Sailing in Santorini

Sailing Santorini style is a five-hour trip on a catamaran or sailboat from the south coast, with swim stops, a meal and drinks. I found three sailing cruises on GetYourGuide: Spiridakos at $85, Barca Sailing at $140 and the Santorini Sailing Deluxe tour at $180. If you want every option, see my comparison of boat tours in Santorini. Prices are in US dollars from the listings, checked in October 2026, and booking links are affiliate links. I haven’t sailed on any of them, so this page rests on the listings and the review snippets.

My pick for sailing Santorini wide is the Spiridakos sailing catamaran at $85. It has 4.8 from 1,793 reviews, which is far more evidence than the other two sailing cruises, and it is the cheapest. I’d choose Barca Sailing for a sunset sail in a small group, and the Blue Lagoon deluxe tour at $180 if I wanted the longest list of stops.

SPIRIDAKOS PLEASURE YACHTS P.Y.M.C.

Sailing Catamaran Cruise with BBQ and Drinks

• ★ 4.8 (1,793 reviews)
• 5 hours
• Free cancellation

My pick: My sailing pick: $85, a small-group catamaran with a barbecue buffet, 4.8 from 1,793 reviews.

from

$85

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Sailing Santorini Greece

Sailing Santorini Greece style starts at the island’s south coast, where all three of these boats leave. Vlychada Marina is on the coast near the Akrotiri peninsula. In a straight line from my place coordinates, it is about 3.3 km from Akrotiri, 4.9 km from White Beach and 7.4 km from the Akrotiri lighthouse. The caldera, with its volcanic islets, lies further north. The Greek National Tourism Organisation says visitors can stay inside the active volcano’s caldera, on Visit Greece, and the sailing routes bring you to its rim from the water.

The Spiridakos itinerary shows the pacing well. You take a minibus transfer of about an hour, then a 15-minute safety briefing at Vlychada Port. After that comes 30 minutes of swimming at Red Beach, 15 minutes of sightseeing at White Beach and another 15 minutes at the Akrotiri lighthouse, a 30-minute swim at Palea Kameni and a 15-minute look at the volcano. Then there is a barbecue buffet, with chicken fillet, pasta with tomato sauce, Greek salad and vine leaf rolls, with white wine and soft drinks.

Santorini Sailing Cruise

A Santorini sailing cruise from Blue Lagoon Cruises is the one I’d read about first if you like detail. The listing is called the Santorini Sailing Deluxe Tour. It costs $180 for five hours, has 4.8 from 176 reviews and starts with pickup from your accommodation, then departs from Vlihada Marina. The route sails past the ancient city of Akrotiri, Red Beach and White Beach, Indian Head Mountain and the Venetian lighthouse, then into the caldera with the volcanic islands, Aspronisi and the hot springs.

It includes a hotel transfer, a meal, beer, wine and sodas, and taxes and fees. The exclusions are luggage or large bags and people with mobility impairments. With 176 reviews it is well established but not as proven as Spiridakos. It costs more than twice as much, so I’d pick it for the route, not the price.

SANTORINI SAILING Blue Lagoon Cruises

Santorini Sailing Deluxe Tour

• ★ 4.8 (176 reviews)
• 5 hours
• Free cancellation

My pick: The longest stop list of the three: Akrotiri, both beaches, Aspronisi and the hot springs, $180, 4.8 from 176 reviews.

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$180

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Sailing Tours in Santorini

Sailing Santorini tours differ mostly in group size and time of day. Spiridakos is described as a luxury small-group catamaran, with a choice of morning or afternoon departure and several options. The ‘Classic’, ‘Premium’ and ‘Luxury’ options add hotel transfers by air-conditioned minibus, while the Joy Cruise with BBQ and Drinks (No Transfers) does not, so the price depends on what you select. The stated pick-up point for the no-transfer option is a Google Maps location, about 30 minutes before the start, next to an ATM.

