santorini greece wine tour

16 Best Santorini Wineries and Wine Tours

Updated On: January 31, 2024

Written By: Pavlos Inglesis

Artisanal wines, lovely terraces, amazing Greek Food and even greek beers … 🍷Your Ultimate Guide to Santorini Wineries and the best wine tours is here! It is not a secret that the island has some of the most amazing wineries and wine tours in the world. Santorini wines are amazing! Wine production on the island dates back to the ancient times and the famous “Assyrtiko” variety of Santorini is famous all over the world.

BEST WINE TOUR IN SANTORINI: 4 hour Small Group Wine Tasting Tour

The thing with Santorini’s vineyards is that the amazing indigenous varieties, the island’s unique ecosystem, along with the volcanic soil, strong winds, rare rainfalls and the hot and dry summers result in wines of a uniquely intense and complex character with high gastronomic value.

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You are going to love wine tasting in Santorini and there are high chances this is going to be the highlight of your trip! This is also one of the best things to do in Santorini for couples .

READ ALSO:  Where To Stay in Santorini Best Boat Tours in Santorini Best Things to Do in Santorini Best Cave Hotels in Santorini Best Greek Islands for Older Couples

The Best Santorini Wineries  are:

• Santowines Winery
• Venetsanos Winery
• Estate Argyros Winery
• Domaine Sigalas Winery
• Koutsoyannopoulos Winery & Wine Museum
• Gavalas Winery
• Boutari Winery
• Hatzidakis Winery
• Artemis Karamolegos Winery
• Vassaltis Winery
• Art Space Winery
• Canava Roussos Winery
• Gaia Winery
• Santorini Brewing Company
• Volkan Brewery

VERY IMPORTANT TO KNOW

• Most famous Santorini Winery:   Santowines Winery  (visit this one if you don’t have much time on the island)
• Visiting one of the Santorini Wineries and have a wine tasting session in Santorini is one of the best things you can do on the island
• You can visit the wineries by yourself or book an organized tour that will take you through several wineries on the island; you will have a dedicated guide that will explain more about the history of wine making on the island. If you want to visit by yourself though, make sure you don’t drink and drive.
• Area with the most wineries:  around Pyrgos and Emporeio village (these areas don’t have views to the famous caldera and most of the wineries are basically hidden within the lovely vine
• Best Wine Varieties to try in Santorini:   Assyrtiko  (white) and  Mavrotragano  (red) and the traditional and very sweet Vinsanto wine
• You can either  visit the Santorini wineries by yourself  or  book an organised wine tour  (see the best wine tours at the bottom of this post) which is basically a van that takes you to several wineries for several hours
• All the Santorini wineries offer  a large or small selection of greek meze (nibbles)  or even proper dinner or lunch
• There are only 2 wineries that have great views to the calrdera and the volcano: Santowines and Venetsanos wineries.
• Koutsoyannopoulos winery is also the famous Santorini Wine Museum with a dedicated tour for showing how the wine is actually being made in Santorini since the ancient years.
• Also check the amazing Paros Wineries .

So, here are the best Santorini wineries:

1. Santowines Winery

• Google Maps

Santowines Winery   is the largest and most famous winery of Santorini. So, let’s put it this way: if there is only one winery that you want to visit in Santorini or you don’t have the time to visit a second one, then it has to be the amazing Santowines winery! They are located just outside of Fira (on the intersection that goes to Pyrgos) and it is one of the wineries in Santorini that have caldera views. They also have a large selection of Santorini wines, yummy greek meze, great service and even an amazing gift shop where you can buy local products of the island along with all of the wines that you previously tasted! SantoWines  was founded in 1947 and it’s basically the Union of Santorini Cooperatives. Today, it consists of the largest winery of the island representing all the cultivators and counting 1.200 active members. There is an enormous terrace in different levels with one of the most amazing views of the caldera and the volcano. Finding a table to sit is relatively easy (unless it’s August and sunset time…or there is a massive cruise ship that has just arrived in Santorini…but even so you should be able to find a table as the place is massive!) and you can even order coffee or just greek meze and nibbles. You can select different  wine tasting “experiences”  where a waiter or wine-specialist will explain to you the different aromas, tastes and varieties like:  Assyritko ,  Nykteri  or  Vinsanto  (this is more like a liquor…very sweet but yummy!). You can have 3, 6 or even 12 glasses of wine! There is no way you get out of this place sober…that’s for sure!! The whole experience will be even better if you visit the amazing Deli shop which is in the winery with plenty of local produce and a large wines selection (from the ones that you just tasted before). SantoWines winery is between Fira and Pyrgos on your right side (going from Fira to Pyrgos village). It is closer to Pyrgos village though. There is plenty of parking there but you can even take a taxi or a local bus from Fira or elsewhere. If it is August and sunset time, you probably need to call them and book a table in advance. Especially if you are planning to visit around sunset time because it can get pretty busy at that time. Also, bear in mind that during summer, there are many weddings that take place at their terrace and some part of it might be privately reserved. You can contact them in advance to check.

2. Venetsanos Winery

Venetsanos Winery   is a quite new addition to the Santorini wineries since the winery itself has been recently renovated. It is actually the first industrial winery of Santorini, founded in 1947 by Venetsanos family. All the buildings have been recently renovated and the old wine tanks have actually been transformed to a very cool little museum. You can actually learn a lot for the innovative production methods of the winery. The most distinguished feature of the winery is actually its architectural design, which essentially used gravity, facilitating energy efficiency, at a time when access to electricity and other energy sources was very limited. The winery was built in an unconventional manner constructed from above and moving downwards. That’s the reason behind all these stairs and different levels of the structure! The winery itself is located just above Athinios port (where all the ferries from Athens depart) and it is in a really quiet and unique location overlooking (obviously…) the caldera and the volcano. You are still getting an amazing terrace where you can sit and taste the Venetsanos wines selection ( Nykteri, Assyrtiko, Mandilaria, Anaggalis, Liasto ) along with some yummy greek nibbles (mostly locally produced). Venetsanos winery is an amazing winery (and possibly less touristy than SantoWines). Everything is on a smaller scale and that’s not a bad thing… Venetsanos winery is literally 15 mins walking distance from the SantoWines winery and just outside of Megalochori village on your right hand as you drive on the Fira-Perissa main road . You won’t have any issues with parking. However, do expect the winery to be busier than usual in August (obviously around sunset time…). You can contact them in advance to make sure you will get a table but you can even book your table or tour through their website.

3. Estate Argyros Winery

It is true that you won’t find any bells and whistles in this one. No amazing views and fancy decorations. Just amazing wines and a team of very passionate and friendly people who run it. But…it is a lovely family business which is producing Santorini local wines since 1903. It is now the 4th generation of Argyros family running the winery and the winery is basically located inside the characteristic circular vineyards of Santorini. Winetasting is actually free and the people who run the place are really helpful and very keen to explain all the different varieties of the multi-award winning Estate Argyros Wines. People say that  Argyros Estate winery  is a winery for real wine-lovers…not a tourist attraction with “instagrammable” views (…and that is probably true). At Estate Argyros winery, you will mainly taste the great white and rose wines varieties such as Assyrtiko (you have to try Argyros Assyrtiko…seriously…) but there are some great reds as well,  such as the unique Mavrotragano variety. You can even visit the cute vineyards behind the winery and see with your own eyes the unique way they are shaped in a circular way so that they are protected by the strong Santorini winds. Estate Argyros   winery is literally 5 mins drive from Pyrgos village. 🙂 You just have to contact them and book your visit. In the less busy months (every other month apart from July and August) you can just show up and the people of the winery will be happy to offer you the wine tour and wine tasting experience. You won’t be disappointed with this one…Just bear in mind that Argyros Estate has been included in the Top 100 Wineries of the world for many years. Argyros Estate Winery is Santorini wine at its best!

4. Domaine Sigalas Winery

Domaine Sigalas  is one of the wineries which is closest to Oia ( check hotels and villas in Oia ) and it’s a quite new addition to the Santorini Wineries map as it was founded back in 1991 by the Sigalas family. There are many good reasons to visit this winery and the amazing romantic terrace located in the middle of the vineyards is only one of them. You won’t be disappointed with the great selection of Sigalas wines. You’d be able to taste more than 10 wines: different variaties of the famous Assyrtiko Santorini wine and a few reds such as “Mavrotragano” or “Mandilaria”. You’ll also get amazing food as their kitchen offers some amazing greek meze/nibbles and lunch/dinner plates using seasonal local produce! And everything is super yummy…trust me! Seriously…the Chef who works there is not playing around…! At  Domain Sigalas  you can book your wine tasting experience  from their website . Domaine Sigalas  is also available for weddings and it obviously has a very nice shop for buying the Sigalas label wines. Domaine   Sigalas   winery  is literally 5 mins drive from Oia but you can even hike/walk from Oia to visit it as it’s literally only about 3km far away in the small valley behind Oia. This winery is not only for wine lovers but for some serious foodies as well and it has quickly become one of the most loved wineries and most recognisable labels of the island.

5. Koutsoyannopoulos Winery and Wine Museum

Koutsoyannopoulos Winery and WIne Museum  is a whole different category by itself. This is actually one of a kind, as there are only very few wine museums all over the world and this one is very unique, indeed. Koutsoyannopoulos family have created a little gem here, by opening this little museum and putting so much effort on making the whole tour as much visual as possible. The museum building itself is actually in an underground cave which is making the whole experience even more exciting. Don’t get me wrong here:  this is a real museum and a winery! So, you’ll get a proper audio guide that will guide you through the different stages of wine production and the lives of the old Santorini wine makers. In reality, you are walking through the nicely lit (and medieval-looking) catacombs where you are basically being educated on the whole process and history of wine making in Santorini. The whole experience is really something you would expect to see at a Disney Theme Park (though on a smaller scale to be honest…) and it’s super educational. But Koutsoyannopoulos is still a winery, so you’d expect to find some really good wine to taste at the end of your tour that costs 9 euros (including entrance to the museum/1hr audio tour, car parking and wine tasting of 4 different wines).  The wine tasting comes at the end of the tour where you are basically visiting the wine tasting area and the shop of the winery to buy their wines. Santorini WIne Museum   is very close to Santorini Airport and you will actually see it on the main road towards the famous Kamari Beach . The whole experience is very unique and it’s actually very good value for money. You will learn about wine production and wine history while drinking amazing local wine!

6. Gavalas Winery  

When we talk about people who are extremely passionate about what they do, then we have to talk about Mr. George Gavalas, the owner of this picturesque and very old winery at the extremely cute Megalochori village. Mr. Gavalas is the third generation of wine producers in this winery with history that goes back to the end of the 19th century. The really unique characteristic of this family-run winery is the fact that you’d be able to taste wines that you won’t find elsewhere on the island such as Katsano, Gaidouria and Voudomato (along with the Assyrtiko, Mavrotragano and Athiri).  “Katsano” is an exquisite wine which is the result of George Gavalas’ love and devotion to wine-making and his continuous effort to revive the rare, indigenous grape varieties of Santorini. It is a blend of 85% Katsano and 15% Gaidouria, both grape varieties little known outside the island, as they only cover 1% of the total vineyard of the winery. No fancy terraces here. Just pure love and passion for wine making, along with a small patio with a few tables. What is more exciting though, is that if you visit the winery during the harvest season (which is very likely as it is in August-September…) there is a very high possibility of you re-living the ultimate 5000 year old experience of…foot crushing of the grapes as it was actually done thousands of years ago. Gavalas Winery   is at one of the most picturesque villages of the island: Megalochori, very close to the center of the village (in case you are lost just ask anybody at the village and they’d be able to tell you). You can’t go wrong with Gavalas Winery… It’s a little gem that’s even been discovered by CNN back in 2010! Its wines are exported every year to some of the most famous restaurants in the US and Europe, not to mention the fact that you’ll meet some of the friendliest, kindest and passionate wine makers of the island.

7. Boutari Winery

Boutari Wines  is one of the most well established and well known wines labels in Greece. Back in 1989 the Boutari family recognised Santorini as a wine region with lots of potential for the production of amazing high quality wines. The winery is mainly focused on the 3 main white Santorini wines : Assyrtiko, Athiri and Aidani but there is also the red variety that you can find in Aegean islands: Mandilaria. The winery itself has a very nice auditorium, a tasting room with a small terrace and a very nice shop where you can actually find all the Boutari Wines from all over Greece. You can have a simple wine tasting experience at the bar or at the tables of the tasting area at any time between April – October (high season). There are also organised tours of the winery and the whole production that needs to be booked in advance.   Boutari Winery   is close to Megalochori, on your right hand as you go towards to Perissa/Perivolos from Fira. Boutari Winery is run by one of the most famous Greek Wine Producers and that speaks for itself. There is a very large variety of greek wines that you can try and not only from Santorini but from all over Greece. It’s definitely worth your visit!

8. Hatzidakis Winery  

Hatzidakis Winery  is again one of those wineries which is run by a passionate family under the legacy of the late Haridimos Hatzidakis. But with one slight diffrence: this wine is 100% organic! Haridimos Hatzidakis was the enthusiastic oenologist from Crete, who renovated this old Santorini cave in 1996 and made his wine one of the rarest and most famous wines of Santorini in less than 20 years ! The first bottles of this winery came out in 1999 and today Hadjidakis Wines are sold all over the world making even The Guardian to write epic articles  like this . Unfortunately, Haridimos Hatzidakis suddenly passed away in 2017 but his widow and their daughters vowed to continue his work. Make no mistake…you won’t see fancy tourist tasting areas and stunning views. You will basically do the wine tasting possibly in the underground storage areas with some of the members of the family but the wine…will send you to heavens! The winery produces 2 main varieties of  organic wines:     Assyrtiko  and  Aidani   but also a few reds such as  Mavrotragano  and  Voudomato  (all Cyclades varieties). Hatzidakis Winery  is outside of  Pyrgos village. Many people often say this is probably the best wine of Santorini and possibly one of the best greek wines ever made. I’ll leave that to you to judge…but don’t leave the winery if you don’t try (or buy) the amazing organic wine  “Assyrtiko de Louros” . .. (you can thank me later)!

9. Artemis Karamolegos Winery

Wine making is one of the oldest crafts of human beings. Many things have changed in wine production all those thousands of years but there is certainly one thing that has remain constant: you don’t make good wine if you are not passionate about wine. That is certainly what drives wine producer  Artemis Karamolegos  and his family into making some of the most awarded Santorini wines since 1952. Artemis is now the 3rd generation of Santorini winemakers and he is the person behind the recent (2004) modernisation of this traditional Santorini winery. Artemis Karamolegos Winery  is at the Exo Gonia village at a lovely location. The winery produces about 250.000 bottles of 10 different varieties of wines such as : Assyrtiko, Nykteri, Aidani, Vinsanto and Mavrotragano. The thing with this winery is that it’s not just a winery. You will definitely have the greek meze and nibbles for your wine tasting experience/tour but the real deal is that there is also an amazing restaurant in the winery called  “Aroma Avlis”  that opened in 2014! This is not a wine tasting area. This is a complete restaurant where you can experience amazing greek dishes with the best local produce along with the winery’s wines. “Aroma Avlis”  Restaurant has an amazing garden and a lovely terrace with the most gorgeous views to the Monolithos beach (you can even see the island of Anafi there when the skies are clear!) . The Winery is open from February till November and the Wine Tasting Tour includes a visit to the winery facilities, greek nibbles and wine tasting of 4-6 of the labels of the winery. The visit costs about $10 and you will be guided by an oenologist. There is also a cute little shop where you can actually buy…(what else?) the winery’s amazing wines.

10. Canava Roussos Winery

Canava Roussos Winery  is the oldest winery of Santorini and it was founded back in 1836. Today, it’s run by Yannis Roussos at an excellent location with a lovely terrace for wine tasting. However, your wine tasting experience won’t stop there because the lovely owners will guide you through the whole wine making process and share with you the secrets of the family’s traditions. At the lovely terrace you will get the opportunity to taste the Roussos wines and also some nibbles and greek meze that will accompany the wines in the best possible combinations. The winery produces a wide range of Santorinian wines such as: Athiri, Mavrathiro, Assyrtiko, Mantilaria, Vinsanto. Canava Roussos Winery  is at Episkopi and it’s basically at your right hand when you go from Pyrgos to Kamari Beach. This is the oldest winery of Santorini and basically the one that started the whole thing of wine production on the island back in the 1800’s. You should try the amazing blended red Nama which was first bottled back in 1974.

