Experience the charm of Santorini on a private tour to see its highlights. Traveling in a luxury, air-conditioned vehicle with an English-speaking driver you can explore the uniqueness of this Greek island by walking through the narrow streets of the traditional villages like Pyrgos, photographing the astonishing sunset of Oia, relaxing at the black sand beach or spending some time in Fira, the island’s capital, for shopping. The itinerary we have created for you has some of the places off-the-beaten-track but feel free to create your flexible route, through the stations we recommend, based on your interests.
Prices are per person when two book together; a solo traveller pays $340.
Larger groups pay less per person.
From the operator’s live schedule on Viator, checked Oct 14.
The tour begins with the visit of the highest spot of the island (567 meters) located between Pyrgos and Kamari. The Mountain's name, Profitis Ilias (Prophet Elijah), is coming from the Monastery with the same name on its peak. From this vantage point, you will enjoy a striking view of the entire island, from the patchwork agricultural plains to the hilltop village of Oia. The Monastery was built in 1712 and it always had a very important role for the life of Santorini during the centuries especially as an active intellectual and patriotic influence.
Next stop the picturesque village of Pyrgos, built on the top of a hill, used to be until the early 1800 the capital of the island. The village is composed by traditional houses built around the Venetian Castle and small streets following the shape of the hill. The village has many churches, around 33 and it is the perfect example to admire a typical example of Cycladic Architecture: climbing from the square up to the castle of Pyrgos the stone houses crowd more densely together and the labyrinth of narrow vaulted lanes becomes more tortuous. You will have enough time to walk around the village.
Drive to the southern part of the island and stop by the black sandy beach of Perivolos and have free time for lunch or swimming.
Continue to the ancient Windmills of Emborio .The windmills are in different states of repair but are all great to look at. They offer stunning views and are in a good spot to watch the sunrise or sunset. The windmills have been designated as historical monuments by the Ministry of Culture since August 3, 1993. Six of them have been granted to the Municipality of Thira.
The tour will continue to the Red beach to take pictures of the unique scenario.
Last but not least Oia town, scenic village on the North West edge of the Santorini built along the northern edge of the Caldera at a height of between 70 and 100 meters, known throughout the world for its quiet life and fantastic views. As seen on a billion postcards, the characteristic classic view of Oia, is the bright white and blue of the church contrasting with the deep blue of the Aegean Sea in the background. Oia, is beautiful, exquisite small town and an ideal place for those seeking peace and quiet. Houses, paths, churches built up skillfully on the northern part of the island.
For Hotel & Airbnb the Pick Up Point is at the lobby or at the nearest point accessible by vehicle. For Cruise ship travelers the Pick Up Point is at the top cable car exit, where your driver will be holding a sign with your name written on. For Airport & Ferry port travelers the Pick Up Point is at the arrivals terminal, where your driver will be holding a sign with your name written on.
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
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For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
The Ultimate Santorini Experience: 5-Hour Customizable VIP Tour lasts about 5 hours. The itinerary has 6 stops.
Prices start at $182 per person for this Santorini experience, booked through Viator with the price shown before checkout. That is the per-person price when two book together; a solo traveller pays $340. There is 1 booking option, so the final price depends on the option you choose.
According to the operator’s current schedule, it runs every day, with 16 departures a day between 8:00 AM and 3:30 PM.
Children aged 3–8 pay from $146, adults from $182. Infants go free.
Yes. Cancel at least 1 day before the start for a full refund. Later cancellations are non-refundable.
Yes, pickup is offered. For Hotel & Airbnb the Pick Up Point is at the lobby or at the nearest point accessible by vehicle. For Cruise ship travelers the Pick Up Point is at the top cable car exit, where your driver will be holding a sign with your name written on. For Airport & Ferry port travelers the Pick Up Point is at the arrivals terminal, where your driver will be holding a sign with your name written on. Pickup points include One Of One Hotel.
The experience is available in EN.
It is a private experience: only your party takes part. Up to 15 travellers can book together.
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller Specialized infant seats are available
Yes, bookings are confirmed instantly.
Travellers rate it 4.9 out of 5 across 34 reviews on Viator and Tripadvisor; it is run by Santorini Golden Key.
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
Dimitris is our guide/driver, he’s the best, he’s a very caring person, when I was sick from low sugar levels, he ran to buy me an apple juice, when my husband was too tired to walk, he found him a place to sit and wait for us. I highly recommend him to anyone wants to take a private trip.
