This is almost the same trip as the regular two day trip from Heraklion to Santorini, but with one very important difference: you are free to do your own hotel booking on the island – and all transfers in Crete, sightseeing tour in Santorini on the first day, return transfer from Thira to the port on the second day and round trip high speed ferry tickets will be organized by us. This will make it more convenient and less expensive for you to travel with a one-night stay at any of the hotels on the island! Now to the details of the trip.
During these days you will see the following attractions:
On the first day, you’ll board a fast ferry at the main port that will take you from Crete to Santorini. It’s worth noting that this particular tour takes place on the high-speed ferries operated by SeaJets. Depending on the season and the day of the week, we have several ferries available, such as the SeaJets Power Jet, the Superrunner, and a few others. These ferries can typically carry up to 1200 passengers, and the travel time between our islands is approximately two hours.
After the boat trip, you will disembark at the port of Athinios and begin a guided bus tour visiting the picturesque town of Oia on the far west side of the island and the snow white capital of Santorini, Fira, in the central part of the island. At each stop you’ll have plenty of time to explore these charming towns.
Santorini isn’t just about its stunning volcanic scenery and charming villages with iconic white buildings like Fira and Oia. It’s also renowned for its breathtaking sunsets. Come afternoon, you can checkin to your chosen hotel and prepare for the highlight of the trip: experiencing the renowned Santorini sunset. Along the island’s west coast, you’ll find the perfect vantage points to witness the sun sinking below the horizon every evening. It’s a natural spectacle that adds another layer of magic to the Santorini experience. Whether you choose to witness it from Fira or Firostefani, Imerovigli or Oia, get ready to be swept away by the breathtaking views and romantic atmosphere as night falls over these enchanting towns!
The following day of your two-day journey from Heraklion to Santorini is entirely yours to enjoy. After breakfast at our hotel, you can wander through the cities and villages, bask on the island’s volcanic beaches, embark on a boat excursion to the Santorini volcano (Nea Kameni – remember how it’s called), delve into the archaeological wonders of Akrotiri, or indulge in tasting sessions at the renowned local wineries – in fact, the options are endless and will cater to your every desire!
We would like to point out again that this is practically the same excursion as a regular two-day trip: you will have all transfers in Crete organised, the sightseeing bus tour in Santorini will take place on the first day immediately after arrival, on the second day you will have a return transfer from the meeting point in Fira to the port and, of course, round trip fast ferry tickets. This will allow you to stay in any hotel on the island and enjoy your free time as you wish, without spending extra effort, time and money to organize the whole trip (see “Schedule”).
The nice thing is that this way of traveling will be cheaper than organizing all the transfers and buying ship tickets yourself, not to mention being accompanied by a guide (if you’re curious, you can check out ferry ticket prices). In 2025 the total price is only 155 euro for an adult and 78 euro for a child and it includes everything except the hotel. This is a convenient (and inexpensive) way to get to Santorini with an overnight stay and an ideal option if you want to stay in the hotel that best suits your preferences.
This package is available from Heraklion and various other resorts in that region. Are you interested in an affordable way to get to Santorini from Heraklion and enjoy an overnight stay on the island? In 2025, it’s the most cost-effective option!
If you are going to travel to Santorini from Heraklion for a few days and want an organized trip, but prefer to book your own hotel on the island to stay one night and the next day, the price of such a package in 2025 is:
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.
Of course we do! Contact us in advance and we can discuss hotel options on the Caldera side or even accommodations with private jacuzzi and stunning sea and sunset views from your room.
ATTENTION: bus transfers to and from the port are not available for city hotels. Heraklion has many one-way roads and narrow streets with a high risk of traffic jams. Most city hotels are within walking distance of the port (5-10 minutes) or even in line of sight.
You can book round-trip high-speed ferry tickets, a guided bus tour in Santorini and an organized bus transfer in Crete online in advance (see “How to book excursions in Crete”).
In 2025, this organized trip from Heraklion to Santorini takes place from 14/04 to 30/10. Available days – on a daily basis.
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 tour includes ferry tickets from Crete to Santorini. The high speed ferry does not take many passengers. Therefore, during the season, available seats on the ship are filled very quickly.
Please book this tour in advance as it is a very popular destination. If you are booking close to your desired date, please check with our managers for ticket availability for your preferred date.
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!
The city of Heraklion has many narrow and one-way streets, and most hotels are within walking distance or even within sight of the port. Therefore, there is no bus transfer for city hotels and you can walk to the port.
You will receive all the information about the time and place of the pick-up with your travel documents after you have made 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.
Most likely not. All of these high speed ferries are “public ferries” and tickets are sold by the tour operators and cruise organizers, at port ticket offices and online). SeaJets does not offer anyone the option to choose their seat. However, we always try to ensure that everyone in the group travels close together, so accommodations on the ship may be in the same sector or adjacent rows.
No, not at all. Just an easy walk around the streets of Fira and Oia. 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 is during the visit to Fira. There are many cafes, tavernas and restaurants in the town (from 10-15 euro per person).
Bring the original, a copy or a photo of your passport (e.g. on your mobile phone). The correct spelling of your full name and document number may be required at ship check-in or hotel check-in.
It’s good to have 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. Also bring your bathing suit and towel if you plan to go to the beach at some moment. A little money for extras and shopping, depending on your plans.
If you want to be as close as possible to the promenade, the viewpoints and the sunset, consider Fira and Imerovigli. Oia is far in the north-west of the island, but it’s very beautiful there too. If you also want a beach vacation, look at Perissa and Kamari.
Again, Fira is a very convenient location as it has a central bus station and offers easy access to any part of the island.
The final stop of the excursion bus tour is in Fira near the central bus station. Please note that self-booked hotels cannot be included in the itinerary of an organised bus transfer in Santorini. The guides provide the informational part of the trip and do not get involved in checking into hotels.
Since you have booked your own hotel outside of our itineraries, you will need to arrange for transportation to your hotel and from it to the meeting point on the next day too (if it’s not in Fira, where it’s within walking distance). Some hotels in Santorini offer this service to their guests. If necessary, we can also organize additional transportation for you – just let us know in advance.
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.
Only two-way tickets for the high-speed ferry with a number of excursion bus in Santorini. Return tickets may have the same date on them (the date of departure from Crete), which is perfectly fine. Ferry staff can print tickets with the same date. Be sure to keep all your tickets until you return to Crete!
Yes, it’s quite informative.
Languages: English, German, French on any available day. On some days we can also organize excursions with Italian, Polish, Romanian and Russian speaking guides, so check the booking calendar or send us a request.
On the first day of the tour, your guide will give you the exact meeting place and time for the next day. On the last day of the trip, be there 5-7 minutes early! If you would like to know the transfer bus number in advance, you can contact us during the day (around 12:00 – 13:00), and we will tell you the return bus number – both in Santorini and Crete. 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: Day 1 | |
|---|---|
| 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 |
| 12:30 - 20:00 | Check-in (at any time after you arrive at the Fira, but before 20:00) |
| 17:08 | Approximate time of sunset in Santorini this week |
| Schedule of the excursion program: Day 2 | |
|---|---|
| Morning - 15:00 | Free time |
| 15:00 - 15:30 | Gathering at the meeting point, transfer by bus to the port of Athinios and boarding of 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 30 hours | In total on the island of Santorini |