Day Trips from Santorini: 6 Boat Trips Worth Your Day, and 1 to Skip (2026)

The 2 best day trips from Santorini are Thirassia, a free 10- to 45-minute municipal boat ride from Ammoudi Bay below Oia, and the volcano-and-hot-springs boat from Fira’s Old Port, which costs about USD 34 (EUR 30) plus a USD 6 (EUR 5) landing fee. If you want a second island, Ios is the easiest at 35 minutes away.

Naxos and Crete work only on a long, early-start day, and Mykonos is not worth it as a day trip.

How these day trips actually work

Every trip here is a boat, and the timetable is the whole plan. Ferries to other islands leave from Athinios port, at the bottom of a switchback cliff road. The bus from Fira costs USD 3 (EUR 2.70) and takes about 20 minutes, but that road jams, so be at the port 45 to 60 minutes before sailing.

Volcano boats leave from Fira’s Old Port, reached by cable car at USD 11 (EUR 10) each way or by the long donkey-path stairs. Prices here are converted at USD 1 = EUR 0.89.

Schedules are seasonal: many fast boats run only March to October. Book the return leg before you leave, and pick a day trip that fits the season you are visiting, because the July meltemi wind can cancel smaller boats with little warning.

Thirassia: the easiest, cheapest escape

Thirassia is the island across the caldera from Oia, and it is the best day trip from Santorini for most people. In 2026 the Municipality of Thira runs a free passenger boat, the Eleftherios, from Ammoudi Bay to Riva and Korfos at 08:00, 12:45 and 17:35, returning from Riva at 07:45, 12:30 and 17:20. An extra evening run operates four nights a week in high summer.

What to see: Manolas, the cliff-top village, with tavernas looking back at Santorini’s whole caldera rim. Korfos port connects to Manolas by about 270 stairs. Bring cash; there is almost no shopping.

Who it suits: couples, slow travelers and anyone tired of Oia crowds. It slots neatly into a four-day Santorini plan as a half day.

The volcano and hot springs

Nea Kameni, the young volcanic island in the middle of the caldera, is the classic Santorini boat trip.

Local operator Santorini Volcano Tours lists a 3-hour volcano-and-hot-springs run from Fira’s Old Port at USD 34 (EUR 30), a 6-hour glass-bottom boat that adds Thirassia at USD 42 (EUR 37), and full-day trips that add Thirassia and an Oia sunset at USD 57–72 (EUR 51–64).

The landing fee on Nea Kameni is about USD 6 (EUR 5), paid in cash.

What to see: a hike on loose black lava to the crater rim, around 130 meters up, then a swim to the lukewarm, rust-colored springs at Palea Kameni. The path has no shade, so wear real shoes.

Who it suits: first-timers and families with kids old enough to hike. It is one of the top things to do in Santorini, and it shows you the caldera from water level.

Ios, Naxos and Anafi: real island day trips

Ios is the strongest option for a second island. Ferryhopper’s Santorini-Ios timetable lists 6 operators, crossings from 35 minutes, and fares from USD 7 (EUR 6.50), with service 6 to 7 days a week all year. What to see: the white Chora on the hill and Mylopotas Beach below it. Who it suits: beach lovers and groups in their 20s and 30s.

Naxos is bigger and more rewarding, but the math is tight. Blue Star sails daily in about 2 hours for USD 35 (EUR 31.50), while Seajets cuts it to 1 hr 10 min for USD 67–77 (EUR 59.70–68.70), with fast boats running March to October. What to see: the Portara marble gateway, the Venetian Kastro and village tavernas.

Who it suits: food and history travelers willing to spend 3 to 4 hours on the water.

Anafi sits 1 hr 15 min to 1 hr 30 min east, at USD 8–10 (EUR 7–9). With only 2 to 7 sailings a week, same-day returns work only on certain days. Who it suits: hikers who want almost no tourists.

Crete: a long day with one clear target

Ferryhopper lists high-speed crossings to Heraklion from 1 hr 30 min, with fares from USD 17 (EUR 15) for slow ferries and USD 56–112 (EUR 49.80–99.70) for fast catamarans. Peak season brings 5 to 7 departures a week. Focus on one thing: the Palace of Knossos, where a full ticket costs USD 23 (EUR 20).

Who it suits: history buffs who accept a 12-hour day. If Crete is already tempting you as a base, our Crete vs Santorini comparison is worth a read first.

Day trips to skip: Mykonos and Folegandros

Mykonos looks close on a map, but crossings take 1 hr 50 min to 3 hr 20 min each way and start at USD 65 (EUR 58). After the port shuffle, you get only a few hours in town for at least USD 130 in round-trip tickets. Visit it for at least 2 nights instead.

