What do people do in Santorini? Past/Future Cruisers?? Are there private services?

[readytocruise2009]

What do people do in Santorini? Past/Future Cruisers?? Are there private services that get you where ship is tendered? Not sure what to do there??? Thanks

[Hlitner]

Well, to put it bluntly, Santorini is one of the most beautiful places in the world! So, most folks are quite content to soak up the beauty and overall atmosphere. From the tender pier you can take the cable car up the hill to the main town of Fira (also called Thira) which has a maze of narrow streets full of shops, cafes, and amazing views of the sea. Another popular idea is to take the local bus (or a taxi) to the town of Oia (you can actually see Oia from Fira) which also offers amazing views and is a bit more laid-back than Thira. And lastly, some folks enjoy driving around the island (you can do this in a rental car or on a tour) to just take in the scenery, perhaps visit a winery, or maybe go to a beach. This is a very tourist-friendly island where just about everyone speaks some English, so it is an easy place to do on your own.

 

Hank

[CintiPam]

Supplementing Hank's excellent response, I suggest that you visit the excellent Museum of Prehistoric Thira in Fira (closed Mondays) just west of the bus station for 30 minutes to an hour of your day on Santorini. This modern museum tells the story known at this point of the Aegean peoples who inhabited Akrotiri (the excavation on the southwest of the island currently closed to the public due to a roof collapse several years ago in which several tourists were killed) and other Cycladic islands who are as ancient to the Classical Age Greeks as those Classical Age Greeks are to us.

 

The museum exhibits are labeled in both Greek and English, proceed in a chronological order, include several of the famous Akrotiri wall paintings, as well as a lovely solid gold goat, and is well air-conditioned with excellent modern restrooms as well.

 

The only other place to see Akrotiri artifacts is the small exhibit on the second floor of the National Archeological Museum in Athens.

[swalm22]

We visit there with the MS Noordam it was perfect, you can find our review with pictures here;

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1050505

[Host Karen]

There is quite a long discussion about Santorini and things to do there in this thread: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1012944

 

Happy cruising!

 

Karen

HostKaren@CruiseCritic.com