11. Art Space Winery

This is possibly the most unique winery of Santorini because…it’s not just a winery! It’s an amazing contemporary art gallery located in an old “yposkafo” house of Argyros family. Back in the 90’s the whole place was renovated and redecorated to become not only an excellent winery but one of the most impressive Art galleries of Greece. Argyros family started wine production in this traditional  “canava”  (aka the old labyrinth-style Santorini houses back in 1861 and now it’s transformed to an amazing winery/art gallery. Make no mistake: this is a unique Art Gallery that has already been the house of more than 200 photo, painting and sculpture exhibitions of artists from all over the world. The  Art Space Winery  has been featured in Saatchi Galleries  , at Los Angeles Times and even on  The Guardian . During your visit you will get the opportunity to wander in the traditional cave house and take a glimpse of amazing contemporary art. Mr. Argyros (the owner) is a very passionate and knowledgable man and it will be him who will explain to you the different varieties of wines and also introduce you to the history of the Art Space and the artists that have been exhibited there. But this is not just a unique art gallery. It’s mainly a small production winery that also produces artisanal local wines with a lovely wine tasting area for you to taste them. There is also a small area called “The Museum” which is basically a small exhibition of old tools and machinery that were used in the winery back in the old days. Art Space Winery  is at Ekso Gonia and very close to the previous wineries on your right hand as you go from Pyrgos to Kamari Beach. This is one of the most unique places on the island and one of the most amazing art galleries in Greece! You don’t get the opportunity to get a glimpse into amazing contemporary art while you taste artisanal greek wine, every day…

12. Gaia Winery

Gaia Winery  is also one of the most well known wine labels in Greece with exports all over the world. Back in 1995 Gaia Wines introduced to the world their amazing Santorini wine called “Thalassitis” which is one of the most unique Santorini wines. Thalassitis is an amazing 100% Assyrtiko Santorini white wine that continues the unique series of Assyrtiko wines that can only be found in Santorini. Make no mistake:  these are some of the most awarded and well known Santorini wines. Gaia Winery will give you the opportunity to taste these amazing wines literally sitting on a lovely patio on the beach, just a few meters away from the sea, close to Kamari beach. The friendly and very helpful stuff will guide you through the wine tasting experience and the whole experience is extremely calm and relaxing. Of course there is no shortage of greek mezze and nibbles here as well and you can even have a full meal by the beach. Back in 2010, 450 bottles of “Thalassitis” Assyrtiko of 2009 were literally submerged 18m under the sea somewhere at the Santorini unique blue sea waters. The idea behind that experiment was to see how these amazing white wines age when totally deprived of any oxygen up-take (a method that is also used in USA, Spain and Italy). Unfortunately, because of some terrible storms and bad weather only….3 bottles of those 450 original submerged bottles survived. One of them was opened and then…heaven!! It was one of the best aged Assyrtiko wines that has ever been produced, with such a unique and multidimensional taste that actually made Ioannis Paraskevopoulos and his team from Gaia Wines to repeat the experiment. They decided to plan and prepare the whole experiment and submerge a few bottles of the Thalassitis wine production every year under water (aged for 5 years) and sell those bottles at an auction every year. Gaia Winery   is very close to the Santorini airport (don’t worry…planes won’t ruin your experience at all)  and it is actually located at an old tomato processing factory. People say that this is possibly the best wine tasting area of the island and there is a very good reason for that. Not to mention the incredible Thalssitis Assyrtiko wine. One of the most unique and flavoursome  white wines of the island. Don’t leave the winery without buying a few bottles. You will regret it… (or if you can afford it, try the submerged Thalassitis!)

14. Vassaltis Winery

Vassaltis winery  is the newest addition to Santorini’s winery map as it literally opened in May 2016 by  Yannis Valambous  after he inherited the vineyards from his late father in the middle of the greek financial crisis. Hands down this is one of the most impressive buildings of Santorini featuring one of the most elegant and modern wine tasting areas and terraces. Vassaltis Winery is modern greek architecture at its best. The people at Vassaltis winery will guide you through the wine making process while you will get the opportunity to wander in the amazing building and wine making facilities. There is no shortage of greek mezze and nibbles during the wine tasting experience with the freshly produced Vassaltis Assyrtiko or Aidani. The friendly and knowledgeable guys as well as the owner Yannis Valambous of Vassaltis Winery will make this a really memorable experience (Yannis himself has an excellent story to tell, on how he got the idea to start the winery). Vassaltis Winery   is at your right hand going from Fira to Vourvoulos. It’s actually after Vourvoulos going towards Koloumbos beach. This is the newest Santorini Winery. People say it’s the next big thing on the Santoriny wineriy map and there are many reasons to say that: friendly owners, knowledgeable stuff, unique architecture, awesome wine and a very extrovert concept. This is a real Santorini new gem and you’ll be making a huge mistake if you don’t visit it.

15. Santorini Brewing Company

Ok…this is not technically a winery but it deserves to be here (along with the next one). It is one of the two artisan breweries of Santorini, that makes the famous  Crazy Donkey beer  which has recently became a sensation in social media when people started posting amazing pictures of the unique beer bottle in awesome Santorini locations. This little brewery does not offer fancy terraces or colorful platters but seriously…there is nothing wrong with amazing craft local beer that is produced in small quantities at a unique location. The story of this little independent artisan brewery sounds like a cheesy joke as it was literally opened by a Greek oenologist, a Serbian brewer, an English brewing enthusiast and an American who decided to start their own business in the middle of the greek financial crisis a few years ago. The experiment can be now considered 100% successful and the Donkey Beer has traveled all over the world. The brewing process is relatively simple with hops from all over the world (such as New Zealand, Slovenia or Oregon) and the residual spent grain benefits local vineyards as nutritious compost! The brewery produces only 3 labels of beers, including the only greek India Pale Ale (IPA): Yellow Donkey, Red Donkey and the…Crazy Donkey. These are all unfiltered beers with a surprisingly fresh taste and a vivid personality. But what are they ? The owners are calling their beers as “ Lagered Ales ” …! There is also a very cool little souvenir shop where you can buy Crazy Donkey merchandise and you don’t have to pay anything as the entrance is free. Santorini Brewing Company   is on your right hand as you go to Kamari Beach and it’s pretty close to some of the famous wineries on this list . There has been a worldwide sensation with artisan breweries all over the world the last years and if you want to try a really unique craft beer you can’t miss this one out.

16. Volkan Brewery & Volkan Cafe on the Rocks

Volkan  is the second boutique brewery that opened in Santorini back in 2011 and it has changed the craft beer in Greece forever. This beer is produced with one of the most unique techniques and local ingredients giving it a colorful and sensational taste and flavour that you won’t find elsewhere. You cannot actually visit the  Volkan brewery  but you can visit their amazing restaurant/cafe/bar at Fira, which is called  Volkan Cafe on the Rocks  and it is at a very quiet and not-touristy location at the edge of Fira with an amazing terrace overlooking the volcano and the caldera. You can have a complete lunch/dinner while trying the selection of craft Volkan Beers at the lovely cafe. Volkan Brewery produces 4 different beers: Santorini Blonde, Santorini Black, Santorini Grey and Santorini White. They all bring together flavours from the lava filtered mineral water, local Santorini honey and the citrus leaves from Naxos. What a combination! Volkan On The Rocks Cafe/Restaurant  is at Fira, offering you an amazing overview of the caldera and the volcano. Volkan Beer is one of the most unique beers in the world, made completely out of greek products that you won’t find elsewhere. Volkan Cafe is also a little gem with amazing views where you can even have a frappe or…a freddo cappuccino!

What are the Best Santorini Wine Tours ?

All the above are wineries and breweries that you can literally visit by yourself. In most of the cases it won’t hurt to contact the winery or the brewery to check if they are open (especially between the months of November-April) as they are mostly offering the tours and the wine tasting experience during the high season (between April-October). You can easily find the wineries by locating them on Google Maps. However, there are many organised  Wine Tours in Santorini  that will basically drive you with a mini-bus to a few of the above wineries and let you experience the wine tasting as a complete package during a single day (or half day) tour.

Here are the  Best Wine Tours in Santorini :

http://www.santoriniwinetour.com/

http://www.safowi.com/

http://www.winetoursantorini.com/

http://santorini-privatetour.com/santorini-wine-tours/

http://santoriniwinetrails.gr/

Some of them even offer online booking so you can tailor your tour as you wish.

CONCLUSION:

One thing is for sure: santorini’s  wines and a visit to the amazing wineries is one of the  best things you can do in santorini . you won’t regret it… picturesque terraces, unique wines, friendly winemakers with hundreds of years of wine production on their backs, yummy local greek food, a wine museum and the amazing santorini landscape will make your santorini wine-tasting experience one of the best you’ll ever have in your life. leave your smartphone behind, forget the selfies, forget that amazing instagram shot and indulge yourself in the moment… (plus, you can always order or buy a few bottles of  santorini wine  (or more…) to bring back home :)), (γειά μας = cheers in greek).

RECOMMENDED WEBSITES FOR GREECE:

🛏️ Booking.com   is the website with the most available rooms and Private Villas in Athens, Santorini , Mykonos & Crete  (more than Airbnb!)

⛴️ Ferryhopper   is the best website to book your ferry tickets or check the timetables for Santorini, Mykonos , Crete & all greek islands

🏺 Get Your Guide  has the best and largest variety of Tours in Athens and the greek islands (Santorini, Mykonos, Crete etc)

🚙 Rentalcars is the easiest way to rent a car or a quad for Greece with thousands of available options

✈️ Booking.com Flights  has all the available flights to and from the greek islands

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• Best Hotels in Fira
• Best Hotels in Imerovigli
• Best Hotels in Syros
• Best Hotels in Hydra
• Best Hotels in Spetses
• Best Wine Tours and Wineries of Santorini
• Best Tours in Santorini
• Best Sunset Cruises in Santorini
• Best Time To Visit Santorini
• How To Get Around in Santorini (buses, taxis and quads)
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• Acropolis Museum: all you need to know
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• Best Things to Do in Pyrgos Santorini
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• Acropolis Tickets: Best Tips and Options
• Akrotiri Prehistoric City: All You Need to Know
• Santorini Tomato Museum: All You Need to Know
• Best Beaches in Corfu
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TOP RATED HOTELS IN:

Oia:  Maregio Suites Fira:  Cosmopolitan Suites Imerovigli:  Grace Santorini Firostefani:  Tsitouras Perivolos:  Orabel Suites Perissa:  Anastasia Princess Kamari:  Sunrise Studios

TOP RATED VILLAS IN:

Oia:  Anemi House

Fira:  Anteliz Villa

Kamari:  Eolia Villa

Pyrgos:  Sensation Villa

Akrotiri:  Cavo Ventus

Firostefani:  Villa Aura

Imerovigli:  Grace Villa

BEST THINGS TO DO IN SANTORINI:

🌄 Sunset Cruise with Meals and Drinks

🍷 Half-Day Wine Adventure Tour

🥾 Hike the path from Fira to Oia

ALL AVAILABLE FERRIES TO GREEK ISLANDS:

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Santorini wine tours & wineries.

Greece › Santorini › Wineries & Wine Tours Updated: February 1, 2024 By Santorini Dave

• Santorini hotels • Santorini towns • Santorini beaches • Santorini restaurants • Santorini things to do • Santorini boat tours

The view of the Santorini caldera from Venetsanos winery on the Sunset Wine Tasting Tour .

Magnificent Santorini entices over two million tourists annually to marvel at its astonishing geography, with sheer rocky cliffs soaring high above its gorgeous blue-purple caldera in the Aegean Sea. The caldera is the result of a massive volcanic eruption in 1600 BC that covered the island in volcanic debris; to this day, Santorini’s soil is made up of of volcanic ash, sand, and pumice stone. The combination of the island’s volcanic soil, intense sun, and extreme wind produces grape varieties that are very distinctive. Grapevines on Santorini are also uniquely cultivated in accordance with an age-old pruning system, which protects the grapes and helps them to flourish amid the island’s severe conditions. Santorini is home to some of the oldest vineyards in the world, containing ancient indigenous vines. Wine tasting at Sigalas Winery near Oia. Over the last decade, Santorini’s wines have gained worldwide recognition, and their superior quality is now undeniable. Santorini is ranked Greece’s #1 wine destination and is sometimes called “the wine island,” boasting twenty wineries and counting. Santorini Wine Tours – My Advice Highly recommended: A Santorini wine tour that visits multiple wineries. Pictured: Gavalas Winery . Many Santorini wineries offer tours and tastings, but if you want to visit multiple wineries, book a wine tour. While it’s possible to visit wineries on your own, a tour makes getting from one to the next much quicker and easier. (Most wineries are small and hard to find if you don’t know the island well, and most tours include hotel pick up and drop off.) Plus, drinking and driving is very uncool. Wine tours are incredibly popular on Santorini and they fill up quickly – so book early. Santorini boat tours don’t sell out as early as wine tours do, so book your wine tour first. Most wine tours run from March to November. Best Santorini Winery Tours: Santorini Small Group Wine Tour • Santorini Private Wine Tour Best Wine Tours with Sunset: Santorini Wine Tasting • Santorini Sunset Wine Tour The Santorini wineries with the best caldera views are Santo and Venetsanos . Most wine tours will visit one or both of them.

• Where to Stay in Santorini
• Best Hotels in Santorini
• Best Things To Do in Santorini

Most Santorini wine tours visit one of the two wineries with sweeping Caldera views – Santo and Venetsanos. This is Santo Wines outside of Pyrgos.

The Best Wine Tours in Santorini 1. Small Group Santorini Wine Tour A great small-group tour that visits three traditional wineries and vineyards scattered around Santorini. Hotel pick up and drop off makes it all super easy. Will usually visit Santo Winery or Venetsanos (both with great caldera views – Santo is pictured above) or Gavalas (my favorite) and 2 others. Starts at 3:30pm and lasts a little over four hours. 2. Santorini Private Wine Tour This is a private wine tour for serious wine lovers. The intimacy and attention to detail are definitely worth the splurge, but maybe not for everyone. Most people do the tour as a couple, but it can accommodate a group of up to 6. Starts at 10am or 4pm, with the evening tour enjoying a sunset view from either Santo or Venetsanos Winery. 3. Santorini Sunset Wine Tasting A wonderful small group tour in the early evening; visit 3 wineries and have 12 tastings. Starts at 4pm and usually finishes at Venetsanos Winery (pictured above) for fantastic caldera views at sunset. Fully Booked Wine Tours It’s common for the above tours to sell out in June, July, August, and September. If so, these tours are also excellent: • Half-Day Wine Adventure Tour • Santorini Sunset Wine Tour

The Best Santorini Wineries Most of the island’s wineries are located in the center of the island, south of Fira, between the ferry port and the airport. Of the twenty wineries on the island, fifteen are open to the public for tours and wine tasting. 1. Gavalas Winery – Megalochori My favorite winery on Santorini. Small, friendly, intimate, and family-run for five generations. Their flagship wine is their Santorini Assyrtiko in its famous blue bottle – a high-quality classic. This wine is one of the few white wines that contains tannins. Gavalas has also made efforts to focus on several rare grape varieties, such as Katsano and Gaidouria. Their Gavalas Katsano is produced in small amounts and is a blend of these two grapes exhibiting floral and herbal aromas combined with honey and lime flavors. There is no restaurant onsite, but there is a good taverna nearby. Gavalas can be somewhat hard to find if you’re driving on your own. 2. Venetsanos Winery – Megalochori One of the most well-known and oldest wineries on the island, with spectacular views of the caldera, volcanic cliffs, and Santorini’s famous sunset. This winery was built in 1947, closed in 1974, and reopened in 2014 after renovating and modernizing its wine-making equipment. Venetsanos has recently introduced an Assyrtiko-Aidani Orange wine with apricot, peach, grapefruit, apple, and pear aromas. Its cliffside location means that it is somewhat exposed to the winds, and the outdoor terrace may be closed if it’s an especially windy day. Of the two caldera view wineries, Venetsanos offers similar views as Santo but is a bit smaller, with a little more charm. 3. Domaine Sigalas – Oia A small, scenic winery in Baxedes near Oia, a 10-minute walk from a bus stop on the Fira-Oia bus route. Sigalas offers award-winning wines and good views of the sunset year-round. The founder, Paris Sigalas, has operated the winery since the early 1990s. Their 40 hectacres of vineyards produce 200,000 bottles a year. They are open for small tours, wine tastings, and the option to pair any of their wines with excellent food. Tastings are held both in their tasting room indoors and outside on their beautiful patio overlooking their vineyards. 4. Santo Wines – Pyrgos Large and modern winery with amazing caldera views. They are the largest wine producer in the Cyclades island group, and one of the most well-known wineries on the island, producing 50% of Santorini’s total wine production. They maintain a privately owned organic vineyard and feature four organic wines: 100% Assyrtiko, 100% Athiri, 100% Aidani, and 100% Mavrotragano. They also produce Santorini’s only sparkling white Assyrtiko wine. Santo has an onsite wine tourism center open all year round, and offers the most comprehensive tours of any one winery. Their sun-drenched restaurant and patio are ideal spots to watch the sunset. It can be a busy place in the peak summer season, but their seating area is expansive and there is a huge onsite parking lot. (Santo is a popular stop on many wine tours.) Santo Wines is a cooperative that was founded in 1911. In addition to their wide selection of wines, they also maintain a large shop selling Santorini tomatoes, fava, capers, caper leaves, and sweet preserves. 5. Art Space Winery – Exo Gonia This small and unique winery is a spellbinding blend of modern winery, art gallery, and museum within a centuries-old wine cave. The owner guides you around the property and explains its history with a thick Greek accent. Very cool. Art Space’s main varieties are: Assyrtiko, Aidani, and Mavrotragano. Although Art Space is not certified organic, organic grapes are used to make their wines. Santori Winery Overview Our videographer discusses Santorini wine and wineries with Master of Wine Yiannis Karakasis in Athens. (He literally wrote the book on the topic.)

