santorini

[lulubell]

Anyone know where ships tender to /dock on Santorini?

[Fafos]

Cruise ships in Santorini always tender front of Ormos Firon exept some passengers with excursions where use the Ormos Athinios

 

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=%CE%A3%CE%B1%CE%BD%CF%84%CE%BF%CF%81%CE%AF%CE%BD%CE%B7,+%CE%95%CE%BB%CE%BB%CE%AC%CF%82&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=47.215051,79.013672&ie=UTF8&split=0&ll=36.41814,25.42659&spn=0.023587,0.038581&t=h&z=15

[Seabee]

Ships anchor off Thira (Fira). They tender you to the base of the volcano rim and you then get yourself to the top by:

1. Cable car

2. Donkey

3. Walking

[jstducky]

you should be able to see it in the attached picture

 

the zig zag to the right is the donkey and walking trail

 

to the left you can see a building brownish in color, that's where the cable cars are

 

the tenders basically dock at the base of the caldera. then you take either the cable car or the donkey up to the top

[Fafos]

Before some minutes we have an earthquake, 5.1R in Santorini but without any problem with buildings or people... just a bit panic:D

[lulubell]

Before some minutes we have an earthquake, 5.1R in Santorini but without any problem with buildings or people... just a bit panic:D

That's OK we're used to those-we live in Los Angeles'

Thanks for everyone's info I found it exteremly helpful:)

[yadira gonzalez]

Hi everyone!! I was reading and seeing that there are few ways to get around in Santorini. I have a friend that is going there and someone told her that she had to make the tours with the cruise ship and and with no one else. Is this true? And if it's not true, how can I get to see or have a tour budget friendly (Important) She is 21 years old and with not a lot of money to spend. Well, anyway thanks in advance!!

[Bluesmama]

Hi everyone!! I was reading and seeing that there are few ways to get around in Santorini. I have a friend that is going there and someone told her that she had to make the tours with the cruise ship and and with no one else. Is this true? And if it's not true, how can I get to see or have a tour budget friendly (Important) She is 21 years old and with not a lot of money to spend. Well, anyway thanks in advance!!

thats ridiculous--there are many independent tour guides/tours, etc. on Santorini--as in all places no-one forces you to take the ship's excursions. Actually Santorini is a very easy do-it-yourslef kind of place, and lots of good info here on CC t inform you

[Captain Canuck]

we are just back from our second stop in Santorini....both times we did the cable car up...I think it was 6 euros..we walked along the coast about half way to Oia...there is a bus from the town to Oia but only about once every couple of hours....its a smaller town and quaint but there is lots to see just walking around the town and the cliff edge..hundreds of pictures..we took the path down walking....huge line for the cable car...lots of other people did it too which made it easier passing the donkeys...

 

no need to take a tour

[Scottygirl1]

we are just back from our second stop in Santorini....both times we did the cable car up...I think it was 6 euros..we walked along the coast about half way to Oia...there is a bus from the town to Oia but only about once every couple of hours....its a smaller town and quaint but there is lots to see just walking around the town and the cliff edge..hundreds of pictures..we took the path down walking....huge line for the cable car...lots of other people did it too which made it easier passing the donkeys...

 

no need to take a tour

 

I read that the buses to Oia were every half hour - hopefully when we go the will be more regular than every 2 hours! How bad was it walking down the track? I've watched some Youtube movies of people walking down and it looks a bit dangerous. How bad was the donkey droppings?

[Captain Canuck]

first time we walked down it was pretty bad...was late in the day though....this last time we did it as there was a huge line for the tram....another huge ship in port and they left hours ahead of us...their line to their tenders was also huge...we got down and were second in ours.....

 

the donkey guys tried to crowd us out a bit the first time...came close but not even touched by a donkey...second time the people walking down outnumbered the donkeys so the poo was less and there is safety in numbers.

