Santorini Fira

[peakyblinder]

Is the cable car waiting time from the top down to the tender area really that long ie 60 mins?

[bdoster]

Is the cable car waiting time from the top down to the tender area really that long ie 60 mins?

 

 

Yes. But that is quicker than the walk down the winding path took us 2 hours to walk down. It is steep and donkey droppings make it slick

 

Get in line and wait my advice. And I am a quick walker. We had a bag of souvenirs and 2 bottles of ventsantos wine

 

 

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[ellie1145]

Yes it is, depending on how many ships are anchored. It could even be longer than an hour and the wait is in a street with no shade and blistering heat so it is quite an ordeal for some.

 

Make sure you wear a hat, and if possible use an umbrella or parasol to give you some shade, and drink plenty of water if its hot.

 

Having said that, it is well worth the discomfort to see this beautiful island, and the views of the caldera are superb.

[bdoster]

Yes it is, depending on how many ships are anchored. It could even be longer than an hour and the wait is in a street with no shade and blistering heat so it is quite an ordeal for some.

 

 

 

Make sure you wear a hat, and if possible use an umbrella or parasol to give you some shade, and drink plenty of water if its hot.

 

 

 

Having said that, it is well worth the discomfort to see this beautiful island, and the views of the caldera are superb.

 

 

Agree, the views are spectacular

 

 

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[John Bull]

Is the cable car waiting time from the top down to the tender area really that long ie 60 mins?

 

No.

Sometimes it's longer. :rolleyes:

 

But I'm sure that if bdoster is a quick walker they've mis-remembered how long it takes to walk down the zig-zag path. :confused:

We've timed ourselves - under 30 minutes from top to bottom, we're not spring-chickens and we weren't rushing.

Walking up we'd probably take about three days :D

Yes, there's donkey poo, but very few donkeys late in the day so it's dried. Can be a little unpleasant if the wind occasionally whips up the dried powder but far better than standing in a long line for the cable-car.

 

And in all honesty it's not steep.

http://blog.studyabroad.wisc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Donkey.jpg

As you can see, the steps are shallow & well-spaced, the path is wide, and it has a good waist/chest-high stone wall all the way down.

A few stones are slippery (cos they're super-smooth, not cos of donkey-poo) but they're shiny and easy to spot.

 

If you're tolerably mobile, head to the cable-car / top of the path an hour before last-tender time. Judge the length of the cable-car line & if it's iffy, take the zig-zag path.

 

Have never been to Santorini after sunset, mebbe it's no fun walking down the path in the dark.

 

JB :)

[zqvol]

Is the cable car waiting time from the top down to the tender area really that long ie 60 mins?

 

YEs, they wait can easily be an hour but, unless you have mobility issues the easiest way DOWN is walking. It is at most 20 minutes and that is at a very slow pace. Of course, if you have yourself loaded down, like a pack mule, with souvenirs etc., it could take longer but never more than 30 minutes. It is a very easy path, not very steep (it's steps, and they aren't but about 6 inches high). Yes, the donkeys use the path and leave droppings, but they are easy to avoid.

 

You also have the option of riding the donkeys down the hill.

 

You can find a lot more information in the Greece port of call threads

Edited December 30, 2016 by zqvol

[navybankerteacher]

YEs, they wait can easily be an hour but, unless you have mobility issues the easiest way DOWN is walking. It is at most 20 minutes and that is at a very slow pace. Of course, if you have yourself loaded down, like a pack mule, with souvenirs etc., it could take longer but never more than 30 minutes. It is a very easy path, not very steep (it's steps, and they aren't but about 6 inches high). Yes, the donkeys use the path and leave droppings, but they are easy to avoid.

 

You also have the option of riding the donkeys down the hill.

 

You can find a lot more information in the Greece port of call threads

 

If you want to ride the donkeys, do it going up the hill at the beginning. When I rode down, three people nearby learned the hard way: going down, the donkeys lean forward, making it difficult to keep yourself from sliding forward along the neck and over the head: three wound up on the path, sitting on the slippery donkey droppings, with the donkey standing behind them - wondering.

[busmech]

If you are the only ship there you can have a very short line. Also try to get the first tender in the morning as the cable cars are a group of cars and there is 2 groups so as one goes up one goes down.

[whogo]

There was only a short line for the cable car in October with only the Prinsendam, Seabourn Odyssey, and another ship in port. I am sure it is a different story when there are lots of ships in port. We started to walk down, would not have had any problem doing so, but hired donkeys for a lark and enjoyed the ride immensely.

[Langley Cruisers]

Yes. But that is quicker than the walk down the winding path took us 2 hours to walk down.

 

With all due respect, we did it in 30 minutes. If you are reasonably fit and there aren't many people or donkeys in your way, it's a half hour or so. I'm sorry it took you two hours; please know that is not the same for everyone.

[donaldsc]

I rode the donkeys down.

 

DON

[jocap]

Ships have to leave Santorini at different times, so you might see one sail away in the early afternoon- or that might be yours...:rolleyes:

Find out which ships are in and when they're due to leave. If you can't cope with a long queue, try to go down in a quiet period, and visit a taverna on the dock. Santorini used to have a site with ship arrivals and departures.. I think I've even read it on their web cam site.

[SPacificbound]

In October 2015 we did a Mediterranean cruise and to avoid the donkeys and the cable cars there were a small group of us that arranged a complete tour through Captain Anemos boat tours and charters. I do not know if this is still an option, but I did find the website.

 

https://www.santorini.com/sailing/anemos-boat/

[bdoster]

With all due respect, we did it in 30 minutes. If you are reasonably fit and there aren't many people or donkeys in your way, it's a half hour or so. I'm sorry it took you two hours; please know that is not the same for everyone.

 

 

Never inferred it was, the trail condition and the donkeys attempting to run us over led to some of the time. I fell twice do to the slick stones.

 

I am thrilled for you

 

 

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[zoncom]

Walked both ways by myself very early. Dry, no droppings. I do recall a lady on donkey who would stop every few steps and refuse to move.I beat them to top.