Guess what? You won’t believe the amazing trip we’ve got planned for 2026! We will make a cruise from Crete to Santorini, one of the most beautiful islands in the world, and do a bus tour there… and we can organize this enire trip cheaper than just buying a ferry tickets! How to get to Santorini from the Heraklion area cheaply? Let us help you!
So, during this tour, you will visit the following attractions:
The history behind Santorini is truly impressive! It was the scene of one of the biggest volcanic eruptions ever recorded, known as the Minoan eruption, way back about 3,600 years ago during the Minoan civilization. This massive explosion left a huge caldera. Within seconds, the caldera filled with seawater and was surrounded by layers of lava and volcanic ash, some of them hundreds of meters thick. Since then Santorini is actually the main island of a small circular group of islands, all sharing the same name, and they’re all that’s left of the ancient island. Strictly speaking, now each part of the old island has its own name as a new island: Therasia, the second largest and also inhabited, along with some uninhabited small islands like Nea Kameni, Palea Kameni, Aspronisi and Christiana. But the main thing is Santorini. Why?
Today, it is one of the most beautiful islands in Greece, both for its scenery and its architecture. The beauty of modern Santorini lies in the breathtaking views of whitewashed buildings descending from dramatic cliffs into the azure Aegean Sea. Charming villages with narrow cobblestone streets and colorful bougainvilleas give the island an irresistible charm. The dark, dark blue waters of the sea in the caldera of the volcano, oh… You must have seen pictures of this place – at least black rocks and lots of white houses and white churches with blue domes on top. Well, you’re going to get to see them for yourself during this trip!
First, a comfortable bus will pick you up at your hotel and take you to the port of Heraklion. We will then board one of the fastest ferries to Santorini, which will get us there in less than two hours.
Once we dock at Athinios port in Santorini, we’ll hop on our excursion bus and travel throug the island to the famous village of Oia. As you travel to the west of the island, the guide will tell you about the places you pass along the way. Vineyards and winemaking are an important part of modern Santorini, but one of its most beautiful towns awaits you.
The town of Oia is very bright and colorful in contrast to the snow white Fira. Picture this: tiny white and multi-coloured houses, beige, red, blue, nestled in the rocks, and a labyrinth of narrow cobbled streets, church domes, an old fortress… and one of the best views of the caldera! It’s a total dreamland! Our bus will take you as close to the Old Town as possible, giving you plenty of time to wander around and take in the breathtaking views.
Next we will head to Fira (or Thira), the capital of the island, perched on a cliff 250-300 metres above the sea. We can take a leisurely stroll along the main pedestrian street, climb to the highest point of the town or just walk the whole promenade to the next village, Firostefani, and admire the beautiful sea views along the way. And shopping and relaxing in one of the cosy cafes with a gorgeous view? Definitely this is on the programme, as you’ll have even more free time in Fira!
In 2026 you will only be able to get from the resorts of the Heraklion area to Santorini with organized bus tour by high speed ferries from the main port of our capital. This particular excursion takes place on the high-speed ferries of SeaJets. Depending on the season and day of the week, Seajets may run several high-speed ferries on this route, including the Power Jet, Eurochampion Jet and Express Jet, to name a few. The largest of these ferries can carry up to 1200 passengers and the journey from Crete to Santorini takes approximately two hours (although it sometimes takes slightly longer; anyway, there are no faster ships this year).
One more thing for consideration: in 2026 price starts from 155 euro per adult and 80 euro per child. It includes transfer from your hotel to the port and back, two-way tickets for the high-speed ferry, a six-hour guided bus tour of Santorini and… It is cheaper than buying only round-trip tickets at the seaport for the same ferries (if you wish, you can check it), so this is the best way to get to Santorini from the resort cities of the Heraklion area for a day trip, both relatively quick and cheap, and to see this island of contrasts.
If you are planning to take a day cruise from the resorts of the Heraklion area to Santorini, the price of the organized excursion in 2026 is:
First of all, check all available tours from the area of Heraklion to Santorini.
Special offers and gifts may be available at our offices. We would be happy to meet you there!
This tour is sometimes included in special promotions and sold cheaper for our followers – keep an eye out for discounts on Facebook!
