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What to do and see in Cyclades, South Aegean: The Best Historical & Heritage Tours
The Cyclades is a group of Greek islands with beautiful, white sandy beaches, rugged mountains and lush valleys. Glamorous Santorini and Mykonos attract the jetset, while lesser-known isles, such as Milos and Naxos, are the perfect places for beach lovers. Ruins, including the 11th-century Dorian settlement and volcanic ash-preserved Ancient Akrotiri in Santorini, amaze those with a bent for ancient history. Sifnos' cuisine wins it admirers. Hydrofoils, ferries and catamarans connect the islands.
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1. 5-Hour Private Best of Santorini
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 1 reviews
Succumb to Santorini’s charms on a private tour to see its highlights. Traveling by luxury, air-conditioned vehicle with a guide, learn about Santorini’s history and culture as you explore. Stop at Red Beach, view the Minoan ruins at Akrotiri independently, see Oia - Private best of Santorini tour, with air-conditioned transport -Explore the ancient ruins at Akrotiri and admire the scarlet-colored bay of Red Beach -Visit Oia Benefit from a flexible itinerary with personalized attention from a private guide
Inclusions: Pickup and drop-off from designated meeting points and all hotels and villas in Santorini, Air-conditioned vehicle, Private tour, Local english speaking guide, Bottled water
Exclusions: Gratuites, Entrance fees to Akrotiri (€ 12)
Reviewed By ericamI5476XI
My husband & I booked this tour as an expensive Shore excursion option. It was a great find on trip advisor. My mother in law was with. She has some mobility issues. Santorini has lots of steps, cobblestone and hills. Our guide was very accommodating to every one on the tour ( there were 9 of us, including a teenager-from the same cruise) he picked us up at the exit to the Cable car, at the top of Mountain. He took us to all the main areas of the island. He was also very knowledgeable! Explained so much about the history, and how people live there now. He pointed us to great food, beaches & we made the sunset in Oia!! ( that is a must see!!) I highly recommend this tour to anyone’s house has just a day here and wants to see the main points.
2. Sightseeing with a Mykonian
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 54 reviews
We will see the highlights of the island, I will tell you about the history of it as I have heard it from my grandpa and read from books and visit the natural northern beaches accompanied with traditional homemade Greek and Mykonian flavors.
Inclusions: Air-conditioned vehicle, A treat full of Mykonian and Greek flavours!!!, Bottled water, Pick-Up and Drop-off at your location or hotel
Exclusions: Please bring beach towels with you...
Reviewed By LifeDesigning
This experience was the highlight of our time in Mykonos. The food was amazing - home grown or made on Matt, our host’s, granddad’s farm. We also loved that we were getting off the beaten track and discovering the chapel and sights up in the mountains. Matt was accommodating, knowledgeable and made sure we all had a great time. We actually went in July 2019 but I took too long in making the review so couldn’t select that date. But it was too good not to share!
3. Private Tour: Mykonos Island in Half a Day
Overall Ratings
4.8 based on 33 reviews
This tour is a perfect way to discover Mykonos, the most famous island of the Aegean Sea. This 4-hour island tour includes a walking tour. The walking tour will pass by the most important spots like Windmills, Little Venice, the old Laundries the private churches and the stunning Church of Panagia Paraportiani. Additionally, someone will be there to guide you to the back streets and show you local's lives and colors. After the walking tour begins the island tour! In a private car the tour will visit Ano Mera, the second town of Mykonos, where you can visit a beautiful Monastery, do some shopping and enjoy yourself. When you're ready, you will enjoy the stunning panoramas and beaches where you can take the perfect selfie and other photos. If you have any special request, the tour operator will do their best to fit your request in the 4 hour tour time. You will need a camera and sun lotion. With the tour is included a map per person and a bottle of water for your comfort.
Inclusions: All taxes, fees, and handling charges, Bottled water, Driver-guide, Hotel pickup and drop-off, Private tour
Exclusions: Food and drinks
Reviewed By Vernicy
My tour was amazing! I’ve seen beautiful places and I enjoyed every single minute of it! The guide Pako was well prepared and professional and super cool. I highly recommend to book a tour with him if you are looking to visit the beautiful Mykonos!
4. Full Day Santorini Highlights and Venetian Castles Small Group Tour
Overall Ratings
4.8 based on 12 reviews
Experience the beauty of Santorini by joining us on a full day Santorini tour that is off the beaten path. Learn about ancient and medieval history of the island and discover the magnifiscent beauty of the Venetian castles. Chill out in the most beautiful black sandy beach, feel the local culture combined with a wine tasting expirience and finish your day with an unforgettable sunset in Oia.