Folegandros is only 45 minutes away by Seajets, but the main departure leaves Santorini at 14:30, so a same-day return rarely works. Spend 2 nights or leave it out. If all this ferrying feels like a lot, ask whether Santorini is worth visiting as a base at all.

Private catamaran and sunset sailing cruises

Not every day trip leaves the caldera. A half-day or sunset catamaran cruise sails along Santorini’s own coastline instead of to another island, typically stopping for a swim near the Red Beach or White Beach before anchoring to watch the sunset off Oia from the water.

Semi-private sunset sailings, shared with other guests but on a smaller boat than the big-group tours, run from around USD 135 (EUR 120) per person for a roughly five-and-a-half-hour trip, usually including a barbecue meal, wine, beer and soft drinks. Fully private charters for a small group run considerably more, priced per boat rather than per person.

This is the right choice for travelers who want the classic Santorini sunset photo from the water without committing to a full day trip to another island, and it works on a short visit when Thirassia or Ios would eat too much of your remaining time. Book ahead in July and August, when the best-rated boats sell out days in advance.

Departure points vary by operator: some leave from Fira’s Old Port, reached by the same cable car or donkey-path stairs used for the volcano boats, while others pick up from Vlychada or Ammoudi depending on the route.

Check your confirmation email for the exact pier, since turning up at the wrong one with a sailing time looming is a common and entirely avoidable way to miss the boat.

Smaller, semi-private boats also tend to handle the July meltemi winds better than the largest group catamarans, so if the forecast looks breezy, a smaller boat is less likely to cancel on you.

Where to stay

Fira suits most day-trippers: it is the bus hub for Athinios and sits above the Old Port volcano boats. Oia puts you closest to Ammoudi Bay and the Thirassia boat, at the highest prices. Kamari or Perissa on the east coast suit budget travelers who do not mind a bus ride to the ports.

What to bring on a boat day trip

Every option on this page is a boat trip, so pack accordingly rather than for a normal sightseeing day. Real shoes, not sandals, for the volcano hike, since the path is loose black lava with no shade.

A swimsuit under your clothes for the hot springs or any beach stop, plus a cover-up for the ferry ride over, since island-hopping boats are air-conditioned indoors and breezy on deck. Cash for landing fees, port buses and anywhere that does not take cards, which still includes some smaller operators and village tavernas on Thirassia and Anafi.

Add a strap or dry bag for your phone and reef-safe sunscreen reapplied more often than you would on land, since reflection off the water increases exposure. A light jacket covers both the wind on an open-deck catamaran and the air conditioning inside a fast ferry cabin, two very different problems solved by the same item in your bag.

Travel light on anything you are carrying between ports. Athinios, Fira’s Old Port and most island piers involve stairs, a cable car or a walk from the bus stop, none of which is fun with a full-size suitcase, so a day trip is one of the few times a small daypack genuinely beats a bigger bag.

If you get seasick, take medication before you board rather than after you start feeling it, since the open stretches between islands are rougher than the sheltered caldera waters right off Santorini.

Frequently Asked Questions

What islands can you get to from Santorini?

Direct ferries from Athinios reach Ios, Naxos, Folegandros, Anafi, Mykonos, Paros and Heraklion on Crete. For a day trip, the closest and most reliable are Thirassia by small municipal boat from Ammoudi, Ios at 35 minutes by fast ferry, and the volcanic islets of Nea Kameni and Palea Kameni on organized boat tours from Fira’s Old Port.

Can you do a day trip from Santorini to Ios?

Yes. Ios is the easiest island day trip from Santorini, with crossings from 35 minutes and fares from USD 7 (EUR 6.50), running 6 to 7 days a week all year. Take an early boat, spend the middle of the day between the Chora and Mylopotas Beach, and confirm the evening return before you book.

Is it possible to take a day trip from Santorini to Naxos?

It is possible but long. The fastest Seajets crossing is about 1 hr 10 min and fast boats run March to October, while Blue Star takes about 2 hours. Expect 3 to 4 hours on the water in total. If Naxos interests you, one night there is far more relaxing than a same-day return.

Is the Santorini volcano tour worth it?

For a first visit, yes. A basic 3-hour volcano and hot springs boat from Fira costs about USD 34 (EUR 30), plus a USD 6 (EUR 5) cash landing fee. You hike to the crater rim and swim to lukewarm springs. Skip it if you dislike crowded boats or hot, shadeless walks.