When preparing and planning your vacation in advance, it may seem that taking a trip to Santorini and not spending huge amounts of money is something out of the realm of fantasy, and going there as a family or with a large group of friends cost some huge sums. You bet, because Santorini is one of the most unusual, beautiful and… expensive destinations in Greece.
Guess what? You won’t believe the amazing trip we’ve got planned for 2025! 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 Stalida 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 2025 you will only be able to get from Stalida 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 week we’ve got a several ferries from them, like the SeaJets Power Jet, the Superrunner and a few others. The largest of these ferries can carry up to 1200 passengers, and the trip from Crete to Santorini takes about two hours.
One more thing for consideration: in 2025 price starts from 150 euro per adult and 75 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 Stalida 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 Stalida to Santorini, the price of the organized excursion in 2025 is:
This tour is sometimes included in special promotions and sold cheaper for our followers – keep an eye out for discounts on Instagram!
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 2025.
You can book online a one day excursion to Santorini with a high speed boat and transfers from Stalida (see “How to book excursions in Crete”).
In 2025, the SeaJets ferries departs for Santorini on a day cruise from 04/04 to 31/10. The days are daily.
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 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.
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.
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: English, German, French on any available day. On some days we can also organize excursions with Czech, Italian, Polish, Romanian and Russian speaking guides, so check the booking calendar or send us a request.
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.
Ferry departure times from Santorini may be delayed, but coach transfers in Santorini and in Crete are always coordinated with the ship's arrival time.
| 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 Afinios 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 |
| 17:30 - 18:00 | 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 |