Inclusions: Hotel pickup and drop-off, Small-group tour maximum 15 persons, Local taxes, Wine tasting, Tour escort/host, Transport by air-conditioned minivan
Exclusions: Entrance Fee at symposion (Interactive music instrument presentation), Food and drinks, Gratuities
Reviewed By baxad91
The format of this tour is great – it doesn't take a whole day but there is plenty of time to see Oia and Fira, to see the sunset, get dinner and check out the nightlife. Perfect for getting a taste of these towns before going back to explore more thoroughly. They were also very flexible with timing, offering to take us home earlier or later if we needed. Gregory was our driver: he was loads of fun and very knowledgeable about the island. We had a great time. (COVID-19 precautions: capacity was limited and everyone wore masks inside the minibus.)
5. Best of Santorini, Private 4 hour Island tour, Oia, winery, Pyrgos, Caldera
Overall Ratings
4.7 based on 23 reviews
Explore Santorini, in this 4-hour private tour of the island, with your English speaking driver. Visit wineries to taste the famous local wines and explore traditional villages like Oia, Fira and Pyrgos. Enjoy great views of the brilliant flooded caldera; stroll above the rooftops of the homes carved into the cliffs and gaze into the deep blue waters of the caldera far below. Santorini is the most spectacular of the islands in the Cyclades, and this will be a tour to remember.
Inclusions: Experienced local English-speaking driver/guide, Hotel pickup and drop-off, Private tour, Local taxes, Transport by private vehicle, Pick up at the top end of the cable car for cruise ship passengers, Flexible departure time, Flexible itinerary - ask us if you want to make changes
Exclusions: Food and drinks, Wine-tasting, Gratuities
Reviewed By nixamo
We were on a 7 day Med cruise from Athens, but wanted to spend more time in Greece after the cruise. Aphrodite arranged the hotels and rental cars along with some great travel advice. Great trip, rental car was delivered to the hotel and dropped at the airport hotel, never easier. Saw all the key sites especially the one you don't want to miss, Meteora.
6. Archaeological bus tour to Akrotiri excavations & Red beach
Overall Ratings
4.6 based on 34 reviews
Prophet Elias Monastery – Megalochori village – Akrotiri Excavations – Red Beach - Perivolos Beach – Last stop for wine tasting With this tour you will visit the traditional villages of Santorini, charming monasteries, great beaches and the famous Akrotiri excavations. You will admire amazing views and learn about the history of the island.
Inclusions: Air-conditioned vehicle, Children under 4 years old can get free, Pick up and drop off service, English speaking guide
Exclusions: Excavation site entrance 14.00 E, Children under 4 years old will not reserve a seat on the bus. They will sit on parents' lap., Wine tasting costs
Reviewed By euit2016
What an amazing experience! Everything you want to see in one day. We enjoyed sailing with King Thiras and a fun experience. Easy pick up and great guidance. We hope to see you again.
7. DELOS, the island of god Apollo
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 13 reviews
Delos is one of the best preserved ancient towns, a rival to Pompeii. For the people back then Delos was very special, as they believed it was the birth place of god Apollo. Today people who visit it can get an idea of the life back then, by seeing the ancient houses, temples, shrines, the theater, and more. An interesting detail is that all the houses of Delos were fitted with bathrooms, and a sophisticated system of sewers would take the used waters to the ocean. Delos was the first Duty Free place in history, as well as the first melting pot. It was also famous as a slave trade center, and the visitor will see, among other things, the big slave market. The guide will narrate the history of the place from the prehistoric times, to the archaic period, to the Athenian domination, to the Roman occupation, to the present day. The Museum houses exceptional artifacts, and things of everyday use, discovered in the private houses. Finally, Delos is a paradise for photographers.
Inclusions: The tour guide
Exclusions: Private transportation, Ferry tickets, and entrances., Head sets
Reviewed By SarahDiallo
We purchased the tickets by the pier for the tour for Delos, the tickets were 20 Euros. We thought this was a reasonable price, little did we know that we were only paying for the boat transport there. We were surprised with a queue and an additional charge of 12 euros, this was poorly communicated so took us and a lot of others by surprise. Other than that it has good historical content but there is only so much you can see there. After an hour we had seen everything we needed to see and went back to the boat to wait for an hour before departure. Wouldn’t say it is a must see.
8. Santorini Full Day Tour
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 8 reviews
On this bus tour, travel to the highest point of the island and take a cruise to visit the majestic islands of the area such as Nea Kameni, Palea Kameni, and Therasia.
