A Comprehensive Guide to Quad Bike Hire in Greece

Last updated: 25 June 2023

Are you considering a holiday in The Cyclades of the Greek Islands? Do places like Santorini, Mykonos, and Ios conjure up ideas of dreamy destinations filled with days of endless sun-baking and soaking in the warm turquoise waters of the Aegean sea? I bet they do. Now what’s the best way to see all the sights and have the adventure of a lifetime? Exploring the islands on a quad bike! Here’s everything you need to know about quad bike hire in Greece!

There’s no better way to quickly and easily get around the islands than by hiring an ATV (All Terrain Vehicle) in Greece, it’s the one method of transport where the journey is just as much fun as the destination! All you need is a drivers licence then you can hire one on most of the Greek Islands, and it’ll change your life.

Here’s Everything you need to know about Quad Bike Hire in Greece

Why Hire A Quad Bike in Greece?

A quad bike gives you the freedom to drive around the island as if you had a car and because it can carry two people, it’s very cost effective by sharing the expense. 

A quad bike is cheaper to hire than a car and, in my opinion, safer than the two-wheeled scooters like a Vespa or a Moped.  

We first stumbled across this concept when in Mykonos.  Watching tourists scoot around the city streets without a care in the world.  Since we only had one day to explore the island we wanted to see as much as we could, so we jumped at the chance to explore the island on a quad bike.

Self Drive or Take a Tour

I prefer the freedom that comes from independent travel, but that’s not to say it’s for everyone.  If you’re an inexperienced driver, you may prefer the safety in numbers methodology.

Start your tour, at Persia, before spending the day with an off-road adventure through a labyrinth of old, traditional streets of Emporio.

The must do in Santorini is to ride along the island’s famous Caldera. The benefit of a tour is that you are privy to the hidden, tucked away places that only the locals know about.

First Impressions of Quad Biking in Santorini & Mykonos

Liberating! Having a quad bike was like the convenience of having a car, with the wind blowing through your hair like a convertible, but easier to park because it was smaller and more compact than a car.  

Like everything, you learn as you go. I’ll freely admit that I was a little apprehensive initially, but honestly it didn’t take long for us to get the hang of it.

We quickly discovered that quad bikes come in different horsepower. This is represented by a number followed by ‘CC’.  Most companies hire out 100cc ATV’s. Fine if you’re skeletal, scooting mainly around pedestrian areas, on flat ground or fine with being overtaken by cars. 

But this is Greece and the islands are far from flat.  We found ourselves in a remote part of Mykonos and failed to realise what would happen if we couldn’t get the ATV back up the steep hill we’d so confidently gone down. – Keep reading for what happened next!

Lessons Learned

Content to cruise the island we got adventurous and went to a remote area of the island for a swim on a private beach.

When it came to return to civilisation we failed to get a run up needed for the big crest. The combination of letting the rev’s drop, and a loss of momentum meant that we quickly came to a complete stop midway up the hill. #Fail!

We had two generously proportioned adults on a small quad bike, so I had to jump off and push it up a hill that had an incline of at least 30 degrees. It was certainly a cardio workout!

Consequently, the next quad bike we hired was a 350cc. No problems on hills, we kept up with traffic, overtook plenty of smaller-powered ATVs along the way. As I said before, you learn as you go along!

Quad Bike Laws in Greece

Greece introduced legislation back in 2018 banning the use of quad bikes of 125cc and under on tarmac roads. A fine of €1000 can be imposed. Larger quad bikes (150cc, 310cc, and above ) are available to rent so opt for 150CC or more when renting a quad bike in Greece.

Costs – Securing a Cheap Quad Bike in Greece

A number of factors contribute to the price of a quad bike in Greece.

The primary one is demand. If you’re visiting in high season, the price is probably as high as it will ever be and the possibility of negotiation is less likely than in low/shoulder seasons.

The other factors are duration and power. Rates per day are lower the longer you have the bike, and prices increase alongside the horsepower (CC’s) of the bike.

