Evening departure ~5pm · timed to sunset
Small groups · hotel pickup included
Santorini's guided ATV tours follow a simple format: a small convoy of quads behind a local guide on a fixed half-day loop, offered twice a day. The morning tour starts around 9:00–9:30am and the evening tour around 5pm, shifting earlier as the days shorten. Unlike a bare rental, the price bundles the guide, safety training, helmet, fuel, insurance, water, a wine tasting, snacks and hotel transfer, so you just show up and ride. The island's top-rated tour, the ATV-Quad Experience Tour, lists a 5pm start and is rated 4.9 from 329 reviews.
Book the evening ride. The guide times the departure to the month's sunset and leads the group to uncrowded, west-facing viewpoints instead of the shoulder-to-shoulder scrum at Oia Castle. The calendar above is for the Off-Road Hidden Trails 4x4 Experience, a guided quad tour onto the island's dirt tracks (4.9 from 202 reviews, from €120). If you want an after-dark ride instead, there's a shorter Glow Night Tour with drinks.
Evening riders often combine a sunset ATV tour through the Santorini south island with a catamaran BBQ cruise as the sun sets over the caldera, or a late-afternoon wine tasting at Megalochori cellars or the Santo Wines clifftop winery above Fira.
Santorini's sunset swings by more than three hours across the year, and the default spot is the most crowded on the island.
| Time of year | Approximate sunset | What it means for the evening tour |
|---|---|---|
| June–July | 8:30–8:40pm | A 5pm start times the final stop for the sunset |
| Early October | Around 7:00pm | Departures move earlier in the afternoon |
| Winter | Around 5:00pm | Any ride that catches the sunset leaves early afternoon |
Check close to your date: sunset times are astronomical calculations that shift a minute or two a day, and guides adjust the departure to the month, so confirm the start time for your booking.
Oia Castle becomes shoulder to shoulder and the approach road gridlocks in the hour before sunset. A guided tour heads for the quieter west-facing alternatives instead:
Open-sea views over the Aegean with the volcano opposite; the pick for a sunset finish on the Akrotiri route.
The highest point on the island at 567m, with 360° views.
A hilltop village with views across the whole island and a fraction of Oia's crowd.
Terraces on the caldera rim where a tasting and the sunset come together.
West-facing volcanic cliffs carved by the wind into "lunar" shapes.
The "balcony of the Aegean", higher than Oia and facing directly west.
Timing, light, length, route and who each suits — the short answer per row.
| What matters | Late-afternoon ATV tour (top pick) | Glow Night Tour |
|---|---|---|
| Timing | Departs ~5pm in summer, rides into golden hour | After dark, evening |
| Light | Soft golden-hour light on the viewpoints | Island lights, cooler air |
| Duration | ~3.5 hours | ~2 hours (shorter) |
| Route | Full south-island loop + wine stop | Shorter night loop with drinks |
| Reviews | 4.9 from 329, well established | 5.0 from 15, still a new listing |
| Best for | Most riders wanting the full tour at the best light | Those set on a short, cool after-dark ride |
Short version: for the complete route and golden-hour light with proven reviews, book the late-afternoon departure of the top-rated tour. Choose the Glow Night Tour only if a short, cool after-dark ride with drinks is specifically what you want.
Same format everywhere, a convoy behind a guide on a fixed half-day loop. What changes is the part of the island.
Starts at a black-sand beach, Perissa or Perivolos, and runs off-road via Emporio's Venetian castle and windmills, Megalochori, a caldera viewpoint and the lunar landscape of Vlychada. Many south-route tours end near the beach so you can swim.
Our pick: the ATV-Quad Experience Tour (4.9 from 329 reviews, from €120). For a daytime version with a meal, the ATV Quad Bike Tour with Lunch and Pickup (4.9 from 148 reviews). For more dirt track, the Off-Road Hidden Trails 4x4 Experience (4.9 from 202 reviews).
The Minoan excavations, "Greece's Pompeii", the red cliffs of Red Beach and the Akrotiri Lighthouse on the southwestern tip, the best sunset finish on the island. We haven't found a well-reviewed GetYourGuide tour dedicated to this route yet; ask a private-tour guide to build the evening around it.
Climbs to hilltop Pyrgos and Profitis Ilias, the island's highest point at 567m, with the fortress-style Monastery of Prophet Elias at the top. Usually ridden as part of a private or custom tour.
The caldera-rim villages, Fira, Imerovigli and Skaros Rock, and on to Oia. Expect more traffic on this side, which is why most sunset convoys head south and west instead.
Many tours also build in a wine tasting at a traditional canava; the Guided ATV Tour with Wine Tasting makes it the centrepiece (4.4 from 21 reviews, a thin record, so read the recent ones). Reputable operators keep groups small, often capped at around 6 to 16 quads, so the guide can keep the convoy together.
Private tours put a guide with just your party and start around €200 per vehicle, running to €400 or more. GetYourGuide has no well-reviewed private ATV tour in Santorini, so these are booked direct: Get ATV Tours, for example, charges €170 per person for its three fixed routes and from €200 per vehicle for private tours. Platform listings on Viator and GetYourGuide start around $133–$150 per person, and the featured tour is listed from €120.