Inclusions: Local taxes, Guided tour of Santorini, Boat trip, Pickup from meeting points
Exclusions: Food and drinks, Gratuities, Volcano entrance fee 4,00 Euro per person
Reviewed By Andreas C
We booked via Cretan Holidays our stay in Heraklion, a car rental and one excursion.We received top quality products, quick responce, exceptional customer service!
9. Santorini - The pearl of the Aegean
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2 reviews
Make your dream come true in one of the most amazing destinations worldwide! Santorini is a small, circular archipelago of volcanic islands located in the southern Aegean Sea, about 200 km south-east from Greece's mainland. It is the most active volcanic center in the Aegean Arc, though what remains today is largely a caldera. The name Santorini was given to it by the Venetians in the 13th century and is a reference to Saint Irene. Before then it was called Kallisti, Strongili or Thera. Today, Santorini is the only inhabited Caldera (volcano cauldron) in the world. Unlike other islands in Greece, the towns and villages sit densely on top of the massive cliffs of the Caldera and from a distance appear like snow capping the towering mountain tops. The colored strata of the volcanic rock of these cliffs are spectacular in themselves: chocolate brown, rust red, yellow ochre, white and cream will never let you forget.
Inclusions: Air-conditioned vehicle, WiFi on board, Ferry ticket, Transfer from the meeting point or hotel + back, island excursion with live tour guide
Exclusions: Lunch, Snacks, Coffee and/or Tea
Reviewed By Tania L
I did the Gramvousa and Balos tour with my family on may 31st and we had a terrible and stressful experience. We waited for almost 25 mins to be picked up in the morning and the boat was overcrowded. These things I could set aside and forget given it was maybe beyond the control of the bus driver to pick us up at scheduled time, or that it is tourist season and the boats might be overcrowded. What I have a problem with, is that it WASN’T ADVERTISED that on both Gramvousa and Balos in order to get to the beach, visitors need to walk over treacherous and dangerous volcanic rocks and there would be no designated walking path. We were also not warned that we need hiking boots to get off the boat as the rocks are absolutely not suitable for beach footwear. It only says for visitors who want to hike up to the fortress to wear walking shoes. It doesnt say the volcanic rocks aren't appropriate for small children and older individuals. The free time we had on Gramvousa island was 1 hour and in Balos 2 hours which was 2 hours LESS THAN ADVERTISED. I travelled with a 2 year old child who fell twice on the rocks in Balos and could've seriously injured himself had he hit his head. My other 2 family members who are women close to 70 year old couldn't even see the Balos lagoon because it was dangerous to walk 200m over the dangerous rocks. One of them nearly twisted her ankle and the other hurt her back while trying to balance on the rocks so they had to go back to the boat and wait over 2 hours for the boat to leave Balos. The tour was not as advertised and actually not disclosing crucial information about the volcanic rocks visitors have to walk over in order to reach Gramvousa and Balos beach is not only misleading but dangerous for the health of visitors. The tour guide by the name Sergio was rude when I expressed my concerns about the safety of the tour and that there was even a man who got seriously injured and was bleeding down his leg. Sergio told me how I wasn't climbing the Himalayas and that I didn't need hiking shoes. As a matter of fact, I did trekking in the Himalayas and I felt safer trekking there than walking 200m to Balos beach. And why I felt safer? Because I had proper footwear. The tour was terrible and my family members could not even access the highlighted parts of the tour, such as the lagoon. I will take this matter to the Greek ministry of tourism. I sent an email to the tour organizer, Viola, after the incident expressing my concerns, and I also asked for a refund. I got NO reply. Just shows how sketchy and unprofessional these people are.
10. Santorini Full-Day Sightseeing Tour
Overall Ratings
4.3 based on 389 reviews
Full day sightseeing tour is an all-day pure Santorini experience that you can’t miss! Joining this tour you will discover the most important archaeological site of Santorini, details about the wine heritage of the island as we will visit the only Wine Museum of Koutsoyanopoulos Winery, amazing caldera landscapes, a stop at the highest spot of the island and the Monastery of Prophet Elias, and you will have the opportunity to enjoy your lunch by the sea. The tour concludes with Santorini’s most treasured moments as we will take you to the village of Oia to enjoy the magnificent sunset! Embark on a tour that will take you only to the best of Santorini!
Inclusions: Local taxes, Licensed English speaking Guide, Air-conditioned vehicle, Wine Tasting
Exclusions: Lunch, Gratuities
Reviewed By duhoz
I used Notos travel for the transport from Santorini Airport to Perissa. Actually I booked with Holiday taxi but the shuttle was arranged by this local travel agency. The service was reliable and hassle free. As the transfer from JTR airport by bus is nit convenient due to bad bus timing. The driver helpful and friendly. The shuttle was bought just for me as a single person.
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