Southern Island Bus Tour: Hidden Gems and History

Explore the hidden gems of Santorini’s south coast on this half-day bus tour. Visit the 16th century Monastery of Prophet Elias, the traditional village of Megalochori, the ancient Minoan site of Akrotiri, and relax on the black sand beach of Perivolos.

Duration: 6 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Monastery of Profitis Ilias - The first stop of the tour is the 16th century Monastery of Prophet Elias which was built on the highest point of the Island 550 meters above sea level. From there you have a panoramic view of the whole island and it is breathtaking!
  • Akrotiri Archaeological Site - Akrotiri is the last stop on our tour and what…
What's Included
  • Pickup from designated meeting points
  • Guided tour with a professional guide
  • Comfortable travel with in-vehicle air conditioning
What's Not Included
  • Akrotiri excavation site entrance fee (12€) NOT included
  • Food and drinks
  • Gratuities
  • Guiding in the archeological site
Additional Information

Embark on this bus journey taking you towards the Southern end of the island as you explore its hidden treasures. Your tour commences with the 16th-century Monastery of Prophet Elias, offering sweeping views of the entire island.
Continuing on the tour, you will visit Megalochori, among the island’s most traditional villages, providing a peek into its…

Location
Monastery of Profitis Ilias
Epar. Od. Pirgou Kallistis, 3 km from Pyrgo Thira, Moni Profitou Ilia
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
3.9
(17 Ratings)
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John_s
Jun 28, 2024
Loved the half day tour. - We especially enjoyed the typical traditional village and Akrotiri. Our guide, Tatiyana, was delightful, entertaining and always happy.
Review provided by Viator
Sherry_d
Oct 11, 2023
Great Island Exploration - Very enjoyable tour! We enjoyed each stop. Akrotiri was definitely a highlight! We enjoyed all stops on this tour, though it would have been nice to have a bit longer at the beach.
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Patrick
Nov 6, 2019
Wonderful - Wonderful from top to bottom. The beach, the sand, the wine and the ruins. I highly recommend. Admission to the ruins in not included.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Northstar754149
Sep 30, 2019
Best tour EVER - Tasha was not only knowledgeable, but truly excited by her subject. I was thrilled with some of the things I was able to see that I wouldn't have if I had been on my own. GO ON THIS TOUR.
Review provided by Viator
Sligoinian
Sep 29, 2024
A good tour - We done this tour and it wasnt a bad day out but it did seem long. Tanya the guide was excellent very knowledgeable.You don’t get into the monastery only a small church nearby Megalochori was good but we felt could have had little bit longer we were told to get snacks there in mini market until our final stop when we would have lunch The Akrotiri archeological site was interesting and informative tour was given by one of the archaeologists. It was 3.15 before we arrived at our final stop Perrisa for sand and food Overall it was good.
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Joe_b
Sep 28, 2024
Enjoyable - Tanya the guide was excellent very knowledgeable.You don’t get into the monastery only a small church nearby Megalochori was good but you felt could have had little bit longer we were told to get snacks there in mini market until our final stop when we would have lunch The Akrotiri archeological site was interesting and informative tour was given by one of the archaeologists. It was 3.15 before we arrived at our final stop Perrisa for sand and food Overall it was good but it seemed a long day
Review provided by Viator
Eileen_b
Sep 20, 2023
Akrotiri City of Ancient Thera - Archaeological site of Akrotiri is very interesting. Shows the life of the people who lived there before the Minoan eruption. Happy ending—the people saw warning signs and escaped.
Review provided by Viator
Kailli_h
Sep 20, 2024
Meh - Honestly - just do yourself a favour and take public transit to Akrotiri yourself. The public buses are easy enough to figure out. We were picked up at 10am and not allowed to stop for lunch until 4pm, and had no free time to explore Megalochori or Akrotiri on our own. We also got back around 6:30pm, so beware this is not a half day tour at all.
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Robert_n
May 21, 2023
Skip this tour. - This tour has potential, but needs improvement. They picked us up in a small van & then dropped us off in the hot sun (no shade available) where we waited approximately 30 minutes for a large bus to arrive. The tour was too long - they should eliminate the $1 euro bathroom break which took 20 minutes & eliminate the walk to red beach/ice cream break which would save at least another hour. Also lunch was at the end of the tour & everyone was thirsty & hungry by 3:30 in the afternoon. So they should have a smaller group size, provide a bottle of water, shorten the trip, and not have lunch so late.
Review provided by Viator
Lina_c
Oct 2, 2023
I want a refund because there was no tour bus at the meeting place at the appointed time. - I want a refund! We waited for the blue bus across the old medical center, but there was none! It was supposed to be there at 10:00 and we were there 9:50 and waited until 10:30. I did not receive any notification that the meeting place was changed. This should not happen!!!
Review provided by Viator