From fourth-generation wineries to wine museums buried deep below the ground, here’s where to raise a glass in Santorini.
Santorini’s Wine Museum (Photo: GetYourGuide.com)
Santorini, perhaps one of the Mediterranean’s most enchanting islands, was born from erupting volcanoes. This volcanic soil, combined with scorching heat, has created unique wines that have been respected for centuries. One of the easiest and most cost-effective ways to explore this local viticulture is to book yourself onto a wine-tasting experience or tour. Run by knowledgeable local sommeliers and guides, they offer an opportunity to spend a day or afternoon brushing up on local winemaking history and culture while slowly sipping on some of the region’s finest wines. There are dozens of experiences to choose from, so we’ve rounded up five of the best based on price, itinerary and customer reviews.
Wine Museum Tasting and Entry with Audioguide
This cheap and cheerful tasting offers up an excellent introduction to local viticulture. The two-hour experience includes admission to a wine museum and family-run winery, set in a 300-metre cave below ground. Guests can enjoy a 40-minute audio guide tour, which delves into hundreds of years of winemaking, rare machinery and tours. Then, at the winery, guests can relax into an hour-long tasting at the winery with a fouth-generation sommelier. Wines range from Assyrtiko whites and Ambelones reds to an orange wine and Kamaritis dessert wine. From £12.90 per person.
Highlights Tour with Wine Tasting and Sunset in Ohio
This tour combines stops at Santorini’s best-loved villages (Photo: GetYourGuide.com)
This highly-rated tour offers a jam-packed itinerary that combines Santorini’s must-see stops with a private wine-tasting session. The price includes hotel pickup and travel in a comfortable coach too. Popular stops include Profitis Illias (the highest point of the island), the charming villages of Pyrgos, the fortress town of Emporio and a swim at Perissa Beach. A leisurely wine tasting of three local wines follows, finishing off with sunset views over the famous blue-domed churches from Santorini’s northernmost tip, Oio. From £55.88 per person.
Spirits Tour with Wine, Beer and Liqueur Tastings
For those looking to get a flavour of Santorini’s diverse range of tipples, this half-day group tour is an excellent option. Guests get to uncover the ancient winemaking traditions of the area at a local wine museum buried eight metres below ground. Then it’s onwards to a family-run winery for a sample of local, wine-based spirits homemade in a manmade cave. The final stop explores the world of beer-making, with a tour of a local brewery and a beer tasting with local bites and far-reaching views over the estate. From £90.27.
Guided Wine Tasting Tour with Pickup
A picturesque wine tasting overlooking the bay (Photo: GetYourGuide.com)
This half-day tour is dedicated to showcasing the islands’ finest wines. Guests visit three acclaimed wine estates with a local wine expert, travelling in a small group by minivan. Wineries might include Argyros Estate Winery (the islands’ second largest winery), Art Space Winery, the Koutsoyannopoulos Wine Museum, Venestsanos Winery or Gavalas Estate Winery. There will be an opportunity to sample organic wines, such as Nykteri, Assyrtiko and Vinsanto with a selection of local delicacies too. From £128.96 per person
Highlights and Wine Tasting Private Day Tour
This full-day private tour is ideal for those who like the idea of experiencing Santorini with a local but prefer to avoid other tourists. The tour sets off from the northern tip of the island in Oia, then winds across the island past Imerovigli, Firostefani and other postcard-perfect villages. There’s a chance to explore the traditional settlement of Megalochori, the archaeological ruins of Akrotiri and views of Prophet Elias Museum. The wine tasting takes place at Koutsogiannopoulos Wine Museum, located in a natural cave. Guests learn all about local winemaking traditions as they slip slowly on four famous regional wines. From £472.86 for two people.