 

you are right about the frequency...I remembered it as being a couple of hours...we just missed one and decided to walk instead of wait...did not make it all the way but the views were still great as far as we went...schedule at site below

 

http://www.ktel-santorini.gr/

[CintiPam]

The bus from Oia to Fira runs every half hour in the tourist season. Also, you can rent a car for the day, only 35 Euros for an automatic. Driving and parking are easy. We rented a car for our second visit there two weeks ago and were able to go at our own pace to Oia and other lovely island spots.

[Falcons07]

The bus from Oia to Fira runs every half hour in the tourist season. Also, you can rent a car for the day, only 35 Euros for an automatic. Driving and parking are easy. We rented a car for our second visit there two weeks ago and were able to go at our own pace to Oia and other lovely island spots.

 

Thanks for commenting on renting a car. Can you share the details with us:

Did you book the car ahead? If so what company ?

 

We have done this on some of our other cruises and loved it.

 

Thanks, Terry

[CintiPam]

Thanks for commenting on renting a car. Can you share the details with us:

Did you book the car ahead? If so what company ?

 

We had two recent one-day cruise port visits to Santorini, one last September (on our first-ever cruise, Oceania's Nautica), and one on June 8 (on our second-ever cruise, also on the wonderful Nautica). We planned in September to rent ATV's, but after trying one out, we decided they were too tippy and instead went down the main automobile street in Thira to Europecar, who had several automatics available for the afternoon for 40 Euros, inclusive of gas and insurance. We had a Nissan Mieca, a very good car. (Only half a day because we spent the morning visiting the two archaelogical museums in Fira, with the Museum of Prehistoric Thira tops on my must-do list if you are in town on a day other than Monday.)

 

For our June 8 visit, because I only can drive an automatic, and not a stick shift, we contacted Europecar a couple of weeks in advance of our departure but found out that they had closed their downtown location and were only at the airport. They were willing to meet us at the bus station, but I did not want to take a chance on timing because of the unknown cable car line wait.

 

So we contacted Tony's, recommended on these boards, and picked up our car from there at 10 AM, returning it around 4:30 PM. This time, we paid 40 Euros but were told to stop and put in about 5 or 7 Euros (I forget the exact number, but not much) of gas before we returned the car. I charged the car on my AMEX, so had all the insurance I needed. This car, a Hyundai Atos, did not have the power to do a good job on the hills, particularly with my a/c blasting, but it was OK for the day.

 

If you need an automatic, you really need to book in advance. When I got the car from Tony's, he had to turn away customers looking for an automatic.

 

Driving is very easy on Santorini, there is little traffic once you leave heavily-congested Fira, and free parking is abundant everywhere.

 

You absolutely will love Santorini, gorgeous at every turn.

[Falcons07]

We had two recent one-day cruise port visits to Santorini, one last September (on our first-ever cruise, Oceania's Nautica), and one on June 8 (on our second-ever cruise, also on the wonderful Nautica). We planned in September to rent ATV's, but after trying one out, we decided they were too tippy and instead went down the main automobile street in Thira to Europecar, who had several automatics available for the afternoon for 40 Euros, inclusive of gas and insurance. We had a Nissan Mieca, a very good car. (Only half a day because we spent the morning visiting the two archaelogical museums in Fira, with the Museum of Prehistoric Thira tops on my must-do list if you are in town on a day other than Monday.)

 

For our June 8 visit, because I only can drive an automatic, and not a stick shift, we contacted Europecar a couple of weeks in advance of our departure but found out that they had closed their downtown location and were only at the airport. They were willing to meet us at the bus station, but I did not want to take a chance on timing because of the unknown cable car line wait.

 

So we contacted Tony's, recommended on these boards, and picked up our car from there at 10 AM, returning it around 4:30 PM. This time, we paid 40 Euros but were told to stop and put in about 5 or 7 Euros (I forget the exact number, but not much) of gas before we returned the car. I charged the car on my AMEX, so had all the insurance I needed. This car, a Hyundai Atos, did not have the power to do a good job on the hills, particularly with my a/c blasting, but it was