Island Bus Tour: The Majestic Spots Of Santorini

Posted By : Jessica S
We were looking for an easy way to see lots of hot spots on the island and this seemed perfect. Managed to easily book it through our hotel reception and they told us the timings, what to expect and where we’ll be picked up and dropped off. There is a lot of walking and most of it is up hill and with stairs, come prepared!

Our tour guide, Maria, was fantastic. She gave us loads of extra information about the island while we were driving around and the coach driver is easily the most skilled driver I’ve seen. Navigating those tiny roads with a whole coach is no easy task!

We started at the Prophet of Elias Monastery which is the highest point of the island and the views were stunning. It was just a quick stop (20 minutes) so we didn’t have time to go in any of the churches but the views alone were totally worth it. Next was the village of Pyrgos, again with some gorgeous views. This was quite a big uphill walk to the top but Maria did warn us and there was the option of staying at the bottom and having a look around the shops or getting a drink. The next stop was the village of Akiotari where you could either go to the archaeological site (€12 extra) or walk down to the Red Beach. We didn’t fancy the beach so we paid the extra to visit the site and it was so worth it. Very interesting to see and read about but maybe not something for everyone.

We had a longer stop at Fira town where we had some food and a look around and then headed to Oia for the sunset. It was very cloudy on the day we went so there was no sunset to see but Oia was still a lovely village but super busy. We were dropped off at our hotel for around 7.30pm. A fantastic day! Totally worth it.
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Posted On : 2023-10-27 02:51:10

Posted By : Samantha_J
This is a great way to see key parts of the island, especially if you are there for a short visit like myself.
Maria was our guide and she was fantastic. So knowledgeable with everything about the island and not just the areas we were going too. The itinerary stated time at the Akrotiri Archaeological Site and the Red Beach, however when we got there we could only do one and not both. I was quite disappointed with this as I wanted to see both.
Oia for sunset was obviously hectic with people but Maria had told us of quieter spots to see it which was great. Still had plenty of time before the sunset to see the windmills and domes for photos.
Pick up area was right next to where I was staying which was handy and had good communication the day before.
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Posted On : 2023-10-23 07:07:45

Posted By : John_B
It was a good way to see a lot of the island however the tour guide didn't provide a lot of information. We had a lot of free time in each stop (appreciated) but that also means it was a self-guided discovery of most locations.
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Posted On : 2023-10-10 14:40:57

Posted By : MaryLou_T
I was looking forward to see the Red Beach. Tour guide Maria only gave us 30 mins to enjoy the sights including the 10 walk each way. Also just before we got there, she informed us the beach was closed. The Red Beach was the only reason I booked this tour. Shame on me. Instead of disappointing us, she could have mentioned there was Black beach near by so I could have taken a little dip. Wasted my time and money.
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Posted On : 2023-09-24 15:30:28

Posted By : Kirbyvix
We did two tours - the other being the volcanic island cruise - and had a great time. Both trips exceeded our expectations with so many highlights. The team are super friendly and their local knowledge helps avoid the crowds and see the best of the islands. We felt we had a great experience of Santorini both days. Great value for money too.
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Posted On : 2023-09-11 13:37:33

Posted By : Drummer3
We did the island bus tour taking us up to highest point on island, to Pyrgos, Akrotiri, Fira and Oia for sunset. Maria was an excellent guide. We also did the boat day tour. There was a bus to the port to get the boat to volcano island, swim in hot springs, over to Thirasia and back along the cliff side to the port. Vassa was a very knowledgeable, interesting guide. We booked through Santorini info point in Perissa. The pick-up and drop-off points were close to our hotel. Note that the hot springs swim is really only for stronger swimmers. Would definitely recommend Kamari tours.
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Posted On : 2023-09-07 11:58:28

Posted By : Himanshu_P
Maria the tour guide was knowledgeable, caring and friendly. Loved it. We had sufficient breaks through out the day.
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Posted On : 2023-08-10 00:08:31

