Santorini: Three Wineries and One Brewery Tour with Tastings

Santorini’s wine country is far more interesting than a quick glass of Assyrtiko beside a caldera view. This 4.5-hour tour takes you to three wineries and Santorini Brewing Company, where the volcanic soil, unusual grapevines, and old farming methods make the island’s drinks unlike those produced elsewhere.

I like the mix of 12 wines and 3 local beers, especially for couples or small groups with different tastes. I also like the easy hotel pickup, comfortable van, and guides such as Billy, John, Panos, and Yiannis, who add island history and practical tips along the way.

The main drawback is the amount of alcohol in a short afternoon. Tastings are paired with cheese and Greek snacks, but this is not a good choice if you are pregnant, have heart problems, or want an active sightseeing day afterward.

Key points to know before booking

• Four drinks-focused stops: Start with three beers at Santorini Brewing Company, then visit Art Space, Estate Argyros, and a final winery chosen by availability.
• Santorini’s strange-looking vines: Learn why the island’s grapes grow in low basket-shaped forms that protect them from strong wind.
• A useful mix of styles: Art Space offers an old cellar and art-filled setting, Estate Argyros brings a modern look with traditional farming methods, and the final winery adds another perspective.
• Food is part of the tasting: Expect local cheese, dry bread, vegetables, dips, or similar Greek bites to accompany the drinks.
• Transport makes the day easier: Pickup and drop-off are available in places including Oia, Fira, Imerovigli, Pyrgos, Kamari, Perissa, and Akrotiri.
• Small groups can become private: The tour offers private or small-group departures, and several bookings have ended up as very personal outings.

Why Santorini wine deserves its own afternoon

Santorini’s vineyards are shaped by hard conditions. Volcanic soil, limited rainfall, strong wind, and bright sun create a demanding place to grow grapes. The island’s famous Assyrtiko grape handles those conditions well, producing crisp white wines with a firm, dry character.

You will also learn about Santorini’s own grape varieties and local methods of cultivation. The vines are trained close to the ground in round baskets, a practical response to the wind rather than a decorative choice. Seeing these low forms in the fields helps explain why Santorini wine looks and tastes so distinct.

The tour is useful because it connects the glass to the island itself. You are not simply moving from one tasting room to another. The guides explain the soil, the grape varieties, the old agricultural habits, and the way Santorini’s wine industry has changed.

That context matters. A wine tasting can feel repetitive when every stop offers similar pours and similar talk. Here, the four venues have different settings and different ways of presenting their products. You get a better sense of the island’s wine culture by comparing them.

Santorini Brewing Company starts the day on a lighter note

The first stop is Santorini Brewing Company, often referred to as the Crazy Donkey brewery. You taste three local beers in about 20 minutes before the tour turns to wine.

This is a smart opening. The brewery gives you a relaxed start, and it keeps the day from feeling like four formal wine appointments in a row. Beer fans will appreciate having a genuine local stop rather than a token alternative to wine.

The brewery has a friendly, informal character. You may learn about the beers and the local brewing operation, and you have the chance to buy merchandise or bottles if something catches your interest. The Donkey pale ales are especially associated with the brewery.

The short visit is also the first place where the advertised numbers deserve a little caution. One booking received two beers rather than three, with a bonus sightseeing stop added elsewhere. Availability can affect the exact pour list, so treat the three-beer tasting as the plan rather than an absolute guarantee.

Art Space combines wine, art, and underground cellars

A short drive brings you to Art Space Winery in Exo Gonia, a picturesque village in the island’s interior. The visit lasts about an hour and includes wine tasting, with a tour of the underground cellars when available.

Art Space is not just a polished tasting room. It occupies an older setting connected with Santorini’s wine-making past, and the art gallery adds another layer. Local art and wine share the same stop, which gives the visit a more individual feel than a simple bar with bottles on display.

The cellar is the part I would pay attention to. Underground storage makes sense in a hot, windy island climate, and the setting helps you picture how wine was handled before modern visitor centers became common. The place has been presented as Greece’s best winery, but you should read that as a distinction attached to the venue, not as a promise that every visitor will share the same favorite.