Pick the evening departure in the calendar — check live dates on the right.
Why we recommend it for sunset: the highest-reviewed ATV tour on the island (4.9 from 329 reviews) has an evening departure around 5pm that rides the full south-island loop into golden hour — with training, a guide, fuel, helmet, hotel pickup and a wine stop included.
The route runs from Perissa to Emporio's Venetian Kasteli, the windmills and vineyards of Megalochori with a wine-cellar tasting, a caldera viewpoint, a hidden cave chapel and an off-road descent to Vlychada — the same loop, ridden at the best light of the day. In spring and autumn the evening tour starts earlier as it gets dark sooner.
Choose the evening slot when you check dates. Weather-dependent — can reschedule for wind or rain. Book on the right.
Four reasons the evening departure is the one to book.
Same route, better conditions. Here's what the late-afternoon slot gives you over a midday ride.
The south-island viewpoints glow in late-afternoon light — the same warm tones that draw crowds to Oia, but from quiet spots you reach on the quad.
Riding from mid-afternoon avoids the worst midday heat. On an open quad with no shade, that's the difference between a pleasure and an endurance test in summer.
Instead of jostling for an Oia railing at sunset, you're out on the open south island — the scenery without the shoulder-to-shoulder crowd.
A guide-photographer follows the group, and golden-hour light is exactly when those shots look their best — so your photos come home glowing, not flat midday.
Pickup, a practice loop, the convoy and the stops, then what the price covers and what it doesn't.
Most operators include free hotel pickup, around 8:00–9:00am for morning tours and 4:00–4:30pm for evening ones. Otherwise you meet at a base near a black-sand beach.
The guide runs a safety briefing and a practice loop on a dirt area before anyone hits the road. Reviewers repeatedly say the guides were patient with first-timers.
You ride in a group behind the guide, often with a second staffer at the rear, on back roads and off-road paths chosen to avoid traffic and reach hidden spots.
Stops for photos and local history, and a wine-and-food tasting at a traditional cellar. Many south-route tours finish near the beach so you can swim.
The guide, the ATV, a helmet and often gloves, fuel, safety training, bottled water, a wine tasting with snacks, hotel transfer, and photos taken by the guide.
Personal accident insurance, the security deposit (bring a credit card), site entrance fees such as the Akrotiri excavations at about €20, extra food and drinks, and tips.
Closed-toe shoes, sunscreen and sunglasses, a light jacket for cool evenings, your physical driving license, an ID or passport, and a credit card.
What you actually see on each loop.
South / off-road classic. Perissa and Perivolos offer long black volcanic-sand beaches. Emporio's medieval Kasteli is the best-preserved of the island's five Venetian castles, Megalochori is a traditional wine-country village, and the "Heart of Santorini" is a naturally heart-shaped hole in the caldera rock framing the sea and the volcano. Vlychada has dramatic wind-carved "lunar" cliffs.
Akrotiri. The route adds the Bronze Age excavations buried in volcanic ash, the red volcanic cliffs of Red Beach and the 1892 lighthouse.
Central. Hilltop Pyrgos with its 360° views, and the fortress-style Monastery of Prophet Elias at the summit.
Northern. The caldera-rim villages and Skaros Rock, site of Santorini's medieval Venetian capital.
The wine route often includes Santo Wines, the island's largest producer with the most dramatic caldera-terrace view; Venetsanos, the first industrial winery, founded in 1947 and carved into the cliff, with an intimate sunset terrace; and Domaine Sigalas near Oia. The flagship grapes are the crisp, mineral Assyrtiko and the sweet Vinsanto.
A self-drive rental costs far less, roughly €25–€60 a day on our rental prices page, and gives you total independence. You also navigate the narrow, guardrail-free roads yourself, plan the route, sit in Oia's sunset gridlock and handle the license and insurance details. A guided tour costs more, €120–€170 per person, but brings local knowledge and hidden spots, no navigation, training that makes it possible for complete beginners, photos taken for you, a social group ride, and food and wine.
Guided suits first-timers, nervous riders, cruise passengers on a tight schedule and anyone who wants the sunset timed for them. Self-drive suits confident, experienced riders exploring over several days at their own pace. Our guided vs self-drive comparison goes through it in full.
Recent verified reviews from travelers who booked the featured tour.
"One of my favorite experiences in Santorini! Hotel pickup, ATV training, and an incredible route through beaches, villages, vineyards and scenic dirt roads. Our guides, Alex and Pablo, were knowledgeable and patient."Jacqueline · United States · June 2026
"I loved the scenery, and how patient and helpful the guides are. This tour is a fantastic way to see the island before exploring on your own. 10/10 recommend!"Latrina · United States · June 2026
"What an amazing tour with wonderful hosts. One of the main guides, Alex, went above and beyond when we got into a traffic concern. The whole tour was perfectly orchestrated as they worked as a team."Gary W · United States · June 2026
"Had a great day, would definitely recommend. The guys were fun and professional, with safety at the forefront throughout. A nice little stop off for snacks and a drink at a local cafe."Jacqueline · United Kingdom · June 2026
Rating reflects 329 verified GetYourGuide reviews of the featured ATV-Quad Experience Tour as of October 2026.
