Our DIY Santorini Excursion Recap

[RoadLessTraveled728]

*This recap is based on our 11-night Eastern Mediterranean cruise in May 2013 on the Celebrity Reflection**

 

 

We arrived to the island of Santorini, Greece and dropped anchor around 1pm. We were in port with one other cruise ship (but it was a smaller ship and they arrived early that morning and left long before we did). Santorini is a tender port, so we waited patiently for our tender number (thankfully we were tender 11-one tender after all the guests who booked excursions with the ship were let off). We ended up reaching the docks in Fira around 1:45pm. We only had from 2pm until 8pm to explore and knew the only attractions we really wanted to see were the villages of Oia and Fira. We were looking forward to a more leisurely day of sight-seeing. At the bottom of Fira where the tender boat drops you off, you then have a decision to make on how you'll get up to the top of the hill in Fira. You can walk the zig-zag trail up the hill (takes about 15 minutes), take the cable car to the top (costs a few euro but the lines can be long if many other cruise ships are also in port with you), or pay 5 euro and ride a donkey to the top. We opted to try our hand at riding donkeys!

 

 

Our experience riding the donkeys to the top of the hill in Fira, Santorini from my travel blog:

http://www.wetooktheroadlesstraveled.com/2013/06/santorini-donkey-riding.html

 

Once we were at the top of Fira, we wandered through the streets until we found there the main bus station in the main squarewith buses to the village of Oia. The bus tickets were quite cheap (roughly 4 euro round trip per person. Someone just came around collecting our money once we were on the bus) and they ran on time (about 30 minutes in between each bus). It took about 20 minutes for the bus to drive us from Fira to Oia (beautiful views along the way!). Once we arrived in Oia, we just took an hour long self-guided walking tour of the village.

 

 

Scenes from beautiful Oia, Santorini recapped from my travel blog:

http://www.wetooktheroadlesstraveled.com/2013/06/oia-santorini.html

 

After spending time in Oia, we caught the bus back (from exactly where it dropped us off) to Fira. Once we arrived back in Fira, we did some shopping and decided to have dinner at Niki's Restaurant (just above the zig-zag donkey trail and has beautiful views of the caldera! Great greek food!)

 

 

Scenes from Fira, Santorini & our meal at Niki's:

http://www.wetooktheroadlesstraveled.com/2013/06/fira-santorini.html

 

 

After eating dinner, it was almost time for us to catch the last tender boat (8:00pm) back to the ship. We decided instead of taking the cable car down, we wanted to walk the donkey trail since it was so beautiful outside and the sun was starting to set. It was about a 10 minute walk...but be weary of the donkey poop! Watch where you're stepping! We made it back to the ship just in time to watch the sun fade into the caldera from the front of the ship.

 

 

Santorini Sunset from the top of the Celebrity Reflection as we were sailing away:

http://www.wetooktheroadlesstraveled.com/2013/06/the-evolution-of-santorini-sunset.html

 

Santorini was a wonderful port that can totally be done on your own! We only had 6 hours to see all that Santorini had to offer and I feel as though we saw just enough to keep us wanting more. Any questions...feel free to message me!

[Wiltonian]

Wonderful blog and photos - thanks!

 

Stuart

[fabnfortysomething]

I have heard that there is a boat trip that goes from the tender dock around to Oia-did you notice any signs for that as an alternative?

[billrco90278]

Great posting. We will be on Santorini will bookmark it!

[RoadLessTraveled728]

I have heard that there is a boat trip that goes from the tender dock around to Oia-did you notice any signs for that as an alternative?

 

I did hear that taking another boat to Oia was possible...but to be honest, we knew that wasn't going to be an option for us, so I never paid attention to signs for it around the dock. So sorry!! If I end up finding any info about it, I'll be sure to pass it on!

[zales]

Hi Casey, Great Review!!! Did you happen to go to Naples, wasn't sure if I missed that part of your review?:)

[RoadLessTraveled728]

Hi Casey, Great Review!!! Did you happen to go to Naples, wasn't sure if I missed that part of your review?:)

 

Thank you so much!

 

We did go to Naples! Although we didn't explore Naples...we toured Pompeii, Sorrento, drove along the Amalfi Coast and had lunch in Positano. I'm working on putting that recap together as we speak! Should have it up in the Naples CC forum sometime this week. I'll let ya know when it's up! :)

[MissBreezy]

Thank you for the detailed DIY! Santorini has been tough for us to plan as it seemed sort if confusing, this helps!

 

Fancy seeing you here by the way! I found your blog randomly a few months back through Google and you SOLD me on St. John in Mykonos and now I find you here on CC! Love the blog :)

[librarylady19]

Thank you so much!

 

We did go to Naples! Although we didn't explore Naples...we toured Pompeii, Sorrento, drove along the Amalfi Coast and had lunch in Positano. I'm working on putting that recap together as we speak! Should have it up in the Naples CC forum sometime this week. I'll let ya know when it's up! :)

 

Great review and photos. Im going to check out your blog about your experiences in Italy as we are planning to hit all those places on our May cruise!

