If you want to explore Santorini’s coastline without joining a group tour, you can actually rent a boat in Santorini and drive it yourself, even without a boating license!
We rented a small self-drive boat from Vlychada Marina and spent almost an entire day exploring the island’s southern coastline. We visited Red Beach, White Beach, Black Beach, and Akrotiri Lighthouse, stopped to swim whenever we wanted, and even swam to our lunch reservation.
Yes. Swam. To lunch.
More on this hilarious experience later.
Renting our own boat was hands down one of my FAVORITE experiences of our entire Santorini trip. Here’s everything you need to know about renting a boat yourself, including costs, licensing, safety, and where you can go.
We rented our boat from Santorini SeaBreeze, which operates out of Vlychada Marina on the southern side of Santorini.
SeaBreeze offers both self-drive boat rentals that don’t require a boating license and larger private cruises with a skipper. We specifically wanted to explore on our own rather than follow a scheduled itinerary, so we chose the self-drive option.
Vlychada Marina is a convenient starting point for exploring Santorini’s southern beaches, including Red Beach, White Beach, and the coastline toward Akrotiri Lighthouse.
We rented a Poseidon Blue Water 170, a small motorboat approximately 5 meters (16.4 feet) long with a 30 hp engine.
The advertised version accommodates up to six passengers and includes navigation and safety equipment.
It wasn’t some giant luxury yacht, but honestly, that wasn’t what we wanted. We wanted something small enough to drive ourselves but comfortable enough to spend an entire day on the water.
For the two of us, it worked perfectly.
No, not for every boat! This was actually one of the things that surprised me most when we started looking into renting a boat in Santorini. SeaBreeze offers license-free rentals for boats with engines up to 30 hp. More powerful boats require a valid boating license or a skipper.
That means you can arrive in Santorini without a boating license, receive instructions on operating the boat, and head out onto the Aegean Sea yourself.
Thankfully, they don’t just hand you the keys and say GOOD LUCK. Because that would be quite the adventure. You still need to follow the rental company’s navigation rules and any restrictions that apply to your particular boat (more on that later).
We paid €300 for a full-day rental of our Poseidon Blue Water 170, plus approximately €17 for fuel, bringing our total to €317. That’s about €158.50 per person for the two of us, excluding lunch.
At SeaBreeze, boats come with a full tank, and you pay for the fuel you actually use when you return. I was surprised ours cost so little considering how much exploring we did! Of course, your fuel bill will depend on how far you travel.
For an entire day with our own private boat, I thought that was a pretty good value, especially compared with booking a private excursion with a captain.
We had our boat from approximately 9:30 AM until sunset, which gave us almost an entire day on the water. Full-day rentals are advertised at approximately 10 hours, although departure and return times may vary depending on the season.
I would definitely recommend a full-day rental if your schedule and budget allow it. We had time to explore several beaches, swim, have lunch, and enjoy the coastline without constantly watching the clock.
One important rule is that you cannot operate the rental boat after sunset.
So don’t get too comfortable floating around at White Beach and suddenly realize you’re supposed to be on the other side of the coastline in five minutes.
WENDY’S TIP: Confirm your required return time before leaving the marina. Sunset changes throughout the year, and you don’t want to be rushing back at the end of the day.
Before we could take the boat out, SeaBreeze gave us a detailed safety briefing that lasted approximately 30 minutes.
They explained how to operate the boat, use the controls, and navigate the coastline safely.
The briefing covered:
This was especially helpful because we were going to be responsible for navigating the boat ourselves.
WENDY’S TIP: Pay attention during the briefing even if you’ve driven boats before. Santorini has rocky coastlines, shallow areas, changing wind conditions, and navigation restrictions.
Yes! I actually found it much less intimidating than I expected. One feature I REALLY appreciated was the GPS chartplotter and depth finder.
It’s basically Google Maps for boating. The screen helped us see our current location, water depth, navigational hazards, rocks, and shallow areas.
Obviously, you still need to pay attention. You cannot just stare at the GPS while casually driving toward a giant volcanic rock.
But having that additional information made me much more comfortable navigating without a captain. Once we understood the controls and got out on the water, driving the boat felt pretty intuitive.
You have quite a bit of freedom to explore, but there are navigation restrictions.
SeaBreeze’s published rental terms require boats to remain within Santorini waters and no farther than three nautical miles from the coastline. Operating after sunset is also prohibited.
Our route followed the southern coastline from Vlychada Marina toward Akrotiri Lighthouse before returning to the marina. Your exact route should always depend on the day’s weather, sea conditions, and the instructions provided by your rental company.