The staff at Art Space are part of the appeal. Panos and other guides have been praised for making the tasting lively, while the venue’s art and older rooms give you plenty to look at between pours. The snacks here and at the other wineries help keep the tasting from becoming an empty-stomach exercise.

Estate Argyros shows the modern side of Santorini wine

Estate Argyros receives about 75 minutes, making it the longest winery stop. The setting is more modern than Art Space, but the winemaking still respects older methods.

One detail gives this stop real character: mules are used to plow some fields, and grape byproducts are returned to the soil. That balance between modern presentation and traditional practice is exactly the sort of thing you cannot understand from a supermarket bottle or a standard restaurant tasting.

The tasting here gives you time to compare several wines rather than rushing through one or two samples. The overall tour includes at least 12 different wines, though the precise selection can vary. Estate Argyros is a good place to ask questions about production, grape varieties, farming, and how Santorini’s volcanic ground affects the final drink.

Food pairings also tend to be more substantial here. Expect local cheese and dry bread, with some tastings offering meat, vegetables, or dips as well. These are simple foods, but they matter. Salt, fat, and bread can change how you perceive acidity and dryness in the wine.

The modern setting may appeal to you if you prefer a polished visit. If you want a rustic cellar at every stop, the contrast may feel less atmospheric than Art Space. That difference is useful, though, because it shows how varied Santorini’s wine businesses can be.

The final winery depends on availability

The last tasting usually takes place at Anhydrous Cellar Door, though Hatzidakis Winery, Venetsanos Winery, or Artemis Karamolegos Winery may be substituted. The visit is planned for about 75 minutes.

This is the tour’s flexible piece. You should not book it expecting one fixed final venue with complete certainty. Instead, think of the last stop as a chance to see another side of Santorini’s wine industry, with the exact choice shaped by availability.

Anhydrous offers a modern yet comfortable setting, and the tasting gives the day an unhurried finish. Other possible wineries bring their own approach, so the experience can vary slightly from one departure to another. That is worth keeping in mind if you are building the day around a particular cellar or label.

The final stop is also where you may notice the value of the guide most clearly. A good guide keeps the pace comfortable, helps explain unfamiliar wines, and gives you time to enjoy the food and setting rather than pushing you from table to table. Guides named Billy, John, Panos, Yiannis, and Nikolaas have all been praised for being patient, sociable, and generous with island advice.

The guides make the transport more than a shuttle

Pickup and drop-off are included from a long list of Santorini locations. These include Fira, Oia, Imerovigli, Pyrgos, Megalochori, Akrotiri, Kamari, Perissa, Emporio, Karterados, Finikia, Vourvoulos, and nearby areas.

That matters because Santorini’s wineries are spread across the island. You can arrange a taxi or rental car, but a tasting day creates an obvious problem for the driver. The included van lets everyone sample the wines without assigning one person to stay sober behind the wheel.

The vehicle is described as clean and comfortable, with Mercedes Sprinter transport used on some departures. Air conditioning and bottled water are especially welcome in summer. The drives are not just dead time, either. Guides often use them to explain Santorini’s villages, wine production, history, and places to visit later.

Several private outings also included photos, restaurant suggestions, extra sightseeing stops, or help rearranging plans. Those extras are not guaranteed, but they show why the guide can shape the day. John, also called Yiannis, has been especially praised for taking photos and offering local recommendations.

Group size can vary. The activity is available as a private or small-group tour, and quiet-season departures may have only two people. During busy periods, you may share the van with a fuller group. If personal attention matters to you, ask about the group arrangement before booking.

What $200 really buys you

At $200 per person, this is not a budget tasting. The price makes more sense when you count the parts: roughly four and a half hours, hotel pickup and drop-off, a brewery, three wineries, at least 12 wines, three beers, food pairings, a driver, and a guide.

You are also paying to avoid the logistics of reaching four separate venues. Santorini’s roads can be busy, and arranging transport between wineries would quickly become tiring and expensive. The tour removes that work while giving you an informed person to put the drinks in context.

The value is strongest if you want a full wine afternoon and do not have a driver. It is weaker if you only want to sample a few famous labels or if you are not interested in drinking much. You may also find that individual winery tastings cost less on their own, but that comparison does not include transport, guiding, brewery access, or the time saved.

