Review: Santorini Sunset Cruise To Thirassia Island With Vista Yachting

As far as activities on Santorini goes, there were only a small handful of unique experiences I found like scuba diving to see the caldera underwater or go horseback riding on the black pebble beach. It might not be for everyone though. But a sunset catamaran cruise in the Santorini caldera is one of those bucket list things that should be a core part of your Santorini memories.

Here’s the thing.

If you’re coming all the way to Santorini and you skip out on spending an afternoon on a catamaran, sipping white wine, swimming in ancient volcanic waters, and watching the sun drop with the sails gently flapping above you – you’re doing it wrong

We went with Vista Yachting because they offered a small group experience leaving from Vlychada Port and sailing all the way up to Thirassia Island and back. At sunset, we saw a lot of ships anchor near Amoudi Bay just outside Oia, jockeying for the same view. We hoped that Vista’s route would take away from that crowd.

Morning Vs Sunset Sailing?

We had about a week in Santorini and wanted to get out on the water, so we opted for both a morning and a sunset cruise, with different companies and slightly different routes.

Read about our morning sailing experience with Sunset Oia.

Morning Sailing

Generally, morning sailings have fewer people and sometimes cost less. They usually run between 9 am – 3 pm depending on the season. One of the main consideration is swimming and snorkeling, where I felt like the 11 am – 1 pm hours are a warmer and less windy time to swim.

On our sunset cruise, I skipped the last swim stop because it got a bit chilly, especially when you get out.

Morning sailings in Santorini also frees up your afternoon and evening. We timed it with our hotel check-out and returned in time to check into the highlight stay of our trip, Elysian Retreat.

We were glad we had the entire afternoon into sunset to use our pool and terrace away from the crowds, before heading out to the Greek Wedding Show in Fira.

Still deciding where to stay in santorini? Here’s where we stayed IN FIRA, OIA, AND FINIKIA.

Sunset Sailing

Light. You start with the bright and hot afternoon sun that’s great for tanning and that first jump into the sea. As the sun starts to dip, the volcanic cliffs and caldera glows with a warm cast of orange and red before giving way to pink and purple as the sail blows overhead. Cinematic is a good word for it.

I’m glad we did both, but if I had to choose just one, it’d be the sunset sailing. A lot of it also had to do with the company we chose to sail with and their incredible staff.

Cruise Route

I mentioned earlier that a reason we went with Vista Yachting’s sunset cruise was because they also sail to Thirassia Island, which most other cruises skip unless you pay for a private charter. We had previously done a caldera morning cruise, so we wanted a slightly different route.

Here’s the full 5-hour route aboard a Lagoon 450 Catamaran (Platinum Package):

1. Vlychada Marina (Start Point)
2. Red Beach (Pass By)
3. White Beach (Pass By)
4. Mesa Pigadia (1st Swim Stop)
5. Indian Face Cliff + Venetian Lighthouse
6. Palea Kameni + Nea Kameni (Volcano + Hot Springs, 2nd Stop)
7. Thirassia Island (3rd Stop)
8. Sail back to Vlychada With A Stop To Watch The Sunset

They also offer a slightly discounted Gold Package, which still goes out for 5 hours, but skips Thirassia Island and offers a more limited lunch and beers are not included.

Our Sailing Experience With Vista Yachting

Pick-Up and Boarding

Pick-up was punctual. Vlychada Port is on the south end of the island, so it was about a 40-minute ride on a comfortable minibus from our hotel in Finikia. At the port, I counted 14 of us for the trip. This was great, considering the max is 20 and some other cruises take up to 55 people.

We removed our shoes and stepped across a sister catamaran onto our Lagoon 450 catamaran. After a quick and friendly safety briefing and instructions about the boat, the first round of cold drinks were served along with a platter of appetizers.

Food

It felt like there always something to snack on or eat from start to finish. There was an open bar for white wine, beer and soft drinks. For lunch, we had grilled pork and chicken served alongside a seafood linguine, anchovy meze spread, and a vegan ratatouille. Dessert was thick Greek yogurt with sour cherry compote.

The crew grilled meats right at the back of the boat during the second swim stop. It was such a nice smell every time I got back on the boat to practice my horrible attempts at diving.

And of course, the glass of prosecco to toast at sunset was a lovely surprise.

Mesa Pigadia

After passing by the Red Beach, we anchored just past White Beach at Mesa Pigadia for our first swim stop. Plenty of time here to swim and snorkel. Water was a refreshing 21°C (70°F) and very clear.

The iron-rich sandstone cliffs of Red Beach were quite vibrant and then the landscapes shifts suddenly just a short distance away to the stone-colored pumice stone on the cliffs of White Beach.

These catamaran cruises can go ashore at the beaches, there’s an tour to visit all four of the best beaches in Santorini.

Volcano Hot Springs

After rounding the Akrotiri Lighthouse, we moved into the heart of the caldera and passed closely in between the two volcanic islets of Nea Kameni and Palea Kameni. The landscape here was unreal.

We jumped off at Palea Kameni for a swim to the volcanic hot spring. The catamaran anchored just off the volcanic rock with a view of the white St. Nicolas church amongst the abandoned driftwood on the islet.

The hot springs water here is 4°C warmer, heated by the underwater volcanic activity underwater. The water contains sulfur, iron, and manganese and is supposed to have therapeutic benefits. It’s recommended to wear a darker bathing suit and remove your jewelry before swimming here since the sulfur can cause discoloration.

I loved that we passed by this local fisherman in what looked like his home on a boat.

Thirassia Island

Our longest and last swim stop was at Thirassia Island, which sits directly across from Oia in the north of Santorini. The water here was crystal clear and there wasn’t another boat close by. This place gave me that Aegean Sea vibe.

The wind picked up a bit and we were enjoying the breeze and sun so much, we opted to stay dry on the boat. And then lunch was served – a spread of the freshly grilled meats, pasta, ratatouille, and salads.

Service

The crew and service were great. I know they were there for us, but the vibe was casual and relaxed. They topped off our drinks and checked on us, but we didn’t feel like we were being waited on, which was great.

Sunset

Leaving Thirassia and heading back, the glow of golden hour cast a warm light on the same landscape we passed earlier. After past the Akritori Lighthouse again, the captain unfurled the sails and we slowly made our way back.

While the majority of catamaran operators were lining up near Amoudi Bay by Oia, we were more or less alone further south away from the armada.

As the sun began to set, the captain turned the catamaran around and we just drifted and rocked gently with wind, a glass of prosecco in our hands for a toast to end the day. We had the whole horizon to ourselves, with a kind of calm silence that getting away is all about.

Travel Tip: Bring a lightweight windbreaker since it can get a bit windy and cold in the early evening. I’m wearing the KOR Airshell, since it’s super lightweight, packable, warm and dries quickly. It’s handy when you’re still wet after getting out of the water and the boat starts moving again. It’s my go to jacket for every boat or diving trip.

You can join the crowds in Oia or enjoy it from your own plunge pool and cave suite. But from the water, it’s something else entirely.

I’m really happy with we settled on Vista Yachting’s Platinum Sunset Cruise. The price falls right in the middle of the offerings amongst the different companies, while delivering a luxurious and small group intimate experience that punches above the price point. In my humble opinion, at least.

We found a great last minute deal here. If you’re traveling during the peak season between May – September, I would book ahead to secure your exact sailing date. For April and October, you might be able to get away with a last minute booking.

Updated on September 12, 2025