More Great Santorini Wineries Anhydrous – Fira This winery’s restaurant and tasting room are located a short 10-minute walk from the main square in Fira. Anhydrous Winery derives its name from “Anydros,” which means waterless in ancient Greek, as the vineyards are hydrated only by the island’s sea mist. Cement egg-shaped tanks are used to age their Anhydrous Icon wine (one of their five varieties of wine). These cement tanks help to keep the temperature more evenly regulated. Their Anhydrous Restaurant is beautiful and features an open-air patio with lots of shade. Cooking lessons are also available. An onsite spa offers both face and body treatments using their exclusive cosmetics made from grapes. Their cosmetics are available for purchase at the winery. Argyros Estate – Episkopi Gonia Beautiful and modern winery that is the largest single-owner vineyard on the island. Voted in the top 50 of the world’s best vineyards and wine destinations. Argyros is considered to have one of Santorini’s best Vinsanto wines (sweet wine); their Monsignori vineyard has two hundred-year-old vines from when their ancestors made Vinsanto for the church. The winery does follow some organic practices, and their use of herbicides is low, though they are not a certified organic grower. Artemis Karamolegos – Exo Gonia A charming modern winery that’s been a family-run operation for three generations. Their vines grow in six villages on Santorini, providing a wide selection of the best terroirs on the island. Their red grape Mavrotragano is one of their newest plantings and is wire-trained (not the traditional kouloura basket-trained vines) to allow more sunlight to reach the branches. Prior to their cultivation, Mavrotragano was near extinction on Santorini. Their restaurant, Aroma Avlis, features fresh seafood and vegetarian options. Boutari – Megalochori A beautiful dome winery that was built in 1989. Boutari is one of the most awarded and historical wine producers in Greece. The winery is small, focusing on Assyrtiko, Athiri, and Aidani grapes. Their onsite indoor restaurant serves traditional local food such as fava, tomato fritters, and traditional pork sausage. Boutari Winery is not open on Sundays. Canava Chrissou & Tselepos – Pyrgos The newest winery on Santorini; at the time of this writing, the winery is not open to the public for tours or tastings. This winery produces three white varieties, and eighty percent of its total production is exported to the USA, Canada, and China. Canava Roussos – Episkopi Gonia Traditional and charming, this is the island’s oldest winery, having been founded in 1836. It has been a family-run operation for over six generations. Aged Nykteri wine and Vinsanto wine are their specialty. Their outdoor theater hosts musical performances and concerts. Gaia – Perivolia Gaia Winery is beachside on Santorini’s east coast, with a rustic wine-tasting patio directly on the water. Their wine collection features an exceptional offering and a novel approach to wine aging. Their Assyrtiko variety wine named Gaia Thalassitis Submerged is bottled and then aged underwater in an environment that is entirely free of oxygen and light. Every year, roughly 500 bottles are put in a crate and then submerged 20 meters underwater off the east coast of Santorini for four years. The results have been very successful. The wine is vibrant, takes on a smoky aroma, and has a rounder quality. Additionally, the wine bottle is very distinctive – complete with barnacles attached. Not surprisingly, Gaia Thalassitis Submerged is their most expensive wine. Gaia Wines’ total yearly production is 120,000 bottles. Their wine Gaia Thalassitis (the non-submerged variety) is a classic expression of Santorini Assyrtiko. The winery has no restaurant, but meat and cheese platters are available. Hatzidakis – Pyrgos The only certified organic wine producer on the island of Santorini, the winery is located down a narrow and windy road, overlooking its expansive vineyard near the village of Pyrgos. Hatzidakis Winery’s philosophy from vine to wine is simplicity with limited intervention. The new winery mimics a traditional canava (an underground cave winery); its reception area, tasting room, and wine tours are all inside of caves, built into the side of a hill. The caves have very tall ceilings, which sets the stage for some interesting acoustics and where sounds tend to echo. Note: The cave’s ambient temperature is also noticeably cooler, being underground, so bring a sweater. Koutsoyannopoulos Winery and Museum – Vothonas This modern winery sits atop its wine museum. The museum, presenting the history of Greek wine and the life of Santorininan vine-growerssince the 1600s, is set in an atmospheric 300-meter-long cave and tunnnel complex, 8 meters underground. It is an excellent place to learn more about the island’s wine-making processes, and also an excellent choice to visit if children are joining. There is no restaurant onsite. Vassaltis – Vourvoulos An ultra-modern winery that opened in 2016 and offers tours around its vineyard, production area, and in their cellar where the tastings take place. They also offer four lunch and dinner menu options (pre-booking required), including pairing menus. The winery specializes in producing wines made from the Assyrtiko, Athiri, Aidani, Mantilaria, and Mavrotragano grapes. Mikra Thira – Thirassia The first and only winery located on Thirassia, a tiny island 11 km west of Santorini – with a population of approximately 300. Accessible via a scenic ten-minute ferry ride from Oia, this modern winery has a bright tasting room and sunny patio with views of Folegandros, Ios, and Sikinos. Mikra Thira currently produces three dry white wines, all designated as PDO Santorini. Wine tours and tastings are available by appointment. How to Get to Thirassia: There is a small foot-passenger ferry that runs three to four times a day in the summer and takes about 10 minutes. The ferry departs from the Ammoudi port in Oia to Riva port on the island of Thirassia. Private water taxis are also available for hire.

Wineries and vineyards are scattered all around the Santorini landscape.

Getting To Santorini Wineries Santorini buses from Fira to Akrotiri or Perissa will stop a short walk from Santo Winery , Venetsanos , Gavalas , and Boutari . (If coming from Oia, Imerovigli, or another village you’ll need to bus to Fira and then switch buses.) Buses from Fira to Kamari will stop a short walk from the Koutsoyannopoulos Wine Museum , Artemis Karamolegos Winery , Canava Roussos , Argyros Winery , and Art Space Winery . (If coming from Oia, Imerovigli, or another village you’ll need to bus to Fira and then switch buses.) Buses from Fira to Oia will stop a moderate walk from Vassaltis Vineyards and Domaine Sigalas Winery . Getting a Santorini taxi to and from wineries is possible, but in practice, a pretty big hassle. Best Restaurant for Santorini Wines Oia Vineyart is a hidden gem, tucked away in an old captain’s house in Oia’s quieter back streets, and the only restaurant/wine bar in Santorini offering wine from every winery on the island. The food – elevated gastronomy, locally sourced – is excellent; wines can be ordered by the glass, bottle, or in tasting flights (€35 for 6 different wines). They also maintain a deli shop selling local cheeses, cured meats and fish, and produce; perfect for a self-catered picnic or light meal. A worthwhile stop for anyone passionate (or simply curious) about Santorini’s local food and wines.

Santorini Wines

Barrels of Santorini’s famed Vinsanto wine at Hatzidakis Winery .

Santorini has plenty of quality options for wine lovers. The three most celebrated wines produced on the island are the crisp white Assyrtiko , the sweeter dessert wine Vinsanto , and the traditional white Nykteri . These wines use the Assyrtiko grape, which is indigenous to Santorini. Assyrtiko Assyrtiko (pronounced a-SEER-tee-ko) is considered the finest white wine in Greece, and Santorini’s Assyrtiko is the island’s best and most prolific wine. It’s also the most famous Greek white wine worldwide, and its fame is due to Santorini’s remarkable quality. Assyrtiko is a crisp, light, dry white with a hint of citrus fruits (lemon, lime, or grapefruit) and is slightly bitter. It has a definite saltiness and mineral taste. Assyrtiko is similar to a Sauvignon Blanc.

Vinsanto Vinsanto is a dessert wine and Santorini’s oldest wine. Vinsanto is highly regarded and is extremely sweet with a dense taste and smells more like red wine, even though it’s made with the prominent white grape variety. Vinsanto has a thick, syrupy consistency and a golden color; if allowed to age, it can turn an amber color. Vinsanto is made from late-harvest white grapes that have been dried in the sun for ten days (an ancient technique dating back to 700 BC) and then aged in oak for two or more years. This production method is complex and produces very small yields. Sometimes the wines are aged for decades, and it has the potential to age for a century. The longer the wine has aged, the more bold the flavor. Old vintages are extremely rare and expensive. Vinsanto must always contain at least 51% Assyrtiko grapes and is commonly blended with Aidiani and/or Athiri grapes. Only a handful of wineries on the island of Santorini produce Vinsanto. Although they are both sweet dessert wines, Santorini’s Vinsanto (“wine from Santorini”) is unrelated to the Italian Vin Santo (“holy wine”). They are produced using different grapes and methods. Nykteri Nykteri (pronounced nith-terry) is the most unique dry white from Santorini. The wine is made from overripe grapes and then barrel-aged for at least three months. The grapes were traditionally harvested at night, hence the name Nykteri, derived from the Greek term “harvested at night.” Today, there is no requirement for the grapes to be harvested at night. There are various styles of Nykteri wine, ranging from a discreetly oaked flavor to a more full-bodied style with flavors of nuts and honey. Santorini Grape Varieties

There are approximately 40 local grape varieties currently grown on Santorini, although not all are cultivated. Over a hundred years ago, there was much more diversity, and the island’s winemakers cultivated close to 60 different grape varieties. In recent years, producers have focused primarily on the top five varieties: Assyrtiko (white) Mandilaria (red) Aidani (white) Athiri (white) Mavrotragano (red) The top grape, by a long stretch, is the white grape Assyrtiko , whose plantings account for 75-80 percent of Santorini’s vineyards. The next most common is the red grape Mandilaria , which accounts for about 10 percent and is typically blended with Mavrotragano . Aidani and Athiri , both whites, make up the remaining 5-10 percent; apart from a selection of rare grape varieties like Platani , Katsano , and Gaidouria . Santorini White Grapes Assyrtiko Assyrtiko (pronounced a-SEER-tee-ko) is a white Greek grape, grown all over the country and indigenous to the island of Santorini. Assyrtiko grapes have transparent yellow-gold skin, are highly acidic with fruity flavors, and produce a high alcohol content wine. Assyrtiko vines are mostly disease-resistant and do well in drought conditions. Its bark is exceptionally hard, which helps protect it from the extreme summer winds. Some vineyards in Santorini have 70-80 year old Assyrtiko vines that produce sparingly. Although the grape yields from these vines tend to be low, they are some of the highest-quality grapes grown on the island. Aidani Aidani (pronounced eye-AH-nee) is an ancient white Greek grape variety found mainly on the islands of Santorini and Rhodes. Aidani is lower in sugar and acidity than Assyrtiko, with more floral aromas. Aidani is seldom used on its own and is often mixed with grapes having a high alcoholic content and acidity, such as Assyrtiko or Athiri, which helps to tame the boldness of these grapes and produces a smoother, softer wine when fermented. Although Aidani is a robust, drought-resistant variety of grape with thick skin, it’s more demanding to grow. Aidani grapes ripen at different times, so the grape harvesters have to pick some grapes first, then pass through the vineyard a second time to collect the remaining grapes. Additionally, Aidani ripens late, so it must be harvested last – which is not easy when it’s planted alongside other types. Athiri Athiri (pronounced ah-THEE-ree) is grown exclusively in Greece, and is known for its fruity flavors with hints of citrus like lemon, grapefruit, and nectarines. It is primarily used for blending with the dominant Assyrtiko. Athiri’s acidity is much lower than Assyrtiko, and the grapes are thin-skinned, with a golden-green appearance. Athiri grapes are generally easy to grow and therefore produce high yields. Santorini Red Grapes Mandilaria is the most widely planted red grape variety on Santorini. While Mavrotragano is an ‘exotic’ grape variety that’s making a comeback after it was near extinction on Santorini around 2008. Mandilaria Mandilaria (pronounced Man-dee-LAR-ya) is a black-skinned red grape, also known as Amorghiano (on Rhodes), and the most widely planted red grape variety on Santorini – though growers tend to produce small yields. Mandilaria grapes have very thick skins full of tannins, which account for the most intense colorations in Greek wine, and are high in antioxidants. Wines from this variety have a low alcohol content, however, and typically lack intense flavor and aroma, so Mandilaria is frequently used in blends. Mavrotragano Mavrotragano (pronounced Ma-vro-TRA-ga-no) means “black and crunchy” in Greek. Producing a small fruit with high sugar levels, Mavrotragano grapes produce spicy, deeply colored, full-bodied red wines that are similar to a Syrah. Most producers on the island feature a 100% dry Mavrotragano, although in very small quantities. Mavrotragano was traditionally used to make sweet wines, but came close to extinction on Santorini a couple of decades back. In the 1970s, most of the island’s Mavrotragano plantings were replaced with Assyrtiko, the dominant and more lucrative variety. Since its low point around 2008, however, this little grape has been making a comeback, returning in very limited plantings cultivated by a few of Santorini’s most dedicated growers. For this reason, Mavrotragano is considered ‘exotic’ — a rare variety covering only one percent of the total plantings on Santorini. Excessive alcohol levels in this variety can be problematic if winemakers are not careful. Another challenge with this grape is that fully ripe bunches often include underripe green berries. Winemakers in Santorini continue to experiment with growing techniques to maximize this grape’s potential in wines and wine blends. Rare Varieties Once upon a time, the island’s vineyards grew over sixty varieties, however most of these varieties are no longer grown. Platani , Katsano , and Gaidouria grapes continue to be cultivated in very small amounts, and a few wineries are producing some unique blends using these fruits. Wines made with Katsano and Gaidouria do not have the pronounced acidity of Assyrtiko, but retain the salty mineral taste.

The Small Group Santorini Wine Tour visits multiple wineries, including Venetsanos – one of my favorites.

Santorini Grape Growing Conditions

Grapevines at the Argyros Estate vineyards in Episkopi Gonia.

Soil Santorini’s soil, formed from the island’s major volcanic eruption in 1653 BC, is a mix of volcanic rock, ash, sand, pumice, and lava fragments, known locally as “aspa.” This composition makes the soil acidic with a low pH, influencing the mineral taste of the local wines. The soil, light and crumbly, retains little moisture and is not suitable for tilling. Its appearance resembles a blend of sand and lunar pebbles in red, black, or white. Vine roots here can extend up to 20 meters deep, seeking nutrients from the volcanic ash embedded deep in the soil. Intense Sun & Wind Summer in the Cyclades, including Santorini, is typically very sunny with very few cloudy days. The region experiences strong northern Meltemi winds from May to September, which can challenge wine production by risking grape damage. However, these tough conditions are also thought to enhance grape quality, producing better juice and superior wines. Rain & Sea Mist Santorini experiences minimal rainfall from April to September, with almost none in summer. Grape vines are irrigated only in their first one or two years; thereafter, they rely on moisture from the volcanic soil. At night, sea mist from the caldera blankets the island, supplying essential moisture to the vineyards. The island’s unique, porous, pumice-rich soil effectively absorbs and then gradually releases this moisture to the vines, providing an optimal amount of water for the grape crops.

