Private Catamaran from Vlychada, Hot Springs and BBQ Aboard

The boat is yours for the day, and it leaves from Vlychada on the south coast rather than from the caldera ports, which is why the first half of the route is the quiet side of Santorini. Hotel pick-up is included, in an air-conditioned vehicle, from wherever you are staying, and the same car takes you back at the end. The sailing goes past the Red Beach, where you can swim and snorkel under the red cliffs, then the White Beach and its white volcanic rock, the Akrotiri lighthouse, which is one of the oldest in Greece, and the Akrotiri coast, which is emptier than the north. Nea Kameni comes after that: the hot springs beside the volcano, warm and full of minerals, and on a private boat you swim there without a crowd. Then the caldera itself, with the villages along the cliff top and the blue domes above the water. Mesa Pigadia is where the boat anchors for the long stop. Swimming and snorkelling in the clearest water on this coast, then the BBQ: grilled chicken, fillet fish, seafood, rice, pasta with Santorini tomato sauce, fresh salads and traditional dips. Wine, beer and soft drinks are unlimited throughout. There is an upgrade if you want it, with lobster, fresh fish, squid and a bottle of Moët & Chandon, €400 for up to four guests, arranged on request. Two things worth knowing. The captain sets the route on the day around the weather and the sea, so hidden coves, Thirasia, White Island and the seal caves are possibilities rather than promises, and not all of them fit into one trip. And the departure time changes what you get: mornings are bright over the caldera, evenings end in the sunset.