Edited January 24, 2014 by librarylady19

[cruisin'tex]

*This recap is based on our 11-night Eastern Mediterranean cruise in May 2013 on the Celebrity Reflection**

 

 

We arrived to the island of Santorini, Greece and dropped anchor around 1pm. We were in port with one other cruise ship (but it was a smaller ship and they arrived early that morning and left long before we did). Santorini is a tender port, so we waited patiently for our tender number (thankfully we were tender 11-one tender after all the guests who booked excursions with the ship were let off). We ended up reaching the docks in Fira around 1:45pm. We only had from 2pm until 8pm to explore and knew the only attractions we really wanted to see were the villages of Oia and Fira. We were looking forward to a more leisurely day of sight-seeing. At the bottom of Fira where the tender boat drops you off, you then have a decision to make on how you'll get up to the top of the hill in Fira. You can walk the zig-zag trail up the hill (takes about 15 minutes), take the cable car to the top (costs a few euro but the lines can be long if many other cruise ships are also in port with you), or pay 5 euro and ride a donkey to the top. We opted to try our hand at riding donkeys!

 

 

Our experience riding the donkeys to the top of the hill in Fira, Santorini from my travel blog:

http://www.wetooktheroadlesstraveled.com/2013/06/santorini-donkey-riding.html

 

Once we were at the top of Fira, we wandered through the streets until we found there the main bus station in the main squarewith buses to the village of Oia. The bus tickets were quite cheap (roughly 4 euro round trip per person. Someone just came around collecting our money once we were on the bus) and they ran on time (about 30 minutes in between each bus). It took about 20 minutes for the bus to drive us from Fira to Oia (beautiful views along the way!). Once we arrived in Oia, we just took an hour long self-guided walking tour of the village.

 

 

Scenes from beautiful Oia, Santorini recapped from my travel blog:

http://www.wetooktheroadlesstraveled.com/2013/06/oia-santorini.html

 

After spending time in Oia, we caught the bus back (from exactly where it dropped us off) to Fira. Once we arrived back in Fira, we did some shopping and decided to have dinner at Niki's Restaurant (just above the zig-zag donkey trail and has beautiful views of the caldera! Great greek food!)

 

 

Scenes from Fira, Santorini & our meal at Niki's:

http://www.wetooktheroadlesstraveled.com/2013/06/fira-santorini.html

 

 

After eating dinner, it was almost time for us to catch the last tender boat (8:00pm) back to the ship. We decided instead of taking the cable car down, we wanted to walk the donkey trail since it was so beautiful outside and the sun was starting to set. It was about a 10 minute walk...but be weary of the donkey poop! Watch where you're stepping! We made it back to the ship just in time to watch the sun fade into the caldera from the front of the ship.

 

 

Santorini Sunset from the top of the Celebrity Reflection as we were sailing away:

http://www.wetooktheroadlesstraveled.com/2013/06/the-evolution-of-santorini-sunset.html

 

Santorini was a wonderful port that can totally be done on your own! We only had 6 hours to see all that Santorini had to offer and I feel as though we saw just enough to keep us wanting more. Any questions...feel free to message me!

 

Beautiful pix......brings back great memories of our visit two years ago.

[zales]

Thank you so much!

 

We did go to Naples! Although we didn't explore Naples...we toured Pompeii, Sorrento, drove along the Amalfi Coast and had lunch in Positano. I'm working on putting that recap together as we speak! Should have it up in the Naples CC forum sometime this week. I'll let ya know when it's up! :)

 

Thank You, looking forward to it.:D

[RoadLessTraveled728]

Thank you for the detailed DIY! Santorini has been tough for us to plan as it seemed sort if confusing, this helps!

 

Fancy seeing you here by the way! I found your blog randomly a few months back through Google and you SOLD me on St. John in Mykonos and now I find you here on CC! Love the blog :)

 

You're so welcome! And thanks!! I figured I'd share the blog info in the CC forums just in case Google fails to send people there. Glad to know you've seen both! :)

[dreamgear]

Thanks for the great info on your experience. Does anyone have any information on boat companies in Santorini? We'd like to walk up the donkey path, make our way to Oia, and then take a boat back. We'll be there on the Eurodam 4/16/14.. already asked in the roll call. Any information is welcome.

[abouna]

What is the process on Celebrity for getting the tender vouchers? How early to people line up who don't have excursions booked? Any advice?

[prish]

If you are Elite your tender vouchers are delivered to your stateroom, otherwise you line up by 6.30 - 7am and collect them yourself.

[RoadLessTraveled728]

What is the process on Celebrity for getting the tender vouchers? How early to people line up who don't have excursions booked? Any advice?

 

For our tender in Santorini, we had to wait in line the morning of our day there and get our tender tickets. The ship will tell you a meeting place where the tender tickets will be passed out and you just have to be patient enough to wake up a bit early to wait in line to get a good tender number! For example, our ship docked into Santorini at 11am (a late arrival), so we started waiting in line around 8:30/9am for the tender ticket. If you're in a high cabin class or are an Elite member, you typically get priority tendering. If you're on a tour with the cruise ship, you also get priority tendering.