Are you traveling as a big family or a group? Contact us in advance or visit our offices and we will try to make you the best offer.
You are welcome! We will run this personalised tour in a suitable car or minivan for you on any day. No large groups, long pick-ups or waiting – just you, your family or friends and the guide! You can ask us in advance – and we will organise everything for you.
ATTENTION: the tour must be paid for in full before the travel date. Payment in cash or by card on the day of the cruise is not possible in 2026.
You can book online a one day excursion to Santorini with a high speed boat and transfers from the resorts of the Heraklion area (see “How to book excursions in Crete”).
In 2026, the SeaJets ferries departs for Santorini on a day cruise from 03/04 to 01/11. Available tour days – everyday.
Please note that trip schedules are subject to change, including cancellation. This is extremely rare and may be due to weather conditions. For example, heavy rains at the beginning (April and May) or end of the season (September and October) and other force majeure situations. If there are any changes, we will try to let you know as soon as possible.
ATTENTION: this cruise includes ferry tickets. The high speed ferry does not take many passengers. Therefore, during the season, available seats on the ship are very quickly filled.
Please book this tour in advance as it is a very popular cruise. If you are booking close to your desired date, please check with our managers for availability of tickets for the date you choose.
Please make sure that you have correctly identified your vacation area in Crete and read the cancellation and refund policy.
If there is less than 24 hours before the trip, please contact the manager to check availability before you make a booking!
Firstly, you can come to one of our offices where booking for all services is available and payment can be made either by cash or card.
Secondly, in case of online booking you can choose cash payment (which is available for some areas only) or you can pay online by card. In the case of cash, we will arrange a meeting with our courier in advance, who will bring the prepared documents to your hotel or villa and collect the cash. Please note that this option is only available for bookings made well in advance (days or weeks before the trip!). In case of online payment, you will receive the tickets by e-mail or WhatsApp – as you prefer.
Please keep all documents and tickets until the end of your trip!
It is important not to get confused between the Heraklion region and the city of Heraklion. They have the same name, but the region covers a large part of the island, home to around a third of its population, while the city is the capital of this region (and the island too).
The Heraklion region comprises dozens of smaller towns and coastal resorts, as well as hundreds of small settlements and villages. Pick-up is available in most tourist areas in the north of the region. If you know the name of your resort, it is best to go directly to its page by selecting the corresponding menu item.
It would be impractical to list all the hotels in the Heraklion region, but the general rule is that collection points are usually located near large hotels, major roads, squares, bus stops, car parks, etc. in the most popular tourist areas. Sometimes it might be the central square or a well-known landmark, such as a large church with a square in front of it.
If your hotel, villa or apartment is located outside of the tourist areas, please feel free to contact us in advance via WhatsApp or email – we’d be happy to help you choose a suitable meeting point.
It depends on the location of your hotel or villa. In some cases a tour bus will literally stop at the front door of the hotel and you just have to be there, in others it may be a short walk to the nearest pick-up point. This is usually a large central street, bus stop, square, car park, etc. – somewhere where there is no risk of the tour bus getting stuck on a narrow one-way street or stuck in traffic.
If your hotel, villa or apartment is located outside of the tourist areas, please contact us in advance to arrange a possible meeting point.
You will receive full details of the time and place of the pick-up with your travel documents when you make your booking. Please read it carefully before the trip.
Information about the bus number for the Santorini sightseeing tour and the return transfer will be given to you at the port on the day of the trip by the ship’s staff or the guide. The bus number is also shown on the ticket.
This excursion is also available from various locations across the island of Crete. The tour itself will follow the same itinerary and programme, with only two differences. Firstly, there may be different transfer options available, which may result in a different price in some locations. Secondly, the departure and return times may be different too.
You can join this activity from any of the following towns: Achlada, Agia Pelagia, Ammoudara, Analipsi, Anissaras, Fodele, Gournes, Gouves, Heraklion (city), Hersonissos, Karteros, Kokkini Hani, Malia, Sissi, Stalida.
It will be one of the high-speed ferries operated by Seajets. There are no special “sightseeing” ferries between Crete and Santorini – only the regular ones. Seajets never guarantees a specific ferry in advance, as they may change the vessels operating on this route during the season (sometimes even on the same day!). However, they print the name of the ship on the ticket.