Expect to pay between €40-50 for a quad bike in Greece for one day (24 hours) although you might pay as much as €60-75 during high season. If you’re travelling outside high season, definitely haggle for a better price. Bikes typically come with a full tank of fuel, and should be returned the same.

We used €10 of fuel and it lasted us three days so it’s not worth incurring the fee or inflated fuel prices if you return it any less than full. However it’s worth mentioning that the cost of fuel has increased globally since we travelled to Greece so fuel prices are likely to be higher.

Quad Biking in Greece – Safety tips

Helmets

While they might seem optional, they are in fact required by law. 

Helmets are always a good idea and regardless if they are required by law or not, we’d always recommend wearing a helmet when on a quad bike. Also, it’s good to understand the terms of your travel insurance because failure to wear a helmet might invalidate your travel insurance if you are involved in an accident and could lead to a fine worth hundreds of euros.

Helmets should be included in the price and we recommend taking photos and/or video of the condition of the bike before you leave the shop to avoid any misunderstandings of damage/scratches etc when you return it. 

Some shopkeepers will take your license and/or a credit card as collateral. Be sure to carry copies of your hire agreement with you and take copies (a photo snapped on your phone will do) of everything. Just. In. Case.

Do I Need a Licence to Hire a Quad Bike in Greece?

Quad Bike Laws Greece

As I mentioned previously, Greece introduced legislation banning the use of quad bikes <125cc. Larger quad bikes over 150cc are still available to rent, however drivers need to be aged 23 and over with a full driving licence. Provisional licences are not considered adequate for driving in Greece and can invalidate your insurance. Please keep this in mind when hiring quad bikes in the Greek islands.

Hiring a Moped

Hiring a Moped is slightly different. If you intend to hire a moped you will need a valid driving licence with at least category A1 – ‘light motorcycle’. Category P, which is valid in the UK for driving mopeds up to 50cc, is not valid in Greece.

What About Brexit?

There was a lot of uncertainty over the last few years about the requirements of driving in the EU after Brexit but the good news is that if you have a photocard driver’s licence issued in the UK then you don’t require an International Driver’s Permit (IDP), according to the UK Gov website.

Do I need Insurance to Hire a Quad Bike in Greece?

As with all exhilarating activities you want to ensure that you’re covered by travel insurance in case the unexpected happens and you’re severely injured or worse.   Some insurance providers consider Quad Biking an extreme sport and therefore special/extra cover is essential to avoid you having to pay the costs of private health care and/or repatriation to your home country. 

Always take care to read the details of your insurance cover before you travel on holiday, paying particular attention to the small print and exclusions on your insurance policy.

Some quad bike hire companies provide third party insurance, which means it only covers damage to another vehicle. Any damage sustained to your quad bike rental may need to be paid out of your own pocket. Ouch!

Places to Visit on a Quad Bike in Santorini

Fira

Fira is a vibrant, bustling place located halfway along the island of Santorini, on the caldera edge.  It’s a warren of narrow streets of shops, restaurants, and bars as you would expect from Santorini’s capital. 

When you’re not admiring the breathtaking views from the multicoloured cliffs, you can explore Fira’s attractions. 

The Archaeological Museum is a great place for those who are interested in other cultures and wish to become acquainted with the history of Santorini. It explores Cycladic figurines, Roman and Hellenistic sculptures. It is home to some prehistoric vases from Akrotiri which date back to a mind boggling 20th century BCE.

Keep an eye out for the two ancient Greek statues of young men, known as Apollo of Thera, which can be seen here. They were found in Ancient Thera near Kamari and date back to the 7th century BCE. 

Oia

A visit to Santorini is incomplete without a visit to Oia.  

Oia could easily seem like an outpost on the northern tip of the island with a traditional settlement teetering on the steep cliff edges, settling into alcoves in the volcanic rock of the caldera.

But it’s so much more than that.

After an earthquake in 1956 severely damaged the town, the restoration work took this sleepy village and transformed it into an upmarket tourism destination, and one of the most popular destinations in Santorini. 