My family and I took a full day trip with Golden Key in Santorini. Our driver Vasilis is one of a kind. He made sure we were all having a great time and his company on the tour made it even better. Make sure you book a trip with Golden Key and ask for Vasilis.
We did the Ultimate Full-Day Private Santorini Road Trip in June, and it was the best part of our stay! Everything was smooth and perfectly planned. Our driver, Kyriakos, was fantastic—friendly, professional, and full of great local tips. He showed us the real Santorini, beyond the usual tourist spots. Highly recommend this tour and especially Kyriakos!
We thoroughly enjoyed the day. Kiriakos was punctual, friendly and polite. He was very flexible and added value with his local knowledge. We saw everything we wanted plus extra things he suggested. He is a careful driver and we felt very relaxed. We recommend this trip.
Thank you so much for your great review!
This was a wonderful tour and we enjoyed our private experience with our guide/driver Sakis. He took us everywhere-some of the highlights-the highest point of the island-santos winery-old village-red sea-Oia-stopped at bakery and pita gyro for delicious food and or course took us to great spot to see the beautiful sunset. Sakis was patient and friendly and we would definitely recommend doing this tour. The experience was intimate and it cut out the crowds and the waiting for people like you would have to do on bus tours. Book the tour!!!
Thank you so much for your great review!
Me and my daughter really enjoy the tour. Bill is amazing, he is very professional, kind and patient. He took us to see all the highlights and great photo spots in Santorini from North to South. He is also a great photographer. I would highly recommend this tour.
Thank you so much for your great review!
Bill is a treasure! He picked us up in a lovely SUV that was clean and comfortable-and always cooled down w/A/C, which is a must in July weather in Santorini. He took us to see the most gorgeous parts of the island from tip to tip, including the historical sights, the beautiful architecture, cool shopping at the market, and his favorite food stops. That was our request! First-timers to Santorini-this is the only way to see it all, in an exciting, fun, and comfortable way!!! Thank you Bill-we’ll be back!
Thank you so much for your great review! We are really pleased to hear that you enjoyed our services
We really had a driver rather than a guide. That was nice, but I was expecting a much more engaging experience At one point, we were simply dropped off and said I’ll meet you in an hour Not really what I had hoped for Santorini itself is overrun with us tourists That certainly did not help our experience
Sorry...Thanks for letting us know..
This was one of the best excursions we've ever booked. We originally booked this for the wrong date (literally the night before the day we booked), and the tour operator was fantastic about letting us change to the correct date. Really impressive. From there, it only got better. The tour operator was in touch with us all morning as we were not sure how long our tender or cable car ride would take. We were close to our original estimated time, but they made sure our guide was on time and connected us to him. Our guide, Bill, was such a nice surprise. He texted us where to meet and then literally guided us around the island all day. He gave us info about the places and gave us insider tips. We explored Oia, Red Beach, Black Beach (where he pointed out the best lunch spot), a small town, and then had time afterwards to explore Fira. He even took photos for us (some of the best from our trip)! The vehicle was nice and luxurious as well.
hanks for your great review....We are really pleased to hear that you enjoyed our services
Our tour guide Sakis was very knowledgeable about the Island and took us to all the best spots. He was so kind to drive slowly when he found out I was scared of heights
Thank you for your great review! We are really pleased to hear that you enjoyed our services
| Tour | Duration | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Ultimate Santorini Experience: 5-Hour Customizable VIP Tour | 5 hours | 4.9 (34) | $182 | |
 The Essence of Santorini: 4-Hour Customizable VIP Private Tour | 4 hours | 4.9 (55) | $137 | View |
 Santorini Private Customizable Land Tour with Local Driver | 3–10 hours | 5.0 (585) | $56 | View |
 The VIP Experience: A Full-Day Private Tour | 6 hours | 5.0 (84) | $154 | View |
 Santorini Private Full-Day Tour – Customizable Island Experience | 6–7 hours | 5.0 (237) | $228 | View |
 Private Mykonos Highlights Customizable Tour Pick Your Time | 1–6 hours | 5.0 (24) | $41 | View |
 Santorini Catamaran Cruise – 5-Hour Private Sailing Experience | 5 hours | 5.0 (52) | $598 | View |