The included food is light rather than a full lunch. Plan to eat beforehand or afterward, especially if you know alcohol affects you quickly. Cheese, bread, and Greek snacks help, but they should not be treated as a complete meal.

Timing, comfort, and who should skip it

The tour lasts 4.5 hours, with about 20 minutes at the brewery, one hour at Art Space, and about 75 minutes at each of the two winery tastings. Short van rides connect the stops, including a longer return drive at the end.

I would schedule this on a day when you can take things slowly afterward. It works well as an afternoon activity, but it is not ideal before a demanding hike, a ferry connection with no spare time, or a formal dinner where you need to arrive completely fresh.

The activity is not suitable for pregnant women, people with heart problems, or wheelchair users. Pets and smoking are not allowed. The tour is conducted in English, so you should be comfortable following explanations about wine and local history in that language.

You do not need to be a serious wine expert. The guides and winery staff explain the basics, and the beer stop makes the day more welcoming for anyone who prefers hops to grapes. It suits couples, small friend groups, honeymooners, and curious visitors who want to see more of Santorini than the cliffside towns.

It is less suitable for children or anyone who does not drink. The tour is built around tastings, not sightseeing with occasional refreshments.

How to get the most from the four stops

Start with a proper meal or snack before pickup. The cheese and bread pairings are helpful, but the afternoon includes a lot of tasting.

Take notes on the grape varieties and styles you prefer. After 12 wines, it is easy to forget which bottle appealed to you most. Ask where you can buy a favorite later, since the guide or winery staff may be able to point you toward local shops.

Wear comfortable shoes. The winery visits can include cellars, galleries, and working areas rather than only level floors. Bring a phone or camera, but keep the focus on the explanation and tasting. The vineyard scenery is part of the pleasure, especially around the island’s older agricultural areas.

If you are visiting in the hotter months, choose light clothing and make use of the provided water. In quieter months, the tour can feel especially personal, but some stops may have a different rhythm or fewer operating areas open. Availability also affects the final winery and perhaps the exact beer selection.

Do not assume the guide will be the same person on every departure. Billy, John, Panos, Yiannis, Nikolaas, and other guides have led different outings. The company’s approach appears to put real weight on the guide’s role, but individual personalities and group size can vary.

Should you book this Santorini wine tour?

I would book it if you want an efficient, well-supported way to understand Santorini wine without driving. The combination of three contrasting wineries and one local brewery is its strongest feature, and the transport makes it practical on an island where distances and traffic can complicate a self-guided tasting day.

Book it if you enjoy learning how a place makes its food and drink, not just photographing a bottle against the sea. Skip it if you do not drink, need wheelchair access, or want a full meal and a slow sightseeing day rather than several hours of tastings.

At $200, the tour is best viewed as a transport-and-guiding package with drinks and snacks included. For wine fans, couples, and small groups, that can be a fair price for a relaxed afternoon that reaches parts of Santorini you might otherwise miss.

FAQ

How long does the Santorini winery and brewery tour last?

The tour lasts 4.5 hours, including transportation between the brewery and three wineries.

How many drinks are included?

The tour includes tastings of at least 12 different wines and three local beers. The exact beer selection can vary with availability.

Which brewery does the tour visit?

The tour visits Santorini Brewing Company, also known as the Crazy Donkey brewery in some descriptions.

Which wineries are included?

The planned route includes Art Space Winery, Estate Argyros, and a final winery. The last stop may be Anhydrous Winery, Hatzidakis Winery, Venetsanos Winery, or Artemis Karamolegos Winery, depending on availability.

Is food included with the tastings?

Yes. Cheese pairing is included, along with local snacks such as dry bread and other Greek delicacies.

Is hotel pickup available?

Yes. Pickup and drop-off are included from locations such as Fira, Oia, Imerovigli, Pyrgos, Megalochori, Akrotiri, Kamari, Perissa, and other listed Santorini areas.

Who is not suited to this activity?

The tour is not suitable for pregnant women, people with heart problems, or wheelchair users. Pets and smoking are not allowed.