If you’re planning additional sightseeing around the island, my The Perfect 5 Days in Santorini Greece: A Complete Itinerary can help you organize your boat rental alongside everything else you want to see.
Map: Want to see exactly where we went? Check out my Google Map of our Santorini self-drive boat route with all seven stops marked, including the beaches, our lunch stop, and Akrotiri Lighthouse.
One of the biggest advantages of renting your own boat in Santorini is getting to explore beaches that are difficult to reach by land.
Here’s where we went and what stood out at each stop.
Vlychada was our starting point, and it immediately gave us a preview of Santorini’s unusual volcanic coastline.
The beach is backed by enormous pale volcanic cliffs shaped by wind and erosion over thousands of years. Some of the formations almost look like something from another planet, especially when you’re viewing them from the water.
Below the cliffs is dark volcanic sand, and the area generally feels quieter than Santorini’s more famous beaches. The biggest thing to know about Vlychada is that it can get VERY windy.
We definitely noticed that when we first left the marina. The water was fairly rough initially, although conditions improved considerably as we continued toward the beaches farther along the coastline.
Best for: Unique volcanic scenery, photography, and a quieter beach.
Red Beach is easily one of Santorini’s most recognizable natural landmarks.
The enormous red volcanic cliffs behind the shoreline are especially impressive when you see them from the water. The contrast between the red rock, dark shoreline, and blue Aegean is pretty incredible.
Having our own boat meant we could admire Red Beach from offshore rather than relying on the walking route from land.
When conditions are suitable, the surrounding coastline can also be interesting for snorkeling, with volcanic rocks and small fish in the water.
One important safety consideration is that Red Beach has a history of rockfalls and unstable cliffs. I would admire the cliffs from a safe distance rather than deciding today is the day you need to stand directly underneath a giant volcanic cliff for Instagram.
Best for: Dramatic scenery, photography, and seeing one of Santorini’s most famous beaches from a different perspective.
If you want to explore more of the island’s coastline, my Best Beaches in Santorini Greece: Red Beach White Beach Kamari and More covers the different beaches and what to expect when visiting them.
This was easily one of the funniest parts of our boat rental.
We had made a lunch reservation at Cave of Nikolas, a waterfront restaurant near Akrotiri.
But obviously…
We had a boat. Not a car.
We thought there might be a dock, but when we got there, no such luck. Ha! Soooo… we swam to lunch.
We anchored offshore, jumped into the Aegean Sea, and made our way to the restaurant. It was a very short swim. Well, I was actually floating while my chauffeur (Brad) swam me to shore, so it was especially short for me. Ha!
I don’t think I’ve ever had a restaurant reservation before where part of the transportation plan involved swimming through the ocean.
Definitely a vacation moment I’m going to remember.
And the food? SO good. Cave of Nikolas ended up being much more than just a convenient lunch stop, and we tried some really interesting local dishes.
I share everything we ordered, what we loved, and what I’d skip in my Cave of Nikolas Santorini Review: What to Order and What to Know.
Bring a dry bag (and if you have one, don’t forget it like I did! Ha!). If you end up having to swim to shore like we did, you’ll want somewhere to keep your phone, wallet, and other valuables safe and dry.
White Beach was my FAVORITE stop of the entire day.
Despite its name, don’t expect a soft, white sandy beach. The name actually comes from the towering white volcanic cliffs surrounding the shoreline, which is primarily made up of darker pebbles.
Part of what makes White Beach so special is its secluded location. You can’t simply drive up and park beside it, you can only reach this by boat.
We stopped here to swim, and the water was ridiculously clear. Between the cliffs, the water, and the quieter surroundings, this was exactly the experience I had hoped for when we decided to rent our own boat.
If I were doing this again, I would absolutely spend time here. No question.
Best for: Swimming, snorkeling, secluded scenery, and exploring Santorini by boat.
Next, we explored the quieter Black Beach area near Mesa Pigadia. This is different from the larger black-sand beaches at Kamari and Perissa.
The coastline here feels much more secluded and rugged, with dark volcanic pebbles, clear blue water, and rocky cliffs. You’ll also find traditional fishermen’s boat shelters carved into the rock, which are an interesting feature of this part of Santorini.
It’s another stretch of coastline that’s particularly enjoyable to explore from the water because you can appreciate the rocky formations and sheltered coves.
Best for: Swimming, snorkeling, volcanic scenery, and getting away from the busier beaches.
Our farthest point was toward Akrotiri Lighthouse at the southwestern tip of Santorini. The lighthouse sits high above the water, and the surrounding coastline looks especially dramatic from a boat.