What is Terrior? The vineyard at Hatzidakis Winery in Pyrgos. Terroir (pronounced teh-waar), derived from the Latin terra meaning soil or land, refers to the natural environment of a vineyard, including soil, climate, rainfall, and terrain. It’s the concept that the specific location where wine grapes are grown imparts a unique flavor to the wine, creating a distinct “personality” that cannot be replicated elsewhere, even with the same grape variety and winemaking methods. Essentially, terroir embodies the “taste of a place.” While primarily associated with wine, terroir also applies to other soil-grown foods like olives, tomatoes, and hops, where the growth region contributes to their distinctiveness.

Santorini’s Unique Growing Style

The traditional kouloura-trained grapevine on Santorini resembles a living basket. This vine is at Argyros Estate winery .

In Santorini, vines are grown low to the ground and are not supported by wire trellising, as is common in most vineyards throughout the world. In order to provide necessary protection from the island’s harsh conditions, local growers have adopted special training systems for the vines: Kouloura (Basket) Method The most common method, where grape-bearing branches are carefully woven by hand into a circular, wreath-like shape. This living ‘basket’ shelters the grapes from strong winds, intense sun, and dry climate, while also trapping humidity. Typically, trapping the humidity is generally not a good wine-making practice, but it is beneficial in Santorini’s extremely arid environment. Kladeftiko (Small Ring) Method In this method, vines are shaped like goblets with pruned branches forming a spur at a lower point and longer canes trained into a circle higher up. In spring, the ring will grow shoots and bear fruit, parallel to the trunk. This age-old practice creates a taller trunk which facilitates better aeration, as the grapes are off the ground, unlike in the kouloura method. However, they are also more exposed, which makes this method suitable only in wind-protected areas. Additionally, terraced landscaping and traditional Greek dry-stone walls are used to enhance cultivation and reduce water loss. Harvesting In Santorini, grape harvesting is time-consuming and labor-intensive; mainly done while crouching, as the vines are low to the ground. Vines are widely spaced in the vineyard to optimize the absorption of scarce nutrients. Harvesting is always manual or assisted by donkeys, with no machinery involved. Santorini grape harvest. Wine Classifications – PDO and PGI

PDO stands for Protected Designation of Origin. Greece has more than 100 products that have been registered as PDO, including wine, cheese, olive oil, honey, and more. When a wine is labeled as “PDO,” this indicates that the wine comes from a specific area, is produced from designated varieties, and is made using that location’s traditional wine-making techniques. The PDO Santorini classification guarantees the wine will be made using at least 85% Assyrtiko grapes, with the remaining percentage made up of Aidani and/or Athiri grapes, all grown in the PDO zone of Santorini. All stages of the wine production must take place within the Santorini zone, including grape cultivation, fermentation, and bottling and labeling. The designated PDO Santorini zone consists of Santorini (Thira) and its closest neighboring island, Thirassia. PGI stands for Protected Geographical Indication. When a wine is labeled as “PGI,” this indicates that at least 80% of its grapes have been grown in that particular zone. The rules regarding production are much more relaxed than the PDO designation, and only one stage of the overall production must take place within the specified zone. The PGI Cyclades Islands zone includes all of the Cycladic islands located in the Aegean Sea. Grapes used to produce PGI Cyclades Islands wines must be planted at altitudes exceeding 30 meters. Most wine made in the Cyclades Islands PGI zone comes from either Santorini or Paros. Santorini Hotels for Wine Lovers

The wine cellar at Akra Suites in Imerovigli.

Hotels of Note Akra Suites (Imerovigli): Charming wine cellar for tastings. Anatoli Hotel (Fira): Set in former winery and distillery. Angel Luxury Suites (Fira): Attached to a popular wine bar. Atrina Canava 1894 (Oia): Set in a former wine cave. Canaves Ena (Oia): Wine tastings offered on site. Charisma Suites (Oia): Offers a sunset champagne event every night, free for guests. Heliotopos (Imerovigli): Popular wine bar for sunset viewing. Katikies Garden (Fira): Their centuries-old canava formerly used to store the pope’s wine, 3 wine cellars currently on site. Katikies Kirini (Oia): Offers daily sunset wine tastings. Kapari Natural Resort (Imerovigli): Wine-themed restaurant on site. Nous (Mesariá): Offers wine from every winery on the island. Perivolas (Oia): Hotel restaurant is in an old wine canava. The Vasilicos (Imerovigli): Same owners as Vassaltis Vineyards; wine tastings, pairings, & tours offered. Vedema (Megalochori): Located in the heart of the wine country, offers tastings in their cellar. Santorini Wine History

The underground cave museum at Koutsoyannopoulos Winery is full of artifacts, photographs, and dioramas that illustrate the history of viticulture on the island of Santorini.

The iconic and picturesque caldera of Santorini was formed following a massive volcanic eruption around 1600 BC. The eruption left the island, engulfed in volcanic debris, lifeless and barren for three centuries until settlers arrived around 1300 BC. These settlers introduced vine cultivation in the volcanic soil. From 500 AD to 1500 AD, Santorini’s sweet wines, traded as “vin Santo” (wine from Santorini), gained popularity, leading to the contemporary name “Vinsanto” for these wines. During this era, the island’s dry Assyrtiko wines were far less favored than the celebrated Vinsanto. In the late 1800s, phylloxera (pronounced fi-lok-SUH-ruh), a tiny aphid that is devastating to vine roots, ravaged vineyards across Europe, including in Greece – but spared Santorini due to its unique volcanic and sandy soil, which lacks the clay necessary for the pest’s proliferation. As a result, Santorini’s vineyards, some centuries old, have maintained their natural root systems. Some of the island’s vines are believed to be over three hundred years old. In the late 19th Century, European wine crops were decimated by phylloxera insects. Santorinian vineyards were immune to this blight, however, as the tiny pest cannot survive in the island’s volcanic soil. While phylloxera was controlled in Europe by early 1900s, Greece’s wine industry suffered due to World Wars, leading to a total collapse of commercial wine production in the Cyclades. Santorini’s vineyards essentially became dormant. However, by the early 1950s, grape vines were flourishing all over Santorini, with over 4,000 hectares used for this purpose. Since the heyday of the 1950’s, however, Santorini’s vineyards have steadily dwindled; dropping to about 2,000 hectares in 1980, and then to merely 1,100 in 2023. This reduction is attributed to tourism-driven development, the challenge of finding vineyard labor due to high living costs, and the profitability of selling land to developers. Since the 1950’s, Santorini’s tradition of wine production has been threatened by modern day tourism. By the late 1980s, there were only six wineries on Santorini: Santo, Venetsanos, Koutsoyannopoulos, Canava Roussos, Boutari, and Markezinis — which no longer exists as a winery, having since been converted to cave-style accommodations. Since the turn of the century, however, Santorini’s wine industry has seen remarkable growth, with the development of new wineries and the modernization of some traditional canaves or underground wineries. Over the last forty years, the island’s total number of wineries has grown by over 200%. As of 2023, Santorini hosts twenty wineries, which is encouraging growth amid concerns that mass tourism might threaten the wine industry’s future. Books on Santorini Wine & Wineries The Wines of Santorini by Yiannis Karakasis is a joy to read and wonderfully informative about every last detail regarding Santorini wines. It’s a little tricky to find but if you get the chance do grab a copy. More recommended books on wine and viticulture Volcanoes and Wine: From Pompeii to Napa , by Charles Frankel The World Atlas of Wine , by Jancis Robinson Wine Folly: The Master Guide , by by Madeline Puckette & Justin Hammack Read More Where to Stay in Santorini Best Hotels in Santorini Best Things to Do in Santorini Santorini Museums Best Santorini Boat Tours

About Santorini Dave

Thanks for all the great information. Can we get from Santo Winery to our cruise ship if we leave Santo at sunset? The itinerary says 10:00 pm for the cruise ship to leave. Thanks!

The time of sunset varies by time of year. I trust you’ve looked this up. So, by what time should you leave Santo Wines? If you were getting in a taxi to head back to Fira at 8:00pm I think you’d make your cruise’s departure. But there are many variables. How long does it take to get a taxi to arrive at Santo? How long is the line at the cable car? Personally, I would visit Santo through the day and then return to Fira and watch the sunset from one of the bars just a short walk from the cable car. I hope that helps.

If we want to do our own tour of the wineries, like Santos, Venetsanos and Boutari, how would be the easiest way to get there and visit all 3. Will we need to use taxi or is there buses? Thanks

There are bus stops pretty close to all 3 of these wineries. So getting to any one of them and then returning from any one of them is fairly easy. However, getting between them is much more of a hassle. And calling for a taxi can be a long wait, if they come at all. If you wanted to visit more than one winery it’s best to do a tour or to hire a driver for the day.

Wonderful website with tons of great info! Thank you!

Just returned from Santorini and loved the visit at Estate Argyros. Wines and hospitality were both top notch! From there it was an easy drive over to Metaxy Mas for lunch. I think the whites at Argyros are among the best on the Santorini.

John Osgood

Thanks John. Glad it was helpful.

Sadly, all wine tours are sold out for our visit in 3 weeks. We have decided to spend our time doing a boat tour, hike, and Akrotiri but would like to visit at least one winery. Which would you choose for a quick one-hour stop: Venetsanos or Santo Winery. Thanks.

Both have great views but Venetsanos has a little more charm. Santo has a better (larger) wine shop – if you’re looking to take some wine home (or get it shipped).

Your site is helpful. Are there any wine tours in the off season? We are visiting in February and can’t find any availability. Thanks.

There are combo sightseeing and wine tours ( like this one ) available in February.

My problem: No availability left for Wine Tours.

Hi Dave, Love your website and has been super helpful planning my trip. I just booked a solo trip to Greece and will be staying in Fira for 2 and half days. I would love to do a wine tour but it appears that everything is either totally booked up already or requires multiple people to take part. Are there any wine tours that allow solo travelers that are still available to book and if I wanted to plan a DIY tour what would your recommendation be? (Time of day, vineyards to see, walking or renting a driver for a few hours). Lastly if I were to do a DIY tour stopping at 3 vineyards for tasting what would that estimated cost be? Thanks!!

Yes, wine tours get fully booked earlier and earlier every year.

For a DIY wine tour I’d start at Venetsanos Winery (buses go nearby on their way to Akrotiri or Perissa). Then walk to Gavalas Winery in Megalochori. It’s less than a 15 minute walk and it’s a little tricky because of the lack of sidewalks but still pretty easy and doable. If that sounds unappealing you could call a taxi but you might be waiting a while. Those are two of my favorite wineries in Santorini. If you needed a third keep walking (sort of south and west) to Boutari about another 10 minutes south of Gavalas. Then bus back to Fira. As for costs it’s very hard to say as each winery offers a wide range of tastings.

Thanks for all the information on wine tours! Regarding to answer on a DIY tour, I wanted to follow-up to your answer to a previous poster. We’ll be staying in Megalachori, and are interested in doing our own mini-tour starting at Gavalas, and then walking to either Venetsanos or Boutari (which both seem to be semi-close?). Which would you recommend, and about how far is the walk?

Thank you! Danielle

Go to Venetsanos for the views (awesome) and setting. Go to Boutari for the wine. Not that there’s a huge difference in quality but Venetsanos does get more people interested primarily in the views. Boutari is sort of ugly and attracts more serious connoisseurs. As to walking, it’s a little tricky but doable and not far (walking along the busy road is more of the problem). If possible scope out both places beforehand (in a car, if you have one) which will make finding them on foot easier.

We would like to book for a tour online for November, but I can’t for some reason. Are the tours full or closed for the season?

If so can we do it in the island? Or do you recommend just walk in the winery? Our plan is on November 14-18.

Thank you Mark

This private wine tour of Santorini will typically have availability in November.

We’d like to visit a winery near Oia during our visit in December. I see Sigalas is within a short drive of Oia. Is it open in December and will we be able to visit?

Sigalas usually closes in early December. But if you contact them they’ll open up, give you a quick tour around the grounds, and let you taste and buy some wines. Send them an email at [email protected] or call Panayiota at +30 6982 877912.

Hi Dave, many thanks for all of the useful information your site provides. It’s been incredibly helpful for planning my trip over the last few months! I will be staying in Santorini for 6 days, what are the benefits of doing a wine tour as opposed to visiting on your own? We have rented a car for our stay. Look forward to hearing from you!

The biggest advantage is you can enjoy the wine without having to worry about drinking too much. The pours are usually generous and it’s not hard to feel tipsy after a winery or definitely two. Also, finding the wineries can be a challenge. And the tours offer good info on the winers, wineries, and how the grapes are grown that you wouldn’t get without the tour. But can you do it yourself? For sure.

Dave, you’re a legend. Thanks a million for all this info. My wife and I are going to Santorini in a couple weeks and would like to do a wine tour. We prefer red wines to the dessert-ey whites but I’m noticing there are mostly white wines that are popular. Do you recommend any wineries or wine tours that have mostly reds? Thanks in advance.

The best wines on Santorini are whites so I’d encourage you to focus on them even if your tastes tend in a different direction. If you do want to try some reds then Gavalas Winery has the best red wines in Santorini.

After reading your review on Santo Winery and seeing the views, we are hoping to select a sunset tour that includes this winery. However, on the linked “Santorini Half-day Wine Tour” above from GetYourGuide, it does not specify which wineries will be visited. Are you fairly certain that Santo Winery is usually on that tour route? I messaged GetYourGuide about a week ago to check but have not received a response.

Although it was not listed on your website, I also reached out to Santorini Wine Tours to see what tour route they take. Unfortunately they do not visit Santo but instead visit Venetsanos, which they say has equivalent views?

What are your thoughts on this? We just want to make sure we sign up for the best sunset tour option! Ashlee Hansen

No tour will absolutely guarantee which wineries they will visit as it can always change. The Santo winery or Venetsanos is consistently the final visit on the sunset version of the Half Day Tour. Venetsanos is great and has gorgeous sunset views (similar to Santo).

Hi Santorini Dave,

I will be in Santorini on my honeymoon for 3 nights September 29 – Oct 1, during that time it will be my (soon-to-be) husband’s birthday (Sept 30). I want to plan a wine tour with dinner reservations afterward to celebrate (or something like that). What do you recommend?

The wine tours on Santorini are really well done and well worth doing. Most will drop you back at your hotel (or really any place along the caldera) so you’re free to pick from the best restaurants on the island .

Thanks for this site. It’s great! I’m wondering if you have any tips on a do-it-yourself wine tour? I plan to rent scooters for exploring the island, but I wouldn’t want to do this while drinking at several wineries. Is it possible to do this via taxi? Or, are they too expensive and hard to order? Is there an area with a bunch in walking distance? We are staying in Finikia if that makes a difference.

Thanks for your help,

Santorini is loaded with wineries but they are fairly spread out. If you did want to do a self-guided walking tour I would visit the 3 following wineries: Gavalas (in the village of Megalochori), Venetsanos (on the caldera), and Santo Winery (on the caldera). Start by taking a bus from Fira (or wherever you’re staying) to Megalochori – they’ll run about every 30 to 60 minutes. Then find the Gavalas winery (a little tricky but it’s a small village so not too hard). Then walk north and towards the caldera to find Venetsanos. Then further north (and back towards Fira) to get to Santo. You’re now north of the ferry port so there will be plenty of buses running from the main road back to Fira. These 3 wineries are great but the walk between them is not really along the caldera, provides few views, and has stretches on a busy road. So, do it to save money but don’t be expecting a beautiful walk between the wineries.

Hi Dave, Your site has been so helpful in planning our Honeymoon in Santorini! We definitely want to take one of the wine tours. Aside from time of day, is there a real difference between the half day wine tour and the sunset wine tour you suggested on this page? We can’t decide which would be better since they seem so similar… would love your insight! Lilach

Go with the half-day tour (it has two times for you to choose from, so the evening tour will have sunset views). I listed the other tour primarily because my first choice often gets sold out.

Hi Dave, Do you know which 3 wineries the Santorini half day small group wine tour visits? Nicole

Gavalas, Santo, and Boutari are the most commonly visited but can change because of the season or schedule. All are good – and the smaller wineries are often the most memorable.

I was thinking of doing the 5 hour boat tour: red beach/white beach/bbq/hotsprings.

I am going May 21-24. Do you recommend me going on the day one 10AM-3PM, or the sunset one 3PM-8PM. I would think watching the sunset is amazing but afraid once it reaches -7-8, it would be too windy. I don’t mind doing the morning but I just want to make the right choice.

What do you think? Darlene

I would do the sunset one as watching the sun set from below the Oia cliffs is really unique. Though swimming will be better (and they’ll be more of it) on the daytime tour. It can be windy anytime so don’t plan around that.

