, with an hour ashore on Thirassia. On a windy day, the range shrinks. Three of the 10 recent reviews mention wind: one booking was moved to another day, one group stayed on the south coast, and the team texted another group to head back south. Read what happens when boat trips are cancelled for wind.

• Vlychada Marina — Start, finish and the 30-minute briefing
• Red Beach and White Beach — Swim and snorkel, a short run west
• Black Mountain (Mavro Vouno) — Swim stop on the south coast
• Volcano — Sightseeing from the boat
• Thirassia — Lunch stop ashore
• Ammoudi Bay — Below Oia, the far end of a full day

Morning, sunset or full day

The half-day slots are a morning run or a sunset run, and the full day lasts up to 10 hours. Three of the 10 recent reviews were on a sunset slot, and the team helped one group time the return so they caught the sunset on the way in. In Santorini the sun sets around 20:37 in mid-June and 19:27 in mid-September. The full day is the one for Thirassia and Oia; a half day suits the south-coast beaches. See the Santorini sunset time by month.

What is on board

The boat comes with a sun top (bimini), lifejackets, a first aid kit and third-party insurance. For navigation it has a chart plotter and a depth meter. For the day it has a cooler with cold water, juice and snacks, snorkel gear, waterproof phone cases, a Bluetooth speaker and a USB charger. Bring your passport or ID card, swimwear, a towel, sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat. One reviewer warns that the anchor is pulled up by hand and takes real effort.

Bad weather and cancellations

The listing shows free cancellation up to 24 hours before the rental. If the operator cancels for bad weather, you can reschedule or get a full refund. On the scrape date of 27 October 2026, the next available date on the listing was 1 May 2027, so this is a spring-to-autumn rental.