Santorini private tour by car: three routes, the right timing and the cost

A private tour of Santorini by car links the island's sights that the bus network cannot: the excavated Bronze Age town at Akrotiri, the lighthouse at the island's south-western tip, the hill villages of Pyrgos and Emporio, the caldera path at Imerovigli and the lanes of Oia. Every bus route starts in Fira, so visiting four of these by bus means returning to Fira between each one. With a chauffeur, the island is small: by our routed estimate, Fira to the Akrotiri site is about 11 km (7 mi) and 18 minutes, and Fira to Oia about 12 km (7.6 mi) and 15 minutes on a clear road.

The Elly8.net private highlights tour costs from US$360 in a business sedan to US$720 in an Executive Sprinter, per vehicle, at a fixed, all-in price in US dollars. Below are three routes that cover the island well, the timing that keeps them pleasant in summer, and an honest word on when the bus is enough.

How much is a private tour of Santorini by car?

For a day you shape yourself, the car by the hour costs US$90 in a business sedan, US$115 in a business SUV, US$135 in a First Class SUV, US$145 in a First Class Sedan and US$180 in an Executive Sprinter, with a 3-hour minimum. A full-day chauffeur costs from US$665 in a business sedan to US$1,325 in a Sprinter, and the evening out and event night package, which keeps the car through sunset and dinner, costs from US$450. Entry fees to archaeological sites and museums are paid on site, and parking, where it arises, is billed at cost.

Rides in Santorini are operated by licensed, commercially insured local chauffeur partners vetted through the Limousine Worldwide network; Elly8.net takes the booking, fixes the price and runs the 24/7 desk.

See Santorini prices and reserve

Route 1: Akrotiri and the south

This is the route most first-time visitors want, and it is the one the bus does worst, because the stops sit on different lines.

Pyrgos. Start in the hill village of Pyrgos, about 5.3 km (3.3 mi) and 9 minutes from Fira by our routed estimate. The municipality describes a protected settlement since 1995, with the ruins of the Kasteli at the top, neo-classical mansions and some 56 churches. The view from the top takes in most of the island.

Megalochori. About 4 km (2.5 mi) and 6 minutes on, Megalochori's square, church towers and vineyard views make a good coffee stop. Several of the island's wineries are here and nearby; our Santorini wine tour guide covers them if you want to add a tasting.

The prehistoric site of Akrotiri. About 5 km (3.2 mi) and 9 minutes from Megalochori. The municipality's archaeology page describes Akrotiri as one of the most important archaeological sites in the Aegean: a Bronze Age town preserved under volcanic ash, excavated since 1967, and reopened to visitors in April 2012 under a new protective roof. Walking the streets between multi-storey buildings, some of whose wall paintings are now shown at the Museum of Prehistoric Thera in Fira, is the highlight of most tours. Allow at least an hour.

Akrotiri lighthouse. About 6.4 km (4 mi) and 11 minutes further west. The municipality says the 10-metre lighthouse was built in 1892 by a French company, ceased operating during the Second World War and was relit in 1945. It stands on a cliff at the island's south-western tip, and the view back along the caldera is one of the best on Santorini.

From the lighthouse, Oia is about 29 km (18 mi) and 36 minutes by our routed estimate, which is why many guests end Route 1 back in Fira and keep Oia for another day.

Route 2: the caldera villages and Oia

Imerovigli and Skaros Rock. Imerovigli, about 3.8 km (2.3 mi) and 5 minutes north of Fira, sits at the highest part of the caldera. The municipality recommends a walk to Skaros Rock and a visit to the church of Panagia Malteza. The chauffeur drops you on the road above the village, and you walk down the lanes; the car meets you at an agreed point.

Oia. About 12 km (7.6 mi) and 15 minutes from Fira on a clear road. Oia, a preserved settlement since 1976, is famous for its sunsets from the castle, its captains' mansions and the Maritime Museum. Below the village are Ammoudi and Armeni, the two old ports. In daylight, Oia is at its best in the morning, before the day visitors arrive.

The return. Oia's evening is the island's busiest hour on the roads, and the municipality warns that parking in Oia and Fira fills quickly. On this route, the car is most useful at the end: drop-off before the rush, a fixed meeting point after sunset and a return once the first wave of traffic has left.

Route 3: Emporio, the east coast and Ancient Thera

Emporio. About 7 km (4.4 mi) and 10 minutes from Pyrgos by our routed estimate, Emporio has, according to the municipality, the best-preserved medieval fortress on the island, a square Venetian tower called the Goulas at the village entrance, and a row of windmills with sea views. It is quieter than the caldera villages and rewards a slow walk.