I’m going to Herakleion for 5 days second week of September, thinking of taking the ferry over to Santorini for 1 day. Which day of the week is best to go over (I grew up in Italy so I’m thinking it might be like there when on Sundays everything is closed, but Saturday are overly crowded) and ideas of best tours to make the most of our time there. I liked the photography tour but none of us are photographers, unless using Instagram, are you obliged to take professional pictures? Elena Metta

There are no guarantees but Wednesday and Thursday are typically the busiest days as those are the most popular days for cruise ship stops. Cruise ships will often leave Athens on the weekend and then return the following weekend giving them a port stop in Santorini mid-week. Sunday and Monday are the best bets for a “quiet” day. The photography tour is great for everyone from beginner to pro.

Hello Dave, Your website is the most useful and helpful site I’ve ever come across while vacation planning. My significant other and I will be visiting Santorini (only for 4 days) from March 31-April 4th. We’re very limited on tours, and As per your recommendation I was interested in the 5 hour sunset catamaran tour. But noticed it includes swimming, snorkelling, and hot springs. Will the weather or water actually be warm enough during those dates to conduct those activities?

Thank you for ALL your efforts and advice.

There will be hot springs swimming as that water is warmish (not hot). The boat stops about 100 meters from the hot springs and the sea water from the boat to the hot springs is chilly. Bring a big warm towel. The “swimming/snorkeling” will probably be ignored but they’re not the highlights of the tour in any case.

Hi we will be going to Santorini / Mykonos in May, we will be on a cruise ship, the 2 islands are the ones I Really want to visit, and see the sunset on Oia. Mykonos we are only there from 7:00 to 14:00, Santorini arrival 7:00 to 19:00. Can you recommend a private Santorini shore tour for 2 senior ladies, (we are not rickety), would be much appreciated. Regards Dianne.

I would do either the half-day wine tour or the Santorini photography tour . Both are excellent. If you did decide to do a caldera boat tour be sure not to do one that takes in the sunset as you won’t have time to get back to your ship.

We will only be in Fira for 3 nights so unfortunately won’t have time to do a wine tour (we should have stayed longer but plans have been finalized). Is there anywhere in or near Fira to walk to a winery or at least enjoy a good selection of wines?

No wineries within walking distance of Fira but there is the Assyrtico wine bar/restaurant on the main pathway in Fira. Lots of good wine.

We’re a group of 4 visiting Santorini at mid-October. Would you recommend booking tours in advance?

You’ll likely be fine not booking and buying after you arrive – but you just never know. If it’s a tour you’re set on then I’d book in advance. Wine tours are small and can easily fill up with one group booking. Boat tours have more capacity and are easier left until after arrival.

We have 2 full days on Santorini. On the first day we’ll walk the foot path from Fira to Oia and explore the towns along the way. On the second day we’ll do either a wine tour of the Santorini wineries or a boat tour of the caldera with sunset and volcano walk. Which would you recommend? Which tour will have better food?

Both tours are great fun but the volcano/caldera/sunset boat tour is the one to do if you only have one day. You can do good wine tours in lots of places but there’s only one caldera like this. The food on the boat tour is adequate (far better than it has to be) but not as good as it would be on the wine tour – but still, do the boat tour.

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WELCOME TO THE WINEWAYS EXPERIENCE IN SANTORINI!

Our Tours Wineways

THE WINEWAYS EXPERIENCES

• Santorini Wine Tasting Tour

THE ULTIMATE WINEWAYS EXPERIENCE

3 WINERIES + LIGHT BITES

Enjoy the ultimate Wineways experience with our Santorini Wine Tasting Tour which includes visits to 3 award-winning Santorini wineries with a certified English speaking wine guide.

You will get to know about the island’s unique volcanic soil and ancient cultivation methods which have been passed down through the centuries to produce Santorini’s exquisite wines.

Enjoy a day of delicious wine tasting, as well as a selection of cheeses and local bites.

Time : Tour commences at 10:00 – 11:00 am

Duration : Approximately 3.5 – 4 hours

• Cork & Fork

WINE & DINE IN SANTORINI

2 WINERIES + LUNCH

In this exclusive tour you will have the opportunity to visit 2 award-winning Santorini wineries and enjoy a traditional Santorinian lunch, accompanied by a certified English-speaking wine guide.

You will be visiting Faros Market, situated in beautiful Akrotiri, a local farm and winery where Maria and her family cultivate their own organic products. There you will explore their old wine cellar, equipped with oak barrels and traditional machinery, and enjoy the Wineways lunch; a rich selection of local delicacies, from farm-to-table.

You will also get to visit the vines and try 3 local and organic wine varieties – assyrtiko, nykteri, and vinsanto.

Time : Tour commences at 10:00 11:00 am

You can find the full menu here .

Santorini Afternoon or Sunset Wine Tours

2 WINERIES + LIGHT BITES

Enjoy a relaxed Wineways experience with our Santorini Afternoon Tasting Tour which includes visits to 2 award-winning Santorini wineries with a certified English speaking wine guide.

You will get to know about the island’s unique volcanic soil and the ancient cultivation methods that have been passed down through the centuries and are still used to produce Santorini’s fine wines.

You will get to taste some of Santorini’s fine wines. Cheese and local bites are also included.

Sunset Tours depend on availability of the Wineries.

Time : Afternoon Tour commences at 14:30 – 15:00 pm

Sunset Tour commences at 17:00 – 17:30 pm (depending on the time of sunset)

Duration : Approximately 2.5 – 3 hours

Wineways Private Island Tours

YOUR OWN WINEWAYS

If you are looking for something different from our classic tours, Wineways offers you the choice to create an Island Tour tailored to your needs with an English speaking guide.

This private excursion can include an itinerary of one or more wineries, Santorini’s villages (Pyrgos, Megalochori), Akrotiri’s lighthouse etc., making sure that your day is catered perfectly to your taste.

The duration and the price will depend on the itinerary and will be decided upon discussion. Usually, the duration of those tours is 4 – 5 hours .

Contact us for more details and to organize your Tour.

More Details on the Tours

When : Daily, from April 15th until October 31st

Guests : small groups up to 8 people (possibility for more on request)

Languages : English, Greek

Transportation : Pick-up & drop off included

Payment : made upon tour completion either by Cash or Credit Card

Due to covid-19, all our tours are private for couples, friends, and families

Payment Methods

Payment can be made via credit, debit and prepaid cards.

Cards accepted:

Visa, Mastercard, Maestro, American Express and Diners.

Security Protocol

All payments made via card are processed through Alpha Bank’s “Alpha e-Commerce” electronic payment platform that uses TLS 1.2 encryption with 128-bit encryption protocol (Secure Sockets Layer – SSL). Encryption is a way of encoding information until it reaches its intended recipient, who will be able to decode it using the appropriate key.

Cancellation Policy

• 3 days (72 hours) prior to the tour 50% of the amount will be charged
• 1 day (24 hours) prior to the tour the total amount of the reservation will be charged
• No show or late comers will be charged the total amount of the reservation

Request for Tours

• Santorini Sunset & Wine Tour
• Wineways Tailor Made Private Tours

The Island of Santorini

Greece’s trademark island of Santorini is famous for its blue and white architecture, its glorious sunsets, and its place as a top winemaking region of the world.

The Face Behind Wineways

Nikolas Panagiotakis

Nikos, holder of a Level 3 WSPC Certification in Wine Studies, will be your guide. Having lived and worked in New York, Perth, Hawaii, Stockholm, and Athens and with over 20 years of experience in the hospitality and food and beverage sectors, Nikos will offer you exclusive insights into Santorini’s unique winemaking processes, its rich history and premium wine varieties. As your guide, he will be there with you every step of the way to ensure your Wineways experience is a beautiful Santorini memory to take home with you.

Private Full Day Santorini Culture and Wine Tasting Tour

We offer 24 hr free cancellation on most of our tours, winery visits and hotels. For more detail please see the individual cancellation policies on the tour, winery or hotel page.

Tour Overview

Discover the top sightseeing attractions on the island of Santorini with this full day wine tour!

The first stop is in Akrotiri, one of the most traditional villages on the island. Walk through the narrow streets, and admire the traditional architecture of the village. Visit the archaeological site of the Minoan city of Akrotiri, one of the most important ancient monuments of Santorini, situated on the south side of the island. Learn about the history and legends of Santorini and how the Minoan city was buried in the eruption 3,600 years ago and discovered in 1967 near the modern village of Akrotiri. 

Next, enjoy some free time on the black beach of Perivolos with its black sand: go for a swim, eat at a local tavern, or just relax and explore the area.

The tour continues with the visit of the 16th century monastery in Prophiti Elijah which boasts a panoramic view of the entire island, and Pyrgos village with its Cycladic architecture, Byzantine churches and Venetian castle. The village is one of the highest points of the island and it boasts amazing views of the north-western part of the island of Santorini.

Next you will stop at a traditional winery in Santorini, to enjoy Santorini wine and the views of the volcano. 

In Imerovigli, an old village built on the caldera, you will discover the Maridi grandiose rock, the residue of the most important castle. You will have the opportunity to go back and explore the village and take a lot of pictures.

The last stop of the trip is in the beautiful village of Oia (the northernmost settlement on the island) which has a magnificent view of the Caldera and the volcano and has one of the most beautiful sunsets in the world. The atmosphere, when the sun sets in the sea is stunning, and many artists come to Oia to get inspiration from the beauty of the landscape, the architecture and the sunset. After the sunset, you'll catch a minibus to take you back home.

If you don't have much time to spare in Santorini, try our half-day tour instead.

What’s included

• Transport by air-conditioned minivan
• Discover the top sightseeing attractions in Santorini: Megalochori, Minoan Town of Akrotiri, Emborio, Black Beach Perivolos, Mountain of Prophitis Elias
• Visit Imerovigli, Oia and Pyrgos villages
• Port pick-up and drop-off
• Wine tasting at a traditional Santorini winery
• Private guide
• Food and drinks

Meeting point

Cancellation policy.

Deposits are fully refunded for cancellations up to 3 days before the tour or if the ship or the airplane won't arrive in Santorini because of the weather.

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THE SIGNATURE TOURS

Explore our collection of semi-private and private tours and taste the experience.

GUARANTEE OF QUALITY

This is what makes santorini wine tour co a unique experience..

THE LUXURIOUS TRANSPORTATION

Enjoy a tour with a luxurious minivan and enjoy comfort and privacy..

Enjoy a tour with a luxurious minibus! Santorini Wine Tour Co uses its very own means of transportation in order to ensure the comfort and privacy of your excursion to the spots of your trip around the island of Santorini. Our eco-friendly vehicles feature sustainable technologies for improved fuel consumption and reduced carbon emissions. Step into the brand new luxurious 11- seat Mercedes Benz Sprinter minibus with lush First Class soft leather seating, on-board entertainment systems, effective climate control, panoramic windows with polarized glass for clear views and ambient lighting that creates a relaxing atmosphere. Moreover, the Chevrolet Orlando is the ideal luxurious and compact vehicle, ideal for private tours and smaller groups. Discreet yet spacious, it offers luxury and comfort to its passengers, panoramic windows with polarized glass for clear views, effective climate control, and relaxing ambient lighting. We are fully licensed and certified by the Greek National Tourism Organization and our fleet meets all the necessary safety requirements of the Ministry of Transport. All vehicles are fully insured and are accompanied by a professional driver.

THE GALLERY

Take a peek at our gallery and get a taste of what a signature tour is like at santorini wine tour co.

THE COMPANY

When food, wine, feelings, people come together in a tour to remember.

Santorini Wine Tour is a series of educational yet fun tours, that center on the wines and tastes of Santorini as well as rare sights which only insiders of the island know where to find! The intoxicating combination of wine, tastes and emotions are the main elements that you will experience with Santorini Wine Tour Co!

Are you ready to taste the delectable acidity of a wine made with Assyrtico grape? Want to know which year gave us a great Vinsanto or a Nycteri wine? Do you want to discover an evocative part of Santorini while stopping to enjoy the stunning caldera views? Then book one of our Signature Tours and get ready to feel the spirit as a Santorini wine uncorks and pours into your glass!

Inspired by the majestic power of this lava-born island’s unique vineyards and moved by our passion to share only the best of Santorini’s tastes, we created a series of private and semi-private tours that offer our visitors an experience to savor and remember.

Embark on a journey to the historic vineyards of Santorini, visit the most significant sights, and taste the power of the volcanic wines and traditional products of the island. Learn about the soil and the microclimate, see the vines, and learn about the cultivating techniques. Get introduced to the unique grape varieties of the region, as well as the traditional and modern vinification techniques. All our itineraries are hand-picked by our own in-house team of wine experts.

Santorini Wine Tour Co introduced the concept of wine tourism in the unique, ancient wine region of Santorini. This was the first attempt to introduce to the visitors of the island the secrets of grape-cultivation and wine making in Santorini. Like the unique caldera and the impressive landscape, the vineyards and the tastes of Santorini are one of a kind. Through our Signature tours, you will learn all about the wines, the flavors and all the secret corners of the island. Wine experts and experienced guides will be your escorts to this unique trip on Santorini.

DISCOVER TOURS ALL OVER GREECE

Discover vineyards,unique sites and tastes of the breathtaking greek countryside..

Have any question or a special request? Do not hesitate to contact us!

• Santorini Guide
• Important Wine Notes

We at Santorini Wine Tour Co. in order to ensure our staff’s and guests’ health & wellbeing proceeded in upscaling our safety & health standards.

Οur vehicles are already meeting & exceeding all the existing safety & health regulations by being meticulously cleaned upon departure, arrival and in between the morning and afternoon slots.

Taking a step further our fleet is now equipped with a professional Air Purification & Sanitation system.

The specific system uses an innovative, patented technology that eliminates 99.9% of airborne bacteria, viruses and allergenic substances. The system is completely noiseless, it doesn’t include any aerosol or relevant solutions and it fully complies with our environmental policies as it generates zero ozone.

For any further information, do not hesitate to contact us .

• Catamaran cruises TOP
• Volcano tours
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If there is an island, where all the wine lovers would have the chance to expand their tasting horizons on wines, that would be the island of Santorini! Winemaking and trading used to be among the main activities of the locals of the past with the wine production having continued up to the present. As the years passed by, several eruptions of the Volcano occurred, which created a soil full of volcanic matter and special ingredients, ideal for the production of high-quality wines. This led to the creation of many wineries over the years, which thanks to geographical factors, maintain healthy vines and produce the best wine in Greece!

Your chance to visit these locations is one of the wine tours that are performed on the island! Carefully selected and some award-winning wineries of Santorini are waiting for you to explore them, and taste the different varieties of wines  paired with a tasteful lunch, learn the history behind the production of the wines by experts, and walk through their neat vineyards. Along the way, you will have the chance to see beautiful locations and admire the stunning view of the Caldera and the famous Volcano!

Choose the wine tour that you prefer and get ready for a unique experience and a journey in history and new flavors! You will not regret it!

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Wine Travelista

Wine Destinations · March 15, 2024

4 Best Santorini Wineries with Outstanding Wines

Looking to explore ancient volcanic vineyards and sip on incredible wines at the best Santorini wineries? This all-in-one guide has the essentials for planning your wine adventure on this gorgeous Greek island.

Santorini is known for its stunning scenery and dazzling sunsets. But it’s not just a pretty face. The island’s volcanic soil is like magic dust for vineyards, giving birth to the zesty Assyrtiko white wines the island is becoming famous for.

But with more than 20 wineries, how do you separate the good from the great? And let’s not get started on the wild ride that Santorini’s winding roads offer.

No worries, I’ve got your back. As your globe-trotting, WSET-certified wine expert , I’ve traveled this vine trail for you. And I’ve compiled a hand-picked list of the must-visit wineries in Santorini. So, let’s get started planning your epic wine-tasting trip!

The Best Santorini Wineries

These are some of the best wineries in Santorini for exceptional wines, delicious food, and great hospitality.

1. Domaine Sigalas

For exceptional wines and delicious food, don’t miss Domaine Sigalas . This historic winery is located in the northern part of the island close to Oia.

The first Assyrtiko I ever had was from Domaine Sigalas. And it was what made me fall in love with the grape.

Paris Sigalas grew up helping pick grapes at his grandfather’s vineyard. After taking over in the ’90s, his 1991 vintage was Santorini’s first PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) labeled wine.

The winemaker, Paris Sigalas, played a big part in elevating Santorini’s wines, with his 1991 maiden vintage being the island’s first PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) wine.