Posted By : Alconcalcia
The day was good, as you get to see a lot of the island, thus leaving you the rest of your holiday to relax. Enjoyed the monastery and village trip, but would have preferred to have stopped for lunch in Pyrgos as we didn't get to have lunch until around 4pm after we had been to the Akrotiri archeological site, which we found a bit underwhelming for the 36 euros it cost for us all to get in (EU under 25s go free, but non-EU U25s have to pay 6 euros and over 25s 12. Another Brexit bonus! ) The Red Beach is on the schedule, but you're put off by the fact it's a 10 minute walk in the heat, plus you're not really meant to go there as it was deemed to be too dangerous back in 2015 I think it was. Fira was a nice place to explore. Particularly recommend the Tropical Bar for its view out over the sea. Oia for the sunset was good, but it gets very very busy, so go early to get a spot if you want to enjoy the view. It's the first time we ever saw and heard people applauding a sunset. Bizarre! Our guide, Maria, was very cheerful and informative. Must be hard to do that seven days a week and keep smiling, but she does! Overall rates maybe a 7/10. Would prefer lunch earlier, as mentioned, plus maybe a stop at a beach that's actually officially open. The Akrotiri site is very much for those with an interest in archeology. Personally, I'd maybe find a replacement for that section of the tour as well, as it really didn't wow us at all.
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Posted On : 2023-08-07 09:04:36

Posted By : 800susiep
I went on this trip yesterday with my teenage daughter.This was the only trip of our holiday, and it should have been the highlight. It was pretty awful.

First, the good points. Our guide, Maria, was absolutely brilliant - knowledgeable and entertaining. And the minibus from our hotel in Perivolos to Pyrgos had great air conditioning!

But the majority of the trip was a huge disappointment. I was most looking forward to seeing the Akrotiri archeological site, but it was unexpectedly closed (until 5pm) due to the heat (33 degrees). I wish we could have spent less time in Fira and Oia and returned to Akrotiri instead after 5pm.

Secondly, the sunset in Oia was really disappointing, due to the haze or humidity or something.The sun just went down; the sky was not especially pretty. Just unlucky I guess.

Oia was incredibly busy, with way too many tourists for its tiny streets. Many places were only admitting patrons who wanted dinner, rather than drinks. I was worried about pickpockets.

The stops at the monastery, Pyrgos and red beach required considerable walking uphill in the midday sun. This was not made clear when I booked. The views from the monastery were great, but we didn't have enough time there.

At most of the stops we were left to wander around without much information.I don't have a great sense of direction, so at each place, I was wos concerned about losing my bearings and not making it back to the bus on time. In Fira, I wanted to see the view, but I didn't hear Maria's instruction on how to get there. (She really needs a flag and a loudspeaker with such a large group, a whole coachful!) I returned to the restaurant she said she'd be in, to ask her, but could not see her.

The coach had inadequate air conditioning. And we waited for the coach outside Pyrgos pharmacy in the midday sun with no shade and not knowing how long we'd have to wait there.

It was an extremely long, hot, bitterly disappointing day. I booked via the Jet2 Holidays rep at my hotel, who said he had not been on the tour himself; he did not give me an accurate idea of what this tour would be like.
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Posted On : 2023-07-27 04:28:02

Posted By : heatherhR3227DX
Maria the guide was very informative and gave lots of information about the tour and the history of Santorini. The prophet Elijah monestary was at the highest point of the island and to say Dimitris the bus driver was experienced is an understatement.
The time spent at the monestary is all of 20 minutes and no where near long enough. There is no time to soak up the views, visit the churches and read about the history of such an amazing place. I would recommend shortening the time at Fira or Oia to allow an hour at the monestary. However, that said it was beautiful. The next highlight for me was the archeology site of Akritori and there was more than enough time to indulge yourself in the history of this little village. After this we went to Fira for some free time to eat and enjoy shopping. If you enjoy history this is definitley a trip worth taking. Also to add be aware if you have mobility issues as you may not have the time to take part in everything. The monastery and Fira are on steep hills.
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Posted On : 2023-06-09 14:21:07