Perissa and Kamari. The black-sand beaches of the south-east coast are minutes away: Perissa is about 3 km (1.9 mi) from Emporio, and Kamari about 7.6 km (4.8 mi) from Fira. A swim or a beachside lunch splits the day.

Ancient Thera. Between the two beaches, on the mountain of Mesa Vouno at 396 metres, lie the ruins of Ancient Thera, founded in the 9th century BC by Dorian settlers, according to the municipality. The site has an agora, a theatre and sanctuaries with sweeping views over the south-eastern Aegean. Tell us if it is on your list: the desk confirms with the local partner which vehicle suits the road up and where the car waits.

Timing your tour

Start early in summer. From June to September, mornings are cooler and the sites are quieter. A 9 a.m. start lets you see Akrotiri before the heat and the coach groups.

Plan lunch in the south. The villages of Pyrgos, Megalochori and Emporio, and the beaches at Perissa and Kamari, are the natural midday stops on Routes 1 and 3.

Keep sunset separate or plan it carefully. If you want Oia at sunset, either make it the end of Route 2 with a fixed return, or treat it as its own evening booking. The evening out package, from US$450 in a business sedan to US$900 in an Executive Sprinter, keeps the car with you through dinner. The chauffeur follows local rules on everything inside the vehicle.

Check museum days. The municipality notes that the Museum of Prehistoric Thera in Fira, which displays finds from Akrotiri, is typically closed on Tuesdays. Check opening times for any site on your list for the dates you travel.

Bus, taxi or a private tour?

The KTEL bus is genuinely good value: the KTEL fare table lists €2.20 from Fira to Oia, Pyrgos, Megalochori, Emporio and Akrotiri, and €2.70 to Perissa. If you have several days and want one sight per day, the bus is the sensible choice. Taxis are limited on the island, charge fixed fares on common routes and suit a single trip.

A private tour wins when you want three or four sights in one day, when you are travelling as a family or group, when you are on a cruise call with a fixed all-aboard time, or when you want the car to wait while you explore. Our guide to Santorini taxi vs Uber vs private car goes trip by trip, and chauffeur vs taxi sets out the general case.

Cruise passengers

If your ship tenders to the Old Port below Fira, no car can meet you there. Ride the cable car or take the steps up to Fira, and the chauffeur meets you at the top. On a short call, a tour of three to four hours works best: Pyrgos and Akrotiri, or Imerovigli and Oia, with a return planned around the cable car queue and the all-aboard time. Give us the ship name and the time you must be back. See cruise port transfers and private city tours.

Families, groups and vehicle choice

A Business Sedan or First Class Sedan seats three with two bags and handles the narrow village roads easily. A Business SUV seats up to six with six bags and is the usual family choice, with child or booster seats fitted on request. An Executive Sprinter seats up to twelve, ideal for a group or two families; on some village lanes and viewpoint roads the desk may suggest a meeting point at a wider road. As arithmetic for comparison only, a US$720 Sprinter tour shared by twelve people is US$60 each, but the price is per vehicle and booked as one. See group transportation.

Adding a tour to arrival or departure day

Santorini stays are often short, so the first or last day is worth using. Santorini International Airport sits on the east side of the island, between Fira and Kamari, which places it conveniently for Route 3 and the south. With a late-afternoon flight and a midday checkout, book the car by the hour from the hotel: the luggage rides in the boot while you visit Pyrgos and Akrotiri, have lunch in Megalochori, and the chauffeur takes you straight to the terminal. On arrival, a morning flight from Athens can roll into Imerovigli and Oia before you check in. The fixed airport fare on its own is from US$135 in a business sedan to US$355 in an Executive Sprinter, the same in either direction; the desk works back from your flight time and leaves the check-in margin your airline recommends. See airport transfers.

How booking works

1. Pickup and plan. Enter your hotel, the top of the cable car or the airport, and list the sights, or choose the private highlights tour and let the desk set the order.
2. Vehicle. Choose the vehicle class at the fixed fare and add child seats if needed.
3. Reserve. Press Reserve now and pay by card in US$, or use the web booker for a custom plan. Confirmation arrives by email.

Cancellation is free more than 72 hours before pickup; 10% applies at 72 hours or less, 50% at 48 hours or less, and 100% at 24 hours or less or for a no-show, with refunds to the original card. See the cancellation policy and the hourly chauffeur service.

Book any address

Island hopping? Our Mykonos private tours guide covers the next island, and the same desk books the Athens chauffeur. Elly8.net books the car only; BookingWorldwide.net handles flights and hotels. Elly8.net is a member of LimousineWorldwide.Directory, LimousineAssociation.International, HotelsWorldwide.Directory and VacationsWorldwide.Directory.