Customized Tour in Santorini

Profitis Ilias & Oia Village

In prehistoric times, the people who inhabited what today is known as Santorini, called the island Strongyle ("round"). These people enjoyed a high standard of living; they built two-story houses, tilled the earth and were skilled artists, recognizing the beauty of color.  Around 1650 BC, a volcanic eruption caused the center of Strongyle to sink, leaving a caldera with high cliffs – one of the world’s most dramatic geological sights.

You will be transferred from the ship by colorful local kaiki to Athinios, where you will join the waiting motor coach.  A short journey brings you to Santorini’s highest peak, crowned by the Mt. Profitis Ilias monastery. Here you will have an ideal photo opportunity to capture the beauty of this island. 

From here you will proceed to the most northern tip of the island to experience the unique village of Oia. This dramatic little village, built on a steep slope of the caldera, has many of its dwellings nestled in niches hewn into the volcanic rock. Once the home of wealthy seafarers of the past, still evident are their two story mansions painted in a spectrum of pastel colors. As you traverse its narrow cobbled streets you will come across many tiny shops which offer a varied and unusual collection of hand made works of ceramic art, paintings and semi precious jewelry.

A 40 minute journey brings you to the old “Antoniou winery”. The structure has been preserved in order to show the old way wine was once produced, using the best gifts of the islands’ natural elements. Carved into the natural volcanic rock are the cave like vats which once transported wine by pipes to waiting vessels in the port for exportation. After a guided tour of the winery, you are invited to sample some of the wines and enjoy a lovely lunch before you return to Fira to join the cable car back to the ship.   You tour ends in Fira town, where you may choose to remain in town at leisure, or return to the ship by taking the cable car to the pier below.

 Tour Breakdown

Shore Excursion Operational Information