Domaine Sigalas’ 40 hectares of vineyards are sustainably farmed, and they produce 200,000 bottles a year.

Wines to Try

Domaine Sigalas makes five different versions of Assyrtiko, including stainless steel and oaked styles. You can experience single vineyard versions, as well as blends from different areas of the island.

I also like their aromatic Aidani, a white wine with peach and apricot flavors. And their Vinsanto is excellent too.

Domaine Sigalas is a quick 10-minute drive outside the center of Oia. The grapevine-shaded patio is surrounded by vineyards and has peekaboo views of the ocean.

Choose from a number of different flight options. And plan to have lunch here. Their food menu is fantastic! You can even enjoy a guided wine tasting with paired dishes. Just be sure to book ahead.

You can learn more about it in my post on  Santorini wine and food experiences .

2. Gaia Wines

Located on one of Santorini’s east coast beaches, enjoy stunning coastal views and the sound of crashing waves as you sip on incredible wine at Gaia Wines .

Owners Yiannis Paraskevopoulos and Leon Karatsalos traveled and studied winemaking around the world. In 1994, they brought their knowledge back and founded wineries in Greece’s two most important wine-growing regions.

Nemea is a red-wine region on the Peloponnese peninsula, where they use the Agiorgitiko grape. On Santorini, their wines are all made from Assyrtiko in a variety of different styles. You can taste both regions’ wines at their Santorini winery.

For my tasting, I tried Assyrtiko in four ways. I loved experiencing how the grape changes when made in different styles.

Thalassitis is Gaia’s unoaked version, made from low-yield vines. It’s an exceptional example of what this wine can be. And it was probably my favorite wine of the trip.

If you prefer an oaked style, try the Wild Ferment. The wild yeast strains are allowed to do their thing. And then they choose the best lots to age in oak. Or the Nychteri has more subtle flavors from French oak.

Gaia also makes excellent Vinsanto. I tried the 10 year version. It was a bit lighter than Estate Argyros’ 20-year version, with caramelized fruit, nuts, and coffee.

To visit, book a tour and tasting online. And don’t miss their delicious homemade food options like crunchy breadsticks and savory Dakos.

3. Estate Argyros

As the largest private owner of vineyards in Santorini, Estate Argyros owns 120 hectares. It was officially founded in 1902, but the family was involved in winemaking for decades before that.

Yiannis Argyros took over in 1974 and he was the one to put this winery on the map. He focused on making some of the best quality Vinsanto wines. And proving that dry-style Assyrtiko can be age-worthy.

Today, Matthaios is the fourth generation of the Argyros family running the winery. Since taking over in 2004, he’s built a beautiful, modern winery. The tasting room is stunning. It looks like something out of a magazine!

I loved their Estate Argyros Assyrtiko. The grapes come from vines that are at least 100 years old. They recommend aging it up to 10 years, which will mellow out the acidity and make it even more complex.

I was also able to try their Cuvee Monsignori Assyrtiko at a Santorini restaurant . This limited production wine is made from 200-year-old vines and it’s outstanding!

But, the winner of the tasting was the 1996 Vinsanto. The wine is made from a blend of late-harvested and dried Assyrtiko, Aidani, and Athiri grapes. And it’s aged for 20 years before releasing. It smelled like dried figs and caramel and tasted like chocolate and coffee.

Book a tour to learn about how these small-lot wines are produced. Or enjoy an educational wine and food pairing experience, with tasty regional bites.

4. Gavalas Winery

The Gavalas family has been making wine for five generations. These days, George and his son Vagelis run Gavalas Winery . And they focus on limited-production wines that highlight Santorini’s unique terroir. This includes 11 different labels and about 90,000 bottles per year.

They’ve also revived two rare grape varieties — Katsano and Voudomato — and are the only winery that produces these wines.

As one of the oldest wineries in Santorini, what’s unique about visiting is getting to explore the original stone winery building and wine cellars. The family has done a great job preserving it.

I enjoyed the Katsano, a floral white wine with flavors of peaches and pineapple. I also sampled the refreshing Aidani, with aromas of jasmine and flavors of green apple and pear.

Gavalas makes a rosé out of the revived Voudomato grape. This was one of my favorites of the tasting, with bright red cherry flavors and hints of butterscotch.

And their bold Mavrotragano was super concentrated with lots of black fruits and some spicy pepper. ​

Choose from a variety of tasting options. If this is your first stop, the Intro to Santorini flight is a great starting point. Or focus in one area like all white wines or premium and rare selections.

The beautiful secluded courtyard is the perfect place to enjoy your flight, along with delicious local cheeses, crunchy bread, and tomato paste. Just be sure to make a reservation in advance if you’re not visiting with a tour!

If your Greek island trip also includes visiting Crete, also check out my guides on the best Chania wineries and wineries near Heraklion .

Pin for Later!

More Santorini Wineries and Wine Tasting

Santo winery and venetsanos winery.

While I didn’t personally visit these wineries, they are known for having incredible views of the caldera. If you want to check them out, I’d suggest having lunch or dinner there.

But be warned that they are popular, so you’ll want to book well in advance. This is easy to do online for both Santo Winery and Venetsanos Winery .

Santorini Wine Museum

Want to learn about the history of the island, Santorini wine, and what wine making was like in ancient times? This underground museum was built in a 300-meter-long cave by the Koutsogiannopoulos winemaking family.

Through an audio tour you’ll see the stages of the wine production process and learn about the range of machinery wine producers need. You’ll also get to see some rare winemaking equipment and tools that were used by past generations of the family.

After your tour of the museum, you can experience the family’s wines with one of their wine-tasting packages. Visit their website for more details.

Santorini Wineries Tour

Driving in Santorini can be a little scary. The roads are very narrow and locals drive fast. I don’t recommend attempting it if you’re going to multiple wineries.

To visit family-owned wineries producing some of Santorini’s best wines, I recommend booking a tour with Santorini Wine Trails . Iliana is a fantastic guide! She studied winemaking and worked in the industry at a winery and as a sommelier. All her tours are private and include pick-up and drop-off at your accommodation.

But if Santorini Wine Trails is booked or you prefer a group tour, this Santorini Wine Secrets tour is another excellent option that includes pick-up and drop-off, wine tastings at 3 top wineries, snacks, and more.

🚌 Book a private tour with Santorini Wine Trails or a group tour with Santorini Wine Secrets

Recommendations may be affiliate links on which I earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. This helps me share new wine destinations with you and I only recommend products and services that I love and think you’ll love too!

Where to Stay for Visiting Wineries in Santorini, Greece

As beautiful as Santorini’s main cities of Oia and Fira are, they also get super crowded. If you don’t want to deal with elbowing your way down the street every time you want to get to your hotel, I recommend staying in the southern part of the island. 

You can easily get around by renting a car or using the fancy bus system (seriously, they’re like luxury liners). You’ll also be closer to the famous black and red beaches and the Akrotiri archaeological site. 

Kokkinos Villas is a wonderful option with incredible views of the caldera. The rooms are spacious, and some even have private hot tubs. Each day you can put in your custom breakfast order for the next morning, and it will be ready when you arrive.

🏨 Book Kokkinos Villas

Santorini Wine Region

Santorini wines.

Santorini has about 40 different native grape varieties grown on 1,300 hectares of vineyards. Some of these vineyards are owned by Santorini’s 20 wineries. But many are independently farmed by the island’s 1,200 grape growers. 

This Greek island produces 3 million bottles of wine a year. The Santorini PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) covers red and white wines made in both dry and sweet styles. 

If you’re wondering what a PDO is, it’s basically Europe’s way of saying only agricultural products made in a specific area and of a certain quality can use the protected name.

Santorini White Wines

Santorini is famous for Assyrtiko, which makes up 75% of the vineyard plantings on the island. This white grape makes high-acid wines with intense aromas. And it has flavors of lime, tropical fruits, and almost a salty quality to it.

Usually, Assyrtiko is made as a single varietal wine. But you’ll also find it blended with Santorini’s other white grapes, Aidani and Athiri. 

Santorini Red Wines 

Mandilaria, also found at Crete wineries , is the most common red grape in Santorini. It’s sometimes blended with Assyrtiko to make a dry red. Or dried in the sun to make a sweet dessert wine.

Mavrotragano is another up-and-coming Santorini red. This grape variety was almost extinct until being revived a few years ago. It makes full-bodied, high-alcohol wines that can be ageable. 

Vinsanto: Santorini’s Sweet Wine

This late-harvested wine is made by laying grapes out in the sun for up to 14 days. This concentrates the sugars in the grapes. So much so, that fermentation stops on its own, leaving a sweet wine.

Vinsanto is aged in oak for at least two years, but many for far longer. This gives it delicious flavors of dried fruit, caramel, and toasted nuts.

In case you didn’t know, the Greek Island of Santorini is technically an active volcano. You know all those beautiful photos you see of the cliffs and the sapphire water below? Well, that’s because the middle part of the island collapsed in a past eruption.

The soil is a mix of lava and volcanic ash, mainly composed of pumice. Yes, like those stones you use to exfoliate! 

What’s cool about this is that the volcanic soil is resistant to diseases. So, Santorini has never had to deal with phylloxera — the root louse that infected vines throughout the world. 

This means that Santorini’s vineyards haven’t had to be replanted, making them some of the oldest vines in the world. We’re talking as old as 300 years!

Santorini has a mediterranean climate with mild winters and long hot summers. There’s very little rain during the growing season, so the vines get a lot of their water from the air. They absorb the humidity and the mist from the sea breeze.

There isn’t much vintage variation, but they’re seeing more of this with climate change. Things like higher rainfall, heat waves, and night humidity can impact the quality and volume of each vintage.

The island’s strong winds means they have to use a special vineyard pruning technique called a “kouloura.” The vines are formed into basket-like shapes low to the ground. And the grapes grow in the center, which protects them from the harsh winds.

It takes about 15-20 minutes to prune each vine this way. This is done twice per year so it’s pretty time-consuming. It’s currently the only place in the world where you can see this technique used. 

Check out More International Wine Destinations

3 Crete Wineries in Chania You’ll Love

Stunning Heraklion Wineries You Won’t Want to Miss in Crete

The Best Porto Port Houses for Tastings and Tours

The Best Douro Valley Wine Tour

How to Visit Cava Wineries Near Barcelona, Spain

The Best Tour for Bordeaux Wine Tasting

Have you been to any of these Santorini wineries or tried their wines? Which are your favorites?

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I'm your go-to gal for all things wine and wanderlust. With a WSET Level 3 certification in wine and passport stamps from 30 countries and counting, I’m here to help you explore the world, one glass at a time.

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I’m Laura, the founder of Wine Travelista. And your go-to gal for all things wine and wanderlust. With a WSET Level 3 certification in wine and passport stamps from 30 countries and counting, I’m here to help you explore the world, one glass at a time.

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Explore Santorini a magical tour

Get ready to truly enjoy exploring our amazing island of Santorini. Experience the intense beauty of this unique paradise under the expert guidance of an experienced professional driver/guide, embarking on a magical tour you won’t soon forget!

Choose the tour of your life

With a wide variety of options including our comprehensive island tours, either semi-private or fully private, our tailored plan-your-own tours where you choose the itinerary, or our specialized winery tours visiting the island’s finest vintners, there’s always a fun & exciting experience for everyone!

4 Hours Semi Private Wine Tour Through the Grapevine

For serious wine aficionados or visitors that simply want to taste excellent wines in the place they are born, an exciting wine-tasting adventure on the island of Santorini. 

4 Hours Private Wine Tour Through the Grapevine

6 Hours Private Island Tour with Wine Tasting and Food Pairing

With this Tour you will visit all the wonders of Santorini and taste the Santorini wines pairing with traditional Greek dishes.

Let’s explore together Santorini Island like a Local

It’s like having an old friend show you around just like a local, exploring all the “must see” spots, along with some “off the beaten path” sights and activities you might never discover on your own. Relax, sit back, leave the driving to us, and enjoy your fabulous vacation to the fullest, stress-free and easy, as it should be! All tours are conducted in a spacious, air conditioned, luxury van with a maximum of six passengers on our most popular Semi-Private Island Tour, so everyone gets the personal attention they deserve.

P.O. Box 45, Vourvoulos 84 700 Santorini Greece T & F: +30 22860 25641 [email protected]

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Santorini Wine Experience: Sunset Tour

The Santorini Wine Experience : Sunset Tour offers visitors a captivating exploration of the island’s rich winemaking heritage. Over the course of five hours, guests will venture to three traditional wineries , sampling an impressive array of 14 exceptional local varietals. With the guidance of an expert, they’ll explore the unique volcanic terroir that lends Santorini’s wines their distinctive flavors. But the real highlight? Witnessing a breathtaking sunset over the Aegean Sea, providing an unforgettable backdrop for this immersive tasting journey. For those eager to uncover the depth and complexity of Santorini’s celebrated vintages, this tour promises an experience unlike any other.

• A private 5-hour wine tour that explores three traditional Santorini wineries and showcases 14 distinct local wine varietals.
• Highlights Santorini’s unique volcanic terroir and its influence on the exceptional character and quality of the wines.
• Includes a captivating sunset experience, providing panoramic views of the Aegean Sea while sampling the renowned local wines.
• Comprehensive tour led by an expert wine guide, offering a deep dive into Santorini’s winemaking heritage from preindustrial to modern techniques.
• Seamless transportation, with pickup and drop-off at hotels or Airbnb accommodations, and all admission and tasting fees included.

More tours and experiences nearby.

• Santorini: Island Highlights Half-Day Shore Excursion
• Santorini: Spend The Day With A Local
• Santorini Private Custom 5 Hours Tour With Luxury Car
• 4 Hours Private Historical and Traditional Island Tour

Tour Overview and Pricing

The Santorini Wine Experience: Sunset Tour offers a private 5-hour wine tour with an expert guide, allowing visitors to explore three traditional wineries and taste 14 different varietals of Santorini wine for a price starting from $547.60 per group (up to 2 participants).

Guests can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund , and a reserve now & pay later option is available.

During the tour, you will sample local cheese, snacks, and tapas while admiring the scenic countryside and sunset views over the Aegean Sea.

The tour includes pickup and drop-off, transportation, and all admission and tasting fees, making it a comprehensive and convenient way to experience Santorini’s rich winemaking heritage.

Tour Highlights

Private 5-hour wine tour with an expert guide allows visitors to explore three traditional wineries and taste 14 different varietals of Santorini wine.

Guests will sample local cheese, snacks, and tapas as they admire the scenic countryside and breathtaking sunset views over the Aegean Sea.

The tour showcases Santorini’s rich winemaking history, from a museum highlighting preindustrial techniques to a modern facility blending tradition and innovation.

The final winery is the first industrial winery on the caldera, offering a unique terroir that produces exceptional wines like the renowned Assyrtiko.

Throughout the experience, visitors will learn about the exceptional volcanic soil that gives Santorini wines their distinctive character.

Wineries and Wine Experience

Santorini’s rich winemaking history comes alive as visitors explore three traditional wineries , each offering a unique perspective on the island’s exceptional terroir.

The first winery is a museum showcasing preindustrial winemaking techniques , transporting guests back in time.

At the second winery, they’ll witness a blend of traditional methods and modern innovation.

The third winery, the first industrial facility on Santorini’s caldera, provides a chance to experience the island’s unique volcanic soil that produces the acclaimed Assyrtiko grape .

Throughout the tour, guests will savor a total of 14 different wine varietals, gaining a deep appreciation for Santorini’s winemaking legacy and the exceptional quality of its renowned wines.

Unique Volcanic Terroir

One of the highlights of the Santorini Wine Experience is the chance to explore the island’s unique volcanic terroir , which is essential to the exceptional quality of its renowned wines.

Santorini’s arid, wind-swept landscape and porous, nutrient-rich soil—a result of the volcanic eruption that formed the island millennia ago—produce grapes with remarkable concentration and minerality, especially in the acclaimed Assyrtiko varietal .

The tour’s three wineries showcase how vintners have adapted their practices to this distinctive environment, blending traditional techniques with innovative methods to coax the utmost character from the grapes.

Visitors can savor the wines’ distinctive flavors —from the crisp acidity and citrus notes to the robust, full-bodied structure—and understand why Santorini’s volcanic terroir is so revered.

Sunset and Scenic Views

During the Santorini Wine Experience tour , visitors can witness breathtaking sunset views while sampling the island’s renowned wines.

As the day draws to a close, the tour takes guests to elevated vantage points overlooking the Aegean Sea , where they can enjoy panoramic vistas as the sky transforms into a captivating display of vibrant hues .