However, this was also where we experienced the roughest water of the day.
As we continued beyond Black Beach and the more protected southern beaches, the waves started getting noticeably bigger. It was a pretty significant difference from the calmer water where we’d been swimming earlier.
If you’re planning to head toward Akrotiri Lighthouse, I would absolutely let the weather determine how far you go. It’s your boat rental. Not an episode of Deadliest Catch.
You don’t get extra vacation points for fighting the Aegean. If conditions start getting uncomfortable, turn around, we did.
It definitely can be, depending on the wind and which part of the coastline you’re exploring.
Santorini is known for its winds, and conditions can change throughout the day. Even if the weather looks good when you leave the marina, that doesn’t guarantee every section of your route will be calm.
SeaBreeze’s rental terms also provide for rescheduling or refunds when strong winds or heavy rain make boating conditions unsuitable. Confirm the applicable weather policy when booking.
If you’re prone to seasickness like I am, I’d definitely bring motion sickness medication. A smaller motorboat lets you feel the waves more than a larger catamaran.
We actually did BOTH during our Santorini trip, and they were completely different experiences.
Our Santorini Catamaran Cruise Review: Is It Worth It? covers our experience on the larger boat, where the crew handled the navigation, sailing, and overall itinerary.
With our self-drive boat, we were responsible for operating the boat, navigating, and deciding where to go.
Here’s how I’d compare them:
| Self-Drive Boat Rental | Catamaran Cruise |
|---|---|
| You drive the boat yourself | Professional crew operates the boat |
| More freedom to choose stops | Scheduled route and swimming stops |
| Private experience for your group | Often shared with other passengers |
| You’re responsible for navigation | Crew handles navigation and safety |
| Bring your own food or plan a lunch stop | Meals may be included |
| More adventurous experience | More relaxing experience |
The biggest difference for me was the freedom. If we saw somewhere we wanted to swim, we could stop where it was safe and permitted. If we loved a particular beach, we could stay longer. And when we were ready to move on, we left.
No waiting for 37 strangers to finish taking photos. The catamaran cruise was relaxing. The self-drive boat was an adventure.
If I HAD to only choose one, I think I’d choose the self-drive boat, but both were extremely fun!
TOUR: If you’d rather have someone else handle the boat, a private Santorini cruise with a skipper is another option. You can still enjoy the coastline and swimming stops without taking responsibility for driving.
You don’t need to pack a ton for a self-drive boat rental in Santorini, but you’ll want to bring a few essentials, especially if you’re planning to swim throughout the day.
Here’s what I’d recommend packing:
| What to Bring | Why I Recommend It |
|---|---|
| Swimsuit | Wear it under your clothes so you’re ready for swimming stops. |
| Coola Spray Sunscreen + Supergoop Face Sunscreen | You’ll be exposed to the Mediterranean sun for hours. Apply spray sunscreen before boarding or away from the deck to avoid making it slippery. |
| Water Shoes | A Must! Santorini’s volcanic beaches can be rocky and covered in pebbles. |
| Sand Cloud Quick-Dry Towel | Lightweight and easy to pack for drying off between swimming stops. |
| Beach Dry Bag | Protects your phone, wallet, and valuables from splashes. |
| GoPro | Great for underwater photos and videos along the coastline. |
| Snorkel Mask | Lets you snorkel whenever you stop somewhere suitable. |
| Rash Guard | Provides extra sun protection during a long day on the water. |
| Nano Bag | Lightweight and foldable for carrying smaller boat essentials. |
| Clutch Powerbank | Useful when your phone battery starts disappearing after hours of photos and videos. |
| Brita Water Bottle | Bring plenty of drinking water for a full day in the sun. |
| Phone and Wallet Crossbody Strap | Convenient for keeping essentials together when you stop for lunch. Remember, it’s not waterproof! |
| Small Osprey Backpack | Keeps your towels, sunscreen, snacks, and extra clothing organized. |
| Motion Sickness Medication | Helpful if you’re prone to seasickness, particularly on smaller boats. |
I’d also bring sunglasses, a secure hat, a lightweight cover-up, snacks, and a little cash or a credit card if you’re planning to stop for lunch.
Wendy’s Tip: If your boating itinerary includes Santorini’s volcanic hot springs, leave your favorite white swimsuit at the hotel. The mineral-rich water can discolor light-colored fabric. Trust me. An orange swimsuit is not the souvenir you’re looking for.
I think a self-drive Santorini boat rental is especially good for couples, friends traveling together, and anyone who wants to explore the island’s beaches without joining a larger group excursion.