Barca Sailing is a small group too, and the listing is the most sunset-focused of the three: Round-trip transfers, a sunset cruise, a seafood barbecue dinner, local white wine and Greek beer. The boarding is at Vlychada Marina, with five pickup options by coach (Oia, Perissa, Kamari, Mitropoleos Street and Akrotiri). For sunset times by month, see my page on sunset cruises in Santorini.

Night tour

Barca Sailing

Santorini Caldera: Sunset Sailing Cruise with Meal

• ★ 4.8 (91 reviews)
• 5 hours
• Free cancellation

My pick: Small-group sunset sailing with a seafood barbecue and local wine, $140, 4.8 from 91 reviews.

from

$140

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Sailing vs Catamaran vs Kayak

I used ‘sailing’ here for trips where the listing says sailing or sailboat. That overlaps with catamarans: Spiridakos is both a sailing trip and a catamaran. If you want the broader catamaran comparison, with six tours and two private boats, read my catamaran tour page. If you would rather paddle than sail, the snorkeling page covers the kayak trips.

The practical difference for a passenger on a sailing Santorini cruise is small and the listings don’t spell it out. A sailing boat leans a little under sail, and you may feel the wind more than on a wide-decked catamaran. On a sunny day with little wind, most five-hour sailing cruises will use the engine for part of the route. That is a general point, so ask the operator how much sailing you will actually do.

Sailing Cruise Costs and What They Cover

The spread of $85 to $180 reflects the listing more than the boat. Spiridakos at $85 lists the buffet, a hosted tour and a choice of transfers. Barca Sailing at $140 includes round-trip transfers, dinner and drinks. Blue Lagoon at $180 lists a hotel transfer, a meal, drinks and taxes. All three give free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead. Prices change by date, so check the booking page for your day and your pickup option.

Wind is the thing that can change a sailing Santorini plan. The Hellenic National Meteorological Service publishes forecasts at hnms.gr, and I’d look at the forecast two days before and ask the operator about its weather policy, as none of the three listings describes one.

What to Bring on a Sailing Trip

The listings are short on packing advice, so I’ll stick to what they say. Blue Lagoon excludes luggage and large bags, so travel light and leave your suitcase at the hotel. Spiridakos asks you to be at the meeting point about 30 minutes before the start on the no-transfer option, and the Barca Sailing coach ride takes about an hour from the pickup points, so I’d plan a relaxed morning or afternoon around either one. Swimwear, a towel if the listing does not mention one, sunscreen and a layer for the evening are my own suggestions, not claims from the operators. Food and drinks are included on all three, so you don’t need to bring lunch.

Compared: Three Sailing Cruises

Tour	Operator	Price	Duration	Boat	Rating	Cancellation
Sailing Catamaran Cruise with BBQ and Drinks	Spiridakos Pleasure Yachts	$85	5 hours	Small-group sailing catamaran	4.8 (1,793)	Free up to 24 hours
Santorini Caldera: Sunset Sailing Cruise with Meal	Barca Sailing	$140	5 hours	Sailing boat, small group	4.8 (91)	Free up to 24 hours
Santorini Sailing Deluxe Tour	Blue Lagoon Cruises	$180	5 hours	Sailing cruise	4.8 (176)	Free up to 24 hours

How I’d Choose a Sailing Trip in Santorini

Here is the short version.

1. If price and evidence matter most for sailing Santorini, Spiridakos at $85 with 1,793 reviews.
2. If you want a sunset, Barca Sailing at $140, and confirm the start time against the month.
3. If you want the most stops, Blue Lagoon at $180.
4. If you want to be alone with your group, look at the private boats on my private boat tour page.
5. If you want to drive yourself, read my guide to boat rental in Santorini, which is a different experience.

All three offer free cancellation 24 hours ahead. For the rest of the island’s boats, return to my comparison of boat tours in Santorini or to the home page. Everything on this page about sailing Santorini offers comes from the listings, and I’d recheck prices and pickup options before you pay.