The setting sun paints the horizon in a spectrum of reds, oranges, and pinks, casting a warm glow over the stunning caldera.

Sipping on the unique, volcanic-influenced wines against this picturesque backdrop creates an unforgettable experience that perfectly encapsulates the essence of Santorini.

The combination of exceptional wines and breathtaking scenery make this sunset tour a truly memorable highlight of any visit to the island.

Pickup and Drop-off

The tour includes pickup and drop-off at visitors’ hotels or Airbnb accommodations, ensuring a seamless and convenient start and end to the wine experience. Guests are transported in a comfortable, air-conditioned luxury SUV or minivan, allowing them to relax and enjoy the scenic journey. The tour provides all necessary transportation, so participants can sit back, relax, and enjoy the wine tasting without worrying about logistics.

Transportation and Inclusions

Guests are transported in a comfortable, air-conditioned luxury SUV or minivan , ensuring a seamless and convenient start and end to the wine experience.

The tour includes all admissions and tasting fees at the three traditional wineries visited.

An English-speaking wine expert guide leads the group, providing a mini wine-tasting tutorial on Greek wines to enhance the experience.

All taxes are included, and gratuities are optional, making this a hassle-free outing .

With pickup and drop-off at your’ hotel or Airbnb, the Santorini Wine Experience: Sunset Tour provides a comprehensive and immersive exploration of the island’s rich winemaking heritage in an effortless and enjoyable manner.

Expert Guide and Tastings

An expert wine guide leads participants through a captivating tasting experience , introducing them to 14 distinct Santorini wine varietals sourced from three renowned local wineries.

The first winery showcases preindustrial winemaking methods , offering a glimpse into Santorini’s rich viticultural heritage.

At the second winery, guests witness the harmonious blend of traditional techniques and modern innovation .

The final stop, the first industrial winery on the Santorini caldera, provides a unique opportunity to savor wines crafted from the island’s exceptional volcanic terroir .

Throughout the tour, the knowledgeable guide shares insights into the unique characteristics of each wine, allowing participants to fully appreciate the nuances of Santorini’s exceptional viticulture.

Here's a few more nearby tours and experiences we think you'll like.

• Santorini: Sightseeing and Traditional Villages
• Santorini Standard Private Tour
• Santorini: Exclusive Private Horse Riding With Picnic
• Santorini Photo Safari High Places
• ~ Private Full Day Santorini Road Tour ~
• Sea & Land Sunset Tour

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I Book This Tour for More Than 2 Participants?

Yes, the tour can accommodate more than 2 participants. The price listed is for a group of up to 2 people, but additional participants can be added for an additional cost per person.

Are Vegetarian or Gluten-Free Options Available for the Food?

The tour offers vegetarian and gluten-free options for the local cheese, snacks, and tapas provided during the wine tastings. Guests with dietary restrictions can enjoy the full experience with accommodations to meet their needs.

Is the Tour Wheelchair Accessible?

The tour is wheelchair accessible, with the wineries and transportation accommodating guests with mobility needs. The guide works closely with participants to ensure a comfortable and enjoyable experience for all.

Do I Need to Bring My Own Wine Glasses?

No, you don’t need to bring your own wine glasses. The tour includes all necessary glassware for the wine tastings at the various wineries. All you need to do is enjoy the experience and sample the exceptional wines of Santorini.

How Much Time Is Allocated for Each Winery Visit?

The tour allocates around 1 hour and 20 minutes at each of the three wineries, allowing ample time to tour the facilities, learn about the winemaking process, and sample the locally produced wines in a leisurely manner.

Not for you? Here's more of our most recent tour reviews happening neaby

• Greek Cuisine Cooking Class in Santorini
• Premium Tour: Santorini’S Hidden Gems & Wonders
• Santorini: Three Villages and Three Castles Hiking Tour
• The Picturesque Locals: Santorinis Tradition & Culture Tour
• Santorini: Tour Around the Island
• Santorini Essentials Full Day Private Tour
• Santorini : Highlights Private Tour With Wine Tasting
• Santorini Cultural Villages and Akrotiri Ruins Private Tour
• Private Santorini Tour: 3 Wineries 15 Wines and Lunch 4hour
• Private Transfers Around the Island
• Santorini Wine Experience: Daytime Tour
• Greek Gastronomic Journey: A 7-Course Tasting Odyssey.
• Oia Mythical Views And Premium Wine Tasting At Two Wineries
• Santorini: Akrotiri Excavation, Megalochori, & Beaches Tour
• Santorini : Discover With Locals – Small Group Half-Day Tour

The Santorini Wine Experience : Sunset Tour offers an unforgettable exploration of the island’s rich winemaking heritage.

Guests will delight in sampling exceptional local varietals while seeing the stunning volcanic terroir .

With an expert guide, they’ll discover the unique flavors that the land imparts, culminating in breathtaking sunset views over the Aegean Sea – a truly memorable tasting experience.

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Home » Our Tours » Small-Group Wine Tours » Santorini Wineries: Daytime Tour in 3 Wineries of Santorini

Santorini Wineries: Daytime Tour in 3 Wineries of Santorini

SANTORINI WINERIES TOUR DESCRIPTION

Sip your way around Santorini on a half-day wine tour, visiting three of the best traditional wineries dotted around the picturesque island.

Learn about the ancient vineyard of Santorini, the history of the island through the centuries, and how the volcanic soils influence its wine-making.

Visit 3 of the best wineries dotted around the picturesque island and taste a selection of 12 different wines served alongside local cheese and snacks.

While savoring up to 12 different varietals made from grapes such as the indigenous Assyrtiko, learn all about the island’s unique viticulture that produces some of the crispest whites and seductively sweet wines in the Mediterranean. 

Walk around a volcanic vineyard, explore the wineries’ cellars, and enjoy a platter of local cheese and snacks to eat alongside the wine.

• 4-hour wine tour in Santorini, led by a wine expert guide.
• Visit three traditional wineries dotted around the picturesque island.
• Admire the charming countryside filled with scenic villages and rolling hills.
• Walk around a volcanic vineyard and learn about the island’s unique viticulture.
• Explore the cellars of each winery and see where their wine is bottled and matured.
• Sample up to 12 different wines such as Assyrtiko, Nykteri, and Vinsanto.
• Enjoy a platter of cheese and snacks to eat alongside wine tastings.
• Hotel / Airbnb pickup and drop-off.

WHAT’S INCLUDED

• Pickup & drop-off at your Hotel or Airbnb.
• Transportation by air-conditioned Mercedes-Benz vehicle.
• Visits at three renowned wineries featured in respected wine magazines such as Wine Spectator & Robert Parker.
• Wine tasting of 12 different wine styles from Santorini and Greece.
• English-speaking wine expert guide/sommelier.
• Mini wine-tasting tutorial of Greek wines.
• Local cheese and snacks to eat alongside wine tastings.
• Admissions and tasting fees at the wineries.

NOT INCLUDED

• Gratuities (Optional)

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MORNING TOUR ROUTE (APRIL TO NOVEMBER)

• Hatzidakis Winery, or Estate Argyros or Gavalas Winery
• Santo Winery
• Anhydrous Winery

* May 15 to October 15 start time is 09.30 am /  April to May 14 and October 16 to November 30 start time is 12 pm

TASTING INFORMATION

The wines served during the tour are mainly whites and dessert wines as these are the kind of wines the island of Santorini produces. A few red wines will be served as well. This is a gentle note for guests who only drink red wine.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

This is a small group (shared) tour, that can accommodate up to 8-10 people. Operated as private, the tour can accommodate larger groups upon request. Duration 4,5 hours approx. The exact duration may vary. Departs from Monday to Saturday at 10:00 am approx. (start time may vary depending on pickup location). Available Monday to Saturday from May to October.

PICKUP INFORMATION

Parts of Santorini are built on a slope, in case your hotel/ Airbnb is inaccessible by car due to landscape, pedestrianized areas, or any other restrictions, your pickup will be set at a nearby meeting point location within walking distance from your accommodation that will be advised after your booking.

TOUR TIME-TABLE

The tour operator reserves the right to alter/ shift the time frame of the tour and/or tour route due to unforeseen circumstances, weather conditions, and slots/ tables available at the tasting rooms of the wineries that day. Your tour might start at a little later or prior time in a continuous effort to provide a better service and to secure a smoother experience for all of our guests.

PAYMENT INFORMATION

Our e-commerce website accepts payments with all major credit cards and PayPal, the booking process is seamless – it should only take a moment to book any of our experiences online. In case you are trying to book one of our experiences through our website and your transaction is not successful you may try booking by using a different card, pay with PayPal, or get in touch with your bank/credit card issuer to describe the situation and kindly ask them to release any restriction they might have placed on your card or our website. From our experience, we have noticed that there are times that overseas banks/credit card companies place a short of security on overseas web transactions, as a measure of extra protection for the cardholder.

Again, if the problem persists please try using a different card or select the Pay with PayPal option on our website. Even if you do not have a PayPal account, PayPal acts similarly to a credit card and pulls up a credit card processor to enter your card number. Payments with PayPal seem to work well in such cases where credit cards fail.

CANCELLATION POLICY

• If you cancel more than 3 days(73 hours or more) in advance of your scheduled departure, there is no cancellation fee and a 100 percent refund is being processed back to the original form of payment.
• If you cancel within 72 hours of the scheduled departure or NON-SHOW, there is a 100 percent cancellation fee.
• In addition, no changes / reschedules are possible 72 hours or less before the tour start time.

For your convenience and to avoid any confusion, please make sure that your traveling plans/traveling arrangements are by the tour you have booked. To read all our booking terms and conditions please click here:  cancellation policy

• 2024 Tripadvisor Top-Rated Operator
• Free Cancellation up to 3 days before travel
• 98% excellent reviews on Tripadvisor and Google
• All major cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and PayPal accepted
• Live Support in English with WhatsApp

Book and pay securely

238 REVIEWS

Krista Marie S

Wine tour that exceeds them all.

Our wine tour was wonderful. We visited 3 incredible wineries with amazing views and amazing wine! Our tour guide Penny was a Level 3 WSET Sommelier and so was I!!!! We hit it off and made the day the best EVER!!!!!! What a great tour! Thank You!!!

Delicious Wines, Great Time!

My husband and I went on the wine tour during our stay in Santorini. We had a fabulous time! Our tour guide Stratos was engaging, informative, and entertaining. We went to three wineries and drank so much wine. We were in a small group with six other couples. The charcuterie board we had at the second winery, Santos Winery, was delicious and the lunch we had at the last winery, Anhydrous, was fantastic. Definitely recommend the winery tour to anyone who wants to learn about the wine making process of Santorini and taste a variety of local wines.

Lovely Santorini wine tour

Yiannis, our guide, was so knowledgeable and clearly loves wine! We had three tastings,which included a wide range of Santorini wines. The food at two of the stops was excellent, too – our guide gave us specific notes about which pairings would (and wouldn’t!) work.

We learned a lot, we drank a lot, we saw some beautiful scenery – excellent tour.

Read more reviews >

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A Self-Guided Wine Tasting Tour in Santorini

• October 17, 2020
• Food & Wine , Greece , Luxury Travel
• Comments Off on A Self-Guided Wine Tasting Tour in Santorini

During our month in the Cyclades, I made it our mission to taste as many Greek varietals as possible and to visit as many vineyards and winemakers as we could along the way (let’s call it homework/research for my upcoming WSET 3 Exam). On most of the islands, that gave me a pretty solid overview of what each island was producing and the key winemakers in each. Santorini, with its international reputation for its PDO assyrtiko, is a different beast though. Unless you have ample time on your side, visiting all of Santorini’s 18 wineries is definitely a challenge. For most visitors to the island, the best approach is to pick a handful of wineries that most interest you, map them out, and prioritize them for tastings. Many wineries are concentrated in the Megalochori and Fira areas of Santorini, more or less in the center of the island not far from the ferry and air ports. From Fira or Imerovigli, you’re in relatively close proximity, and if wine is your focus, you may want to consider basing yourselves in one of these locations. From Oia, expect a 30-minute drive to the heart of the wine region. While there are many wine tasting tours in Santorini on offer (I’ve linked some below), we opted for a unique approach given limited availability during COVID: a self-guided wine tasting tour of Santorini on foot, using taxis to and from the main wine region. Interested in doing the same? Read up on how we structured our day, timing allotted for each, and pricing along the way.

👉🏼 Is wine your thing? Check out my full post on wine tasting in the Cyclades for inspiration from the islands!

11AM ✧ Cab to First Winery {Santo Wines}

From Oia, we took a cab to our starting point: Santo Wines . In theory, you could take the public bus from Oia to Fira, and then on to Santo, but the logistics and timing involved with that course made my head spin. Santo is a coop and the largest winery on the island and as such you’ll find a slightly more corporate feel here than in some of the quaint family-owned wineries. That said, you’ll have plentiful wine tasting options available in the form of flights, an extensive shop, and gorgeous views from the tasting area!

Each destination has its own approach to wine tasting and tours but the wineries we visited in Santorini were more focused on tastings than on vineyard tours (unlike our experience wine tasting in Rioja , for example). The tastings across the board followed a similar pattern: sit down at a table, select the wine flight of your choice – many of which offer food and wine pairings as well – enjoy your flight, and purchase wine if you’re so inclined. Since all tastings come at a cost (expect €15 – €50 for flights depending on the winery and selections) there’s really no pressure to buy wines unless you feel truly inclined.

At Santo, we sat down at around with beautiful views of Santorini and choices of four different flights, each of which offered 6 different glasses, or the option to craft a personalized flight from the selection available. The flights come with olives and breadsticks – generous portions to help soak up your morning vino – but you can also order more substantial bites if you’re there mid-day. The wines range in quality but the whites are definitely the stars here so I’d generally recommend skewing that direction. There are some great reds coming out of the Cyclades ( mandilaria and mavrotragano are the traditional reds from the region), but not all wineries are putting out exceptional options since reds are generally a bit of an afterthought with the whites ruling the roost. As a general rule, you’re more likely to find really good assyrtikos or white blends (other PDO wines in Santorini are aidani white and aitheri ) than a really good red wine at any given winery.

In hindsight, I’m glad that we started with Santo since it’s a bigger producer with a more varied mix of quality in wines. If you’re including Santo in your lineup, I’d suggest starting here for that reason and because if you follow this itinerary your walks to the next wineries will be downhill. Strategic!

1PM  ✧ Walk to Venetsanos Winery

From Santo we continued on to Venetsanos, which was about a 10 to 15-minute walk. Yes, the sun gets toasty in Santorini but the walks aren’t long and they were actually a nice way to get some movement in between each tasting which left us ending the day in far better shape than any of us expected. Plus, you’ll get a glimpse of some of the vineyards with Santorini’s famous kouloura , a wreath/basket-shaped growing style that keeps vines low to the ground to protect them from the harsh Cycladic conditions. Santorini is the only destination in the world that uses this technique which makes it really interesting — even while wine tasting in the Cyclades throughout this trip we didn’t see this method used on any other neighboring islands.

Venetsanos is cut into the beautiful cliffside, a stunning locale for wine with a view but before you get to the tasting, you’ll walk through the winery which acts like a miniature museum showcasing the winery’s history as you travel down a few floors. We arrived mid-day in time for a bite to go with our flights. Cheese lovers, don’t miss the cheese plate (there’s a half and half with charcuterie as well) and allow your hostess to suggest pairings as your flights come out. And you guys, I’m a woman living on an island where good cheese is hard to come by, so you better believe I took full advantage of a little cheese + wine pairing! You could easily opt for wines by the glass here if you’re not up for the full flight, but we were there to taste so we each opted for a flight, plus were treated to the release of their brand-new orange wine (white grapes with skin contact, which provides color). I hadn’t tried orange wine at the source since our time wine tasting on the Peljesac Peninsula in Croatia but it’s never been something that I’ve personally loved… though I give them thumbs up for being creative with the offerings and mixing up tradition a bit.  The stand out for me at Venetsano? Their Nykteri,  an oaked assyrtiko that has great freshness with more body than traditional assyrtiko.