It’s also a great option if you love swimming and snorkeling, enjoy having control over your itinerary, and feel comfortable taking responsibility for a small motorboat.
However, I wouldn’t recommend driving yourself if the thought of navigating a boat makes you genuinely nervous. There is absolutely no prize for driving it yourself if you’re going to spend nine hours panicking.
You can also book a private cruise with a skipper, so you can still enjoy a private boating experience without having to operate the boat yourself. Just expect to pay quite a bit more!
YES! Renting our own boat was hands down one of my favorite experiences in Santorini, and I’d absolutely do it again. Having the freedom to explore the coastline, stop wherever we wanted, and spend as much time as we liked at White Beach made the day especially memorable.
And honestly, I’ll probably never stop laughing about the fact that we swam to lunch.
If you’re comfortable driving a small boat, I’d choose this over another organized excursion in a heartbeat.
If you end up booking anything for your trip, using my affiliate links helps support my blog at no extra cost to you. I spend a lot of time researching and writing these guides, so I really appreciate the support.
If you’re still deciding where to base yourself, my Where to Stay in Santorini: Best Areas for First-Time Visitors compares the different areas of the island.
We stayed at the Radisson Blu Zaffron Resort in Kamari, and you can read my Radisson Blu Zaffron Resort Santorini Review: Is It Worth It? for our experience.
You can also compare Santorini hotel options through Booking.com or Hotels.com.
We rented a car during our Santorini trip, which made exploring different parts of the island much easier. You can compare rental prices through Discover Cars.
For more information about driving, parking, and navigating the island, read my Driving in Santorini Greece: Everything You Need to Know About Renting a Car.
If you’d rather book an organized activity, you can browse Santorini excursions through Viator or GetYourGuide.
For more sightseeing ideas beyond the beaches, my The Best Things to Do in Santorini Greece covers additional activities and places to visit.
For a boat rental, I would prioritize Coola Spray Sunscreen + Supergoop Face Sunscreen, water shoes, a dry bag, and a quick-dry towel. If you’re packing for the rest of your trip, my Greece Packing List: Everything You Need for Athens and the Greek Islands has more recommendations.
No landmarks, no crowds, no souvenir shops. Otterberg is the everyday side of Germany 🇩🇪
It’s a small town just outside Kaiserslautern. Lunch at Putai inside the historic Das Blaue Haus means crispy chicken in coconut curry and spring rolls with homemade sweet chili sauce, then a slow walk past the old church and quiet streets. The Palatinate Forest and Humberg Tower views are close by. If you want a packed itinerary this isn’t your town, but if you like good food and nowhere to be, you’ll love it.
Save this for your Germany road trip!
Every 6 minutes a new round unlocks, and you can eat your way around the world for two hours. 🌍🍽️
Masons in Kaiserslautern: Korean BBQ, Jamaican jerk chicken, raclette potatoes, crispy baked ricotta from Monaco, and the Belgian cookie cheesecake you’ll still be talking about the next day. €39-45 per person. Bring a group and pace yourself, because they charge for leftovers.
Save this for your next trip to Germany
Sedona got me again 🌵
This was my second trip, and somehow I liked it even more. Every visit adds another trail, viewpoint, or restaurant to the list, and the list keeps getting longer. This time I stayed near Airport Mesa, with sunsets right outside my door and none of the crowds.
My Substack has everything I’d tell a first-time visitor: the lodge I’ve now stayed at twice, the experiences I’d do first, and the restaurants I’d plan my days around.
Subscribe for free so you don’t miss the next one. Link in bio ✨
YES is always the answer... ✈️
I’m Wendy, and yes, I travel for a living (still pinching myself). After 15 years teaching middle school math, I traded the whiteboard for a passport and never looked back. Knoxville is home base, but Arizona sunsets are on another level, and if it’s been sitting on your list, this is your sign to finally say yes and book it. City guides, hotel reviews, and foodie spots are all on the blog. So glad you’re here 🌵☀️
A café, bakery, market, and wine shop all in one Phoenix stop 🍊
At La Grande Orange, order the crepes first, they’re the thing I’d go back for. The chicken salad sandwich is perfect if someone wants lunch while you’re still on breakfast, and the red velvet mini cupcake and a chai latte round it out. The sea salt chocolate chip cookie is heartier than gooey, so it’s best for dunkers. It’s counter service with easy parking, and the market has quirky gifts you won’t find elsewhere. Leave time to browse, because you’ll stay longer than planned.
Save this for your Phoenix trip ☀️
Follow @travelwithwendyplummer for Beautiful Beach Destinations, City Guides, Foodie Spots, and Luxury Hotel Recommendations.