Expect serious overcrowding when tourists congregate to watch the sunset over the caldera. It’s beautiful but perhaps not worth the crowds/hype as the sunset can be seen from any viewpoint on the western caldera-facing edge of the island.

Perissa Beach

Santorini beaches are composed of coarse volcanic sand and pebbles. While they’re very unique and beautiful in their own way, they are not best beaches in Greece with stretches of powder-soft white sand.

Perissa offers visitors crystal clean water while the black sand can get incredibly hot as it’s a magnet for the summer sun meaning mats or sun-loungers are needed a lot of the time.

If you’re after a beach with a bit more life, head to Perivolos, which is a natural extension of Perissa. 

Awarded with a blue flag, Perivolos also has black sand and cool deep waters. Loud music from beach bars, restaurants and tavernas selling local seafood combined with water sports create a party atmosphere all day long.

Akrotiri

Situated on the southern end of the island and dating back 6000 years, this prehistoric settlement of Akrotiri is one of the most important sites in the Aegean. 

The exceptionally well preserved settlement is courtesy of a volcanic eruption covering the settlement in ash, thus preserving it. To visit today, visitors explore the remains via the suspended walkways, noting elaborate drainage systems, sophisticated multi-storey buildings with exquisite wall paintings.

Akrotiri Lighthouse

18km away from Fira, on the southwest tip of the island lies Akrotiri Lighthouse.

A peaceful place, surrounded by water, it’s said to be one of the best and most beautiful lighthouses in Cyclades, with whitewashed walls standing on the edge of a high cliff right above the sea. The word idyllic springs to mind. 

Why not bring a picnic with you and visit at sunset. It is an excellent spot to watch the sunset and the fact that it is not commonly-held makes it more special.

Red Beach

The black volcanic stone and sand, the soaring vertical russet red cliffs dominating over clear blue waters make Red Beach one of Santorini’s most photogenic sites and a popular spot when exploring Santorini on a quad bike.

One thing to keep in mind is that this beach has been closed in the past due to rock falls and instability and event recently there are reviews on Google from people reporting rock falls during their visits! So be careful and read any signs that in the area and follow any advise from local authorities during your visit.

Kamari

As Santorini’s best developed beach resort, Kamari is heaving in high season. It’s not hard to see the appeal with a long beach of black sand, rugged limestone cliffs of Cape Mesa Vouno framing its southern end and the site of Ancient Thera on the summit. 

Ancient Thera is one of the most important historic periods in history.   Located on the top of Mesa Vouno Mountain and separates the coastal villages of Perissa and Kamari. At 365 meters above sea level it is an excellent observation spot over the glistening Aegean Sea. 

This strategic position was the ideal place for the Lacedaemonian colonists to build their town when they arrived in the 8th century BC.

The Essentials

Quick Guide to Hiring an ATV/Quad Bike in Greece

• A drivers licence is required to be produced as is a credit card for security deposit.
• Rates are negotiable! Just because it says 50 Euros doesn’t mean you have to pay it.  Some places will stay firm on their prices, others will waiver. If you’re prepared to walk out the door and haggle the next place you might save yourself some money, especially outside of high season. Prices are charged per day (24 hours).
• Helmets are necessary and required by law. Check your travel insurance and ensure you’re covered.
• Fill it up! 10 Euros of fuel lasted us 3 days of constant driving.

Final Thoughts

If you’re planning a visit to The Cyclades in Greece then one of the best decisions you can make is hiring a quad bike to explore everything the islands have to offer. The overall cost of the experience will depend on the time of year that you’re travelling but we think it’s well worth it because it provides a great degree freedom to explore at your leisure.

Plus, it’s the only mode of transport that we know of where the journey is just as much fun as the destination! We think that might be one of our favourite reasons about quad bike hire in Greece. 

If you have any questions or need any further information then please feel free to ask in the comments below or drop us an email here. If you’re looking for more things to do during your time in Santorini and Mykonos then check out the below options which might be of interest.

Have a great time planning your Greek adventure and we look forward to hearing about your experience with hiring a quad bike in Greece. Travel safe.