Top 8 Outdoor Activities To Do in Santorini

From colourful cliffs to breathtaking sunsets, Santorini is known worldwide for its sublime beauty, capturing the hearts of all its visitors. In today’s article, we will guide you through 8 of the best outdoor activities to do in Santorini so you can see the city from a unique and fun perspective.

This Greek island is one of the most beautiful landscapes on the globe and, perhaps surprisingly, an idyllic setting for outdoor sports. With its postcard look, the village of Oia, situated on a caldera, is simply one of the most beautiful places in the world and I dare you to find someone who would say otherwise. Whether you are in the mood to try some scuba diving, jet skiing or parasailing? You can do it all on this picture-perfect island.

Without further ado, please have a look at our selection of top outdoor activities to do in Santorini, Greece:

Stand Up Paddleboarding

If you’re a seasoned surfer looking for big waves and barrels, then keep on rolling, but if you want to enjoy the calm and glassy surface of the Aegean Sea on a board then let yourself be tempted by an SUP session. Stylishly cruise on Santorini’s small waves standing on a board, using only pure man-power and a paddle to direct you, discover a truly unique way to enjoy the jaw-dropping views of the islands, while, at the same time, getting in an all-over body workout. Santorini is known for its small paradise beaches, but Saint George’s beach is one of the widest, making it the perfect place to relax and paddle around in the flat water, and if you feel like it, there’s also yoga classes on the paddle boards. SUP in Santorini is the ideal activity to test your balance and paddle power, and is especially magical if you manage to catch one of the fabulous sunsets in the villages of Oia, Fira and Imerovigli.

Flyboarding and Hoverboarding

Defy gravity several metres above sea level and step into Iron Man’s shoes for a few minutes with a Flyboard and hoverboard in Santorini, these new futuristic activities invented by Franky Zapata. Take to the air and hover over the water with the possibility of reaching a whopping 14 meters in height. With the help of your instructor, learn to fly over the warm waters of Santorini, powered by the powerful turbines of the Flyboard. It obviously takes a lot of balance to stay upright but after a few minutes of training, you can master this crazy invention.

Sea Kayaking

Seakayaking in Santorini is an unforgettable way to discover the shores of Santorini. With this guided tour along the south coast, you can enjoy an alternative point of view of the caldera and volcano while admiring the landscape of whitewashed houses and rock formations in the light of day or to wait for the evening and enjoy the sunset with its sublime red colour on the surface of the sea. Get the hang of it in a flash with a small introductory course teaching you how to paddle effortlessly, you can row around the south coast and enjoy swimming and diving in the crystal-clear waters of Santorini. A beautiful program in perspective.

Scuba diving

Scuba diving is one of the most commonly practiced adventure sports in the world. Scuba diving in Santorini is considered to be the Mecca of the sport – for several reasons. The clear blue waters are the number one reason for people to come to Santorini and explore the deep end.

Diving options differ based on your ability. From beginner’s courses to advance PADI courses, Santorini has it all. All you have to deal with before the courses, is your ability to be comfortable in water and be sure of what you’re stepping into. Caldera Beach is home to one of the world’s most unique geological formations. An area steeped in local myth and legend, explore the active volcano across the caldera reef and unique cave systems, enjoy technicolour macro life, amazing swim-throughs and hot springs, too!

Except the winter months between November and February, you could basically go scuba diving all year round in Santorini. If you’d like to check out all our scuba diving activities in Santorini, please click the provided link.

Parasailing

If you’re looking for a bit of an extra buzz to get your adrenaline pumping then it’s time to take to the skies and check out Santorini from a different perspective. If you go parasailing in Santorini, you will safely fly over the blue waters of the Aegean Sea with a panoramic view of Santorini from 100 meters up, take photos from the skies and, if you’re lucky, have a front row seat to a famous sunset. The parachute can accommodate up to 3 people and is towed by a specially designed rigger, so buckle up and speedily soar around this picturesque island in style.

Sailing

It’s time to find your sea legs – it’s difficult to imagine a better spot for watching a Santorini sunset than by sailing in Santorini, cruising across the Aegean Sea! Sail just below the caldera as the highlight of your trip around the volcano island, then sit back and relax with a drink while you soak in the view. By sail boat or catamaran, this experience is not the most extreme of our selection but by far the most relaxing. A first stop at the hot springs for a mud bath that is a unique and therapeutic way to relax. Then via Apronisi and the famous lighthouse of the village, you will make a second stop at the red beach to swim and dive in the crystalline waters of Santorini. You will continue sailing to White Beach to swim and have a barbecue and after dinner, you will sail quietly to the village of Oia to enjoy the sunset with its gradations of pink, purple, orange and red that you will not see nowhere else.

Jetskiing

When it’s speed in the water you’re looking for all lovers of speed on the water, this sport is for you. Feel the buzz of the engine vibrate and sail along the shores of Santorini at full speed, admiring the beauty of this island from the sea. You can go around the islands or stop for a small excursion to the National Natural Geological Park of Nea Kameni with its famous volcano. The departure is generally from the beach of St George, the most beautiful of Santorini then direction Vlychada and the red beach for your jet-ski trip. Choosing between a solo voyage or a cruise with friends, it’s a good opportunity to enjoy the beautiful landscapes with a few thrills in passing.

Jet skiing in Santorini for 30 minutes costs between 40 and 50 euros, depending on the instructor you go with. However, you could even book a jet skiing excursion for up to 4 hours, which is cost you anywhere between 220 and 250 euros. You’d be delighted to know that no prior experience is required to go jet skiing, and with a customary training session, you’ll be equipped to take on the deep waters.

Snorkeling

The main difference between snorkeling and scuba diving is the depths of water, reached by the participants. While scuba diving, deals with great depths of the water body, snorkeling is usually close to the surface level. The apparatus used for snorkeling isn’t as complicated compared to scuba diving.

We couldn’t talk about top outdoor activities to do in Sanorini and not speak about snorkeling in Satorini. It is almost criminal to go to Santorini and not discover it’s beautiful light blue waters! An activity which usually lasts about 100 minutes, can see you go to Perivolos, from where you could enjoy the volcanic surroundings.

A trip for 2 peopele will cost you around 300 euros but anyone after that has to pay around 75 euros, each. If you’d like to go Snorkeling in Santorini, please click the provided link.

• If you’d like to check out all our outdoor activities in Santorini, click the provided link for booking information.
• If you’d like to check out a list of the Top 5 Paragliding destinations in Greece, please click the provided link.