Unfortunately, neither we nor anyone else has any influence over Seajets decisions regarding their schedules, timetables or vessels.
We kindly ask for your understanding regarding Seajets operating policies.
Well, most likely not. All of these high-speed ferries are “public ferries” and tickets are sold by tour operators, cruise organisers, port ticket offices and online). Seajets does not offer the option of choosing individual seats. However, we always try to ensure that everyone in a group sits close to each other on the vessel, so accommodation may be in the same sector or nearby rows.
No, not really. Just walking around the streets of Oia and Fira. The steps are sometimes quite steep, but otherwise it’s an easy walk.
It is not advisable to take very young children as it can be uncomfortable to navigate the narrow and sometimes steep streets with a large stroller.
Lunch time will be during your visit to Fira. There are many cafes, taverns and restaurants in the town (from 10-15 euro per person).
1. Save your precious time on the island: it’s better to spend it walking and exploring the city, snacking on fruit or a coffee sandwich along the way.
2. If you do decide to eat out, be sure to check the prices before you order. There are some VERY expensive restaurants in Santorini.
Something to protect you from the midday heat and sun, and some more or less warm clothes to protect you from the air conditioning on the ship.
Bring the original, a copy or a photo of your passport or ID (e.g. on your mobile phone). These documents may be required at port check-in.
Yes, during a bus tour in Santorini you will be accompanied by a tour guide. Our colleagues and ferry staff will also meet you at the port of Heraklion, provide you with the necessary documents and tickets for the ship, and help you board the ship if needed.
Yes, it’s quite informative.
Languages: this tour is available in English, German and French throughout the season, according to the schedule.
On certain days, we can also organise this excursion in Czech, Hungarian, Italian, Spanish, Polish, Romanian or Russian. These languages are usually available from May onwards.
During the low season (September and especially October), these additional languages may also be available if there are enough participants. However, just in case, you can specify a second optional language in the comments section of your booking (for example, Italian – primary, English – secondary).
The weekly language schedule for this trip is as follows:
In the morning our staff at the port will give you the bus numbers and during the day your guide will tell you the exact meeting point and pick up time in Santorini. After your tour of Santorini, come to the pick-up point and our bus will take you to the port in time for the departure of the ship. When you disembark in Crete, go to the bus parking lot (to the right of the pier), board the bus with the correct number and get off at the bus stop near your hotel.
Please note that this is an approximate tour schedule. Times may vary depending on traffic and pick-up and drop-off locations. Exact times will be sent to you along with other information when you make your reservation and specify your hotel.
On 99.99% of our trips, we visit Oia first and then Fira. However, on rare occasions (usually due to heavy traffic and/or a large number of cruise ships in Santorini), we visit Fira first and then Oia. The bus driver and guide assess the situation and decide on the spot.
As it is a scheduled public ferry, there may be delays to the departure times from Santorini, but the coach transfers in Santorini and Crete are always coordinated with the arrival time of the ship.
| Schedule of the excursion program | |
|---|---|
| 5:50 - 7:10 | Departure from the hotels |
| 7:20 - 7:40 | Arrival at the port, meeting with the guide and ferry staff, obtaining tickets and necessary information from the staff (upon presentation of the tourist voucher) |
| 8:00 - 9:50 | Ferry travel to Santorini island |
| 9:55 - 10:00 | Arrival at the port of Athinios and boarding the excursion bus |
| 10:10 - 12:00 | Guided bus tour to the city of Oia, free time in the city |
| 12:30 - 15:00 | Guided bus tour to the city of Fira, free time in the city |
| 15:00 - 15:30 | Gathering at the meeting point, transfer by bus to the port of Athinios and boarding the ferry |
| 17:50 - 18:10 | Arrival at the port of Heraklion and boarding the bus |
| 19:00 - 21:00 | Return to the hotels |
| Duration and travel time | |
|---|---|
| up to 1.5 hours | From the hotels by bus to the port of Heraklion |
| about 2 hours | By ferry from Crete to Santorini |
| up to 30 minutes | Bus transfer in Santorini between cities |
| about 1.5 hours | In the city of Oia |
| about 2.5 hours | In the city of Fira |
| about 6 hours | In total on the island of Santorini |