When to book, the best months, the license and age rules, and who these tours suit.
The evening departure is around 5pm in summer, with hotel pickup around 4:00–4:30pm, but starts earlier in spring and autumn because it gets dark sooner. Check your date's exact time so you don't miss it.
A late-afternoon tour generally wraps around dusk; a dedicated night tour returns after dark. If you're self-driving rather than guided, avoid riding the unlit, winding roads late at night.
The tour rides through golden hour and stops at viewpoints along the way. In high summer the last stop lands near the sunset; it is still a moving tour, not a sunset cruise.
Peak-summer tours sell out, some are capped at around 6 quads, and one popular tour is booked on average 36 days in advance. Most platforms offer free cancellation up to 24 hours before, so booking early costs little.
Late April to early June and mid-September to October give the best mix of warm weather, manageable crowds and comfortable riding. The Meltemi north wind peaks from mid-July to late August, and wind or rain can reschedule a tour, so leave some slack in your plans.
To drive you need a full Category B car license, plus an IDP if you're from the US, Canada or elsewhere outside the EU and UK (our license rules cover each country). Drivers must generally be 21 or older, 20 with some operators, and younger riders go as passengers. Helmets are required by Greek law and provided free: wear it the whole time, keep to the guide's speed, and don't drink before you drive.
Beginners are welcome; the training, practice run and convoy keep things controlled, and the off-road sections are fun but manageable at guided speeds. Tours are not recommended for people with back or heart problems, pregnant women or anyone with limited mobility. Families are welcome, with children riding as passengers.
It cools quickly once the sun drops, so pack a light jacket. Prices change with season, group size and vehicle, age minimums differ between operators, and the proposed 2026 license changes were still proposals as of October 2026, so confirm the current requirements with your operator.
Worth it, timing, prices, what is included, beginners, the license and booking ahead.
Yes for most riders. A guide times the ride to the month's sunset and leads the group to quiet west-facing viewpoints, away from the crowd and the gridlocked road at Oia. The top-rated ATV-Quad Experience Tour's evening departure rides the full south-island loop into golden hour, cooler than midday and rated 4.9 from 329 reviews.
Guided tours run twice a day: a morning tour from about 9:00 to 9:30am and an evening tour from about 5pm, with hotel pickup around 4:00 to 4:30pm. The featured tour lists 9:30am and 5pm starts. The evening start moves earlier as the days shorten in spring and autumn, so check the time for your date.
In high summer, a tour that leaves at 5pm finishes its 3.5-hour loop around the 8:30pm sunset, so the last viewpoints catch the light going down. It is a ride through golden hour rather than an hour parked at one railing. For an after-dark ride, a separate Glow Night Tour runs in the evening with drinks.
For most people the evening departure of the top-rated tour is the better pick: the full 3.5-hour south-island loop with a wine stop, ridden in golden light, backed by 329 reviews. The shorter, roughly 2-hour Glow Night Tour suits riders who specifically want an after-dark ride with drinks; it has only 15 reviews so far.
A small-group tour of 3 to 3.5 hours costs roughly €120 to €170 per person in 2026; the featured tour is listed on GetYourGuide from €120. Private tours with a guide for just your party start around €200 per vehicle and run to €400 or more. Prices change with season, group size and vehicle.
Usually the guide, the ATV, a helmet and often gloves, fuel, safety training, bottled water, a wine tasting with snacks, hotel transfer and photos taken by the guide. Not included: personal accident insurance, the security deposit, site entrance fees such as the Akrotiri excavations at about €20, extra food and drinks, and tips.
Yes. A safety briefing and a practice loop on a dirt area come before the road, and reviewers often say the guides were patient with first-timers. Difficulty is moderate. Tours are not recommended for people with back or heart problems, pregnant women or anyone with limited mobility; children can ride as passengers.
Yes, to drive. You need a full Category B car license, and US and Canadian drivers should also carry an International Driving Permit. Drivers must generally be 21 or older, 20 with some operators; younger riders go as passengers.
Yes. A late-afternoon or evening ride avoids the worst of the midday heat, which is a real advantage in July and August when the 11:00 to 15:00 window is uncomfortable on an open quad.
The late-afternoon tour generally finishes around dusk; a dedicated glow night tour returns after dark. If you're riding self-drive rather than guided, plan your route to avoid riding the unlit roads late.
Yes. July and August tours sell out, some are capped at around 6 quads, and one popular tour is booked on average 36 days in advance, so reserve a month or more ahead for peak summer. Shoulder months allow more flexibility. Most platforms offer free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
Prefer a dedicated after-dark ride — or still planning? These are worth a look.
The after-dark option
A shorter ~2-hour evening ride with drinks and the island lit up — the pick if you specifically want a cool, after-dark tour. A newer option with fewer reviews so far.
Featured: Santorini ATV Glow Night Tour + Drinks · ★ 5.0 (15 reviews) · 2 hours Check availability
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