You’ll see  nychteri  on wine lists throughout Santorini and at different wineries so it’s not unique to Venetsanos, though I found theirs to be very good. Each winery’s interpretation of nychteri can vary. It was traditionally made from a blend of Santorini’s three PDO white wines, assyrtiko, athiri, and aidani. The term ‘nychteri’ designated that grapes were pressed during the night after harvest to work with lower temperatures in an otherwise hot locale to prevent oxidation (‘nychta’ = night in Greek). Generally (possibly always?), Nychteri is oaked, which is what we universally found to be true in our tastings. As with oak used in any production, it’s a matter of taste on the winemaker’s part, but we typically found a nice touch of oak to add body without overpowering the grapes. Too much wine jargon there? Just know that it’s a great one to try, especially if you don’t consider yourself a lover of crisp whites.

3PM  ✧ Walk to Gavalas Winery

Recharged with a perfectly balanced mid-day meal of wine and cheese we ventured on to our third and final stop on our self-guided wine tasting tour of Santorini: Gavalas Winery , a family-owned and operated establishment in Megalochori making wine for five generations. In my tips for wine tasting in La Rioja I mentioned mixing modern and traditional or large and small wineries when you’re crafting a wine tasting itinerary, and I think that’s true around the world in general when it comes to tastings. The big shiny wineries have their own draw with extremely established offerings, great marketing collateral, extensive shops, etc., but it can be hard to beat the soul and spirit of family-owned establishments. Plus, if you missed my post about our food and wine through Naxos, I touched on the idea of how our dollars speak loudly – the places we choose to support (like small and/or family-owned businesses) are the places we’re voting to keep around for future generations. And perhaps more than many other industries, winemaking’s magic and allure lie in its tradition.

Enter Gavalas, a smaller establishment tucked into the charming village of Megalochori. Gavalas has a rather odd rule that couples can’t share wine flights, so the ladies ordered flights while the guys opted for a glass of their choosing for a cheeky workaround. The wine flights vary in pricing from the Introduction to Santorini  flight (4 wines, €13/person) to their  Premium and Rare  flight, which offers 6 of the rarest, ‘under-extinction’ varieties on the island (€30). Since we were sharing a flight (sort of), we opted for the Premium and Rare flight to get a good feel for the wines being produced at Gavalas, from their classic whites to their red.  A glass of dessert wine was a little bonus at the end.

The assyrtiko (blue bottle) and the Vinsanto were standouts during our tasting. Greek wines don’t have a huge American audience, though it is growing, and the only wine that people seemed to recognize when I posted about our experiences on social media was the blue bottle of assyrtiko from Gavalas, which is by far the winery’s largest production (40,000 of 80,000 total bottles produced) and the only wine that they export to the US.

Also, it’s worth mentioning that at virtually every winery the  Vinsanto  is worth trying and probably buying. Vinsanto is an awesome dessert wine from Santorini that doesn’t have the syrupy sweetness that you’ll find in some fortified wines. While some wineries may do it better than others, I found it delicious across the board. We took a bottle of Gavalas’ award-winning Vinsanto home with us to save for a day when we’re ready to reminisce on our month in the Cyclades.

Your tour is done!  If you follow this itinerary, you’ll be done with your wine tasting at around 5PM or so. We had a taxi on speed dial from our hotel but you can always ask the winery to phone a taxi on your behalf if needed. Try reaching out 15 – 20 minutes prior to your departure time to give the taxi enough time to reach you as you finish your tasting. Keep in mind that taxis are generally a fixed rate of €40 each way from Oia to the Megalochori area. If you’re trying to cut some costs, perhaps look at options for public transportation to your first stop, but I’d plan on taking a taxi home to take the guesswork out of your journey back!

Bonus: Hike to Avantis Winery from Oia

Are you into this whole self-guided wine tasting tour in Santorini? If you’re still keen on sampling Santorini’s famous vinos, you can follow our lead and enjoy the hike from Oia to Fira along the Santorinian coast (about 10km/6.25 miles). Your endpoint is just a few minutes’ walking from Avantis Winery and is the ultimate reward for the calorie burn and sun exposure. We packed a change of clothes on the hike so we could swap out into something presentable at the tasting room and we were extremely grateful to see they had a changing room on-site to make this even easier than expected!

Avantis is an excellent option if you’re interested in trying Greek wines that go beyond wines from Santorini. With Avantis vineyards in Evia, the winery offers varietals from further north like their viognier and award-winning syrah. And Avantis has the added bonus of being beloved for their excellent cuisine. Their flights include offerings with food pairings like their Meze & Wine Experience  (7 wines with greek meze, €40) or our choice, the  Greek Cheese Experience,  which included six wines with a selection of Greek cheeses for €24. If you’re more than a little peckish, they offer a full a la carte menu instead and flights sans food to create your own adventure.

One of my favorite aspects was that Avantis provided more of an experience, with sensory components like an aroma station where you can learn to identify key scents in the wines. A visit to the cellar gave us a preview of the wines produced in Santorini and the many incarnations of assyrtiko they offer, like the complex, oak-aged  Afoura  to their concrete egg-aged Anhydrous. One of the beauties here is that between what they’re producing in Santorini and what they’re producing in Evia, there’s absolutely something for everyone, whether you’re into crisp whites or fuller-bodied reds.

Allow yourself a couple of hours to enjoy a tasting and don’t miss trying their food, even if it’s just a small pairing! Not into hiking back home? For €1.80, the bus station is just minutes away for buses (nice buses, I might add!) you back to Oia.

While we weren’t expecting to do a self-guided wine tasting tour in Santorini originally, it actually worked out beautifully and ended up being made even more fun by sharing with friends who joined on our journey. There are many wineries to choose from in Santorini and we just scratched the surface. I sadly missed a handful that were very high on my list to try – Volcanic Slopes Vineyard Winery , Domaine Sigalas , Argyros , and Hatzidakis Winery come to mind – but we’re just taking that as an even better reason to return to Santorini in the future!

Have you done a self-guided wine tasting tour in Santorini before? Any wineries that topped your list on the island?

More about Shannon Kircher

Shannon Kircher is the founder and editor of The Wanderlust Effect. Founded in 2009, she has continued to document her international escapes as an expat in Europe and the Caribbean. Additionally, Shannon is the founder of Compass & Vine, a luxury boutique travel design firm, and is the Director of Marketing for the Frangipani Beach Resort. Shannon holds an MSc in Social Policy and Development from the London School of Economics and is a current candidate for WSET Level 3 in Wines & Spirits.

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Secrets To Shopping Like A Local In Santorini, Greece

Published: September 3, 2024

by Arline Jameson

Shopping in Santorini, Greece, offers a unique experience that goes beyond typical tourist spots. Want to shop like a local ? Start by visiting the bustling markets in Fira, where you can find everything from fresh produce to handmade crafts. Wander through the narrow streets of Oia, where small boutiques sell local art , jewelry, and clothing. Don't miss the chance to buy some Santorini wine directly from vineyards. For a truly authentic experience, head to the village of Pyrgos, where you can find traditional Greek products and interact with friendly shopkeepers. Shopping in Santorini isn't just about buying items; it's about immersing yourself in the culture and connecting with the people.

Discovering Hidden Gems in Santorini

Santorini, Greece, is famous for its stunning sunsets, white-washed buildings, and crystal-clear waters. But beyond the tourist hotspots, there's a world of local shopping waiting to be explored. From unique boutiques to bustling markets, here's how to shop like a local in Santorini.

Traditional Markets

Traditional markets offer a glimpse into the daily life of Santorini's residents. Here, you can find everything from fresh produce to handmade crafts.

Fira Market : Located in the island's capital, this market is a bustling hub of activity. Vendors sell fresh fruits, vegetables, and local delicacies. It's the perfect place to pick up ingredients for a picnic or try some traditional Greek snacks.

Pyrgos Market : This lesser-known market is situated in the charming village of Pyrgos. Known for its friendly atmosphere, it offers a variety of local products, including olive oil, honey, and herbs. It's a great spot to find authentic souvenirs.

Unique Boutiques

Santorini's boutiques are filled with one-of-a-kind items that you won't find anywhere else. These shops often feature local designers and artisans.

Atlantis Books : Nestled in Oia, this independent bookstore is a treasure trove for book lovers. With a carefully curated selection of books in multiple languages, it's a must-visit for anyone looking to pick up a unique read.

Spira Marble Art Gallery : Located in Fira, this gallery showcases stunning marble sculptures and artwork. Each piece is handcrafted by local artists, making it a perfect place to find a special keepsake.

Artisan Shops

Artisan shops in Santorini offer a chance to see traditional crafts being made and purchase unique handmade items.

Koukla Jewelry : Situated in Oia, this boutique features beautiful handmade jewelry inspired by the island's natural beauty. Each piece is crafted with care, making it a perfect gift or personal memento.

Santorini Mou : This shop in Firostefani specializes in handmade ceramics. From colorful plates to intricate vases, the items here are both functional and decorative. Watching the artisans at work adds to the experience.

Local Food Stores

Sampling local food is a big part of the shopping experience in Santorini. These stores offer a taste of the island's culinary delights.

Santo Wines : Located in Pyrgos, this winery offers a wide selection of local wines. You can sample different varieties and even take a tour of the vineyard. It's an excellent place to pick up a bottle or two as a souvenir.

Ergon Santorini : Found in Fira, this gourmet food store offers a range of local products, including cheeses, cured meats, and sweets. It's a great spot to find delicious treats to take home or enjoy during your stay.

Fashion Boutiques

Santorini's fashion boutiques offer stylish clothing and accessories that reflect the island's chic vibe.

Sand Lily Boutique : Located in Kamari, this boutique features trendy clothing and accessories. With a focus on local designers, it's a great place to find unique pieces that capture the essence of Santorini style.

White Boutique : Situated in Fira, this shop offers a range of elegant clothing and accessories. From flowing dresses to stylish handbags, it's the perfect place to update your wardrobe with a touch of Greek flair.

Embrace Local Shopping in Santorini

Shopping in Santorini offers a unique experience. From handmade jewelry to local wines, there's something for everyone. Visit Oia for art galleries and boutiques. Head to Fira for a mix of traditional and modern shops. Don't miss the local markets where you can find fresh produce and unique souvenirs.

Remember to haggle politely; it's part of the culture. Take your time to explore and enjoy the vibrant atmosphere. Supporting local businesses not only gets you unique items but also helps the community.

Whether you're looking for authentic Greek products or just want to soak in the local culture, Santorini's shops have it all. So pack light, because you'll want to bring back a piece of this beautiful island. Happy shopping!

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Istanbul Delights & Santorini Dreams

11-NIGHT ROUND-TRIP SAILING FROM ATHENS

Beaches, bars, and bazaars in Istanbul

This 11-night sailing from Athens visits Istanbul, Kusadasi, Mykonos, Rhodes, Santorini, and Crete. You’ll spend the week marveling at the serene architecture of the Greek Isles, and basking in the Santorini sunshine. As you stroll down the whitewashed streets of Santorini, lined with traditional Cycladic buildings, you’ll truly feel like you’re in a postcard.

Istanbul Delights & Santorini Dreams • 11 Nights

Sailing on Scarlet Lady

  Day 1

Piraeus (Athens)

Departs at 06:00 PM. All aboard 2 hrs before departure

  Day 2

  Day 3

Arrives at 07:00 AM

  Day 4

Departs at 06:00 PM

  Day 5

  Day 6

Kusadasi (Ephesus)

08:00 AM - 08:00 PM, local time

  Day 7

  Day 8

09:00 AM - 06:00 PM, local time

  Day 9

  Day 10

Chania, Crete

  Day 11

  Day 12

Arrives at 06:30 AM. Please allow up to an hour for the Gangway to open to disembark

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The Greek island-hopping holiday with no stress – or tourist crowds

Small-ship cruising is a convenient way to get to harder-to-reach parts of the country – and it is suited to solo travellers.

Rising over the mirror-calm waters of Ikaria’s tiny fishing port like a blood-red orange, the moon bathed the houses of Agios Kirykos in its amber glow. We were anchored a few steps from the island’s capital, with its houses stacked above us along a steep hillside buried in greenery. There wasn’t another cruise ship in sight.  

“That’s the joy of small-ship cruising – we can go wherever we want,” captain Andreas said as we sat up on deck, listening to the lap of waves on the ship’s hull and sipping cocktails.  

Having lived in Greece for 15 years, I’ve visited dozens of its islands, but it was the chance to see more difficult-to-reach clusters that attracted me to the new Unexplored Greece itinerary of Greek company Variety Cruises. 

A tide of opposition to mass tourism may encourage travellers to swerve the busiest hotspots – including those in Greece.

Santorini , for example, expects to receive more than 3.4 million visitors this year. This summer, Panagiotis Kavallaris, president of Thira municipal community, posted on social media urging residents to limit their movements to accommodate the 11,000 cruise passengers who were expected to arrive in Santorini on 24 July. The post was later deleted, but not before it caused anger among people living in Santorini.

The mayor, Nikolaos Zorzos, said the island would reinstate a cap on passenger arrivals and there are now plans to ban new accommodation being built in Santorini’s caldera zone.

“Islands that are more off the beaten track have become increasingly popular,” says Variety’s chief executive Filippos Venetopoulos.

I took a scenic three-day train ride to find a cheaper, quieter corner of Greece

Like most of the 46 passengers on board, my elation at reaching our first anchorage was partly due to surviving the 10-hour journey from Athens .  

“Remember: this is not a hotel. We are expecting some rough weather,” captain Andreas had told us the previous evening.

Back in my cabin with its inviting bed, good-sized bathroom and waffle bathrobe, I mused that it might not be a hotel, but it was just as comfortable.

Gliding out of Piraeus port an hour later, under motor, we purred across tranquil seas aboard Panorama, our three-masted sailing ship.

At the southern tip of the Attica peninsula, we rounded Cape Sounion, which is surmounted by the ghostly outline of the Temple of Poseidon’s 5th-century BC marble pillars.

I woke to blue skies and calm seas the following morning. After a copious breakfast on board – spinach pie spanakopita; custard-crammed pastry bougatsa and other local treats, I was keen to explore Ikaria, a “Blue Zone” island (where the residents have unusually long life spans), in the Eastern Aegean.

I had expected to be the only solo traveller onboard. In the bus that took us to Ikaria’s hot springs, however, I discovered there were several of us.  

“A small ship cruise is an ideal way to meet people,” said Charles Diamond, a fellow passenger and London-based theatre producer, as we bobbed alongside a group of elderly islanders.

Our Greek companions told us that the mineral-rich waters were beneficial for dozens of ailments, from eczema to arthritis. 

At 80, Charles was the oldest cruiser on the trip, which included passengers from all over Europe and the Americas. Among the younger cohort were influencer Richard Prior and his wife Charlotte, both in their thirties. They wanted to see “the real Greece”.

Strolling through the whitewashed streets of Patmos the next day, the couple from Kent said the cruise was as good as they had hoped. 

Bertha Silva and her daughter Amelia, from New York , had been on cruise ships that hold thousands of passengers, but preferred this smaller vessel.  

We got into a rhythm: sailing overnight to reach a new island; spending days on shore or swimming at remote beaches; indulging in long lunches onboard, and heading out on balmy evenings to eat at tavernas.  

“Guests eat and shop ashore most evenings, so they are contributing to the local economy,” said Venetopoulos.

In Lipsi, an island with 600 inhabitants, we drove to Lipsi Winery, where entrepreneurs Manolis Vavoulas and Nikos Grillis told us that Lipsi once supplied sweet wine to the Vatican.

Kalymnos was my favourite stop. As we entered the harbour of Pothia, the capital, ringed with pastel-coloured mansions and surmounted by twin peaks, we gasped in awe.

The awe turned to horror later as we learnt about the lives of sponge divers whose ancient trade was mentioned by Homer, in The Iliad. The introduction of the standard diving suit in 1865 led divers to go to greater depths, without decompression breaks.

“Between 1886 and 1910 alone it’s estimated that 10,000 divers lost their lives,” our guide, Giannis, told us. 

We stopped in Amorgos to visit Hozoviotissa monastery, with its views over the seascapes that starred in the 1980s film The Big Blue . Our trip ended with a glide through the Lesser Cyclades Islands of Schinoussa, Donoussa and Iraklia, where most of the other tourists were Greek.  Back in Zea Marina on our final day, we said our farewells.

“This cruise has shown me that there’s so much more to Greece than Mykonos and Santorini,” said Amelia.

Getting there Several airlines offer direct flights from UK airports to Athens. Booking it Variety Cruises’ seven-night ‘Unexplored Greece: Aegean Islands’ cruise starts from £1,680pp and sails on a round-trip from Athens. The price includes full board (all breakfasts and lunches, and four dinners, plus wine and soft drinks with meals). Port charges not included. Departures from 16 May 2025, varietycruises.com . More information visitgreece.gr

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