Santorini is perhaps one of the most iconic and famous islands in the world. The villages of Oia and Fira both hold amazing cliffside views. Additionally, Santorini holds hidden beaches and coves on the less visited southern half of the island. With all of these different places to explore, Santorini is full of adventure. While visiting, we spent a day exploring with Santorini Experts, a tour company with tons of knowledge of the island. Our trip with them and our time in Santorini could not have been more perfect.
To book a tour with Santorini Experts, click this link or click the book now button below
Santorini Experts and the tours they offer
Santorini Experts offers many different types of guides and tours, tailored to exactly what you are interested in doing. For our experience, we wanted to see as much of the island as possible. After communicating with the Santorini Experts team, their recommendation was the ‘First Impressions Santorini Day Tour’. This tour allowed us to explore the highlights of Santorini and for our first time visiting, this was important. While we chose this tour, they also offer sailing excursions, hiking excursions, and even wine tasting tours. Depending on the time of year and the season you visit, there will be different activities you can do. Contact the Santorini Experts team for the best advice!
Read more: What time of year should I travel?
First Impressions Day Tour: Our experience
The day before our tour, we were notified by Santorini Experts that Agatha would be our guide. We confirmed our hotel pick up and time of the tour and nothing else was needed. On the day, we received a call from the our hotel front desk that Agatha was there. Once we arrived, Agatha helped us into the spacious van (well equipped with air conditioning!) and off we went to explore Santorini!
Agatha was incredibly friendly and immediately made us feel right at home. Since she lives there full time, her knowledge of the island was exactly what we needed. Many times while exploring places, a local would see her and say hello – she definitely was well-known on the island!
Our first stop was Profitis Ilius – the highest point on Santorini. At the top we were rewarded with sweeping views of Santorini, the surrounding islands, and the Mediterranean Sea. While admiring the beauty all around, Agatha gave us a detailed and historical account of the island. We learned about the volcano and the eruption that caused the island to have it’s peculiar shape. This invaluable information and views from Profitis Ilius were something we would have never learned or witnessed without Santorini Experts. After learning about the island and taking our photos we descended back down and headed towards Oia to catch a glimpse of the famous blue domes.
Oia
Oia (pronounced ee-ya) is a larger village located on the most northern point of the island and features possibly the most famous scene in Santorini – the blue domes. This cliffside village offered beautiful views of the Mediterranean and with many alleys and small streets the perfect place to explore. While driving to Oia, Agatha detailed more of life on Santorini. Once we arrived in the busy village of Oia, Agatha walked with us to show off buildings and historical sights of the village. Some of the information she had would have been impossible for us to learn on our own.
Exploring Oia’s many streets and cafes
After showing us around Oia, Agatha explained that she would give us time to explore on our own. After leading us to some amazing spots, she let us know our meeting point and off she went. One of the big draws with Santorini Experts is that while we had a guided tour, we additionally had free time to explore. We spent our time taking in the famous blue domes and appreciating more scenic cliffside views. After snapping some amazing shots, we decided to go relax in a cafe and have a drink (did we mention that it was hot!?) before we were due back. Oia is filled with countless restaurants and cafes you can enjoy a meal or drink in and some offer views of the water and the cliffs. There are plenty of options to explore and find something that interests you!
Agatha met back up with us to conclude the trip. Because we were staying so close to Fira, we decided that Oia would be our main focus for the day, as we could easily explore the capital of Santorini by ourselves. Agatha took us through stunning cliffs and ocean views on the way back to our hotel. It was the perfect way to conclude our tour. Once back at the hotel, we were thankful we had the opportunity to explore the island with such an expert.
Conclusion
Booking a tour with Santorini Experts was a highlight while exploring Santorini and is something we recommend for all visiting. The knowledge and experience each guide has of this small but amazing island is invaluable and makes for an incredible trip. From the moment you step into their vans you are treated as if you are family. If you are visiting Santorini and are looking to explore the best spots or enjoy a fun adventure, make sure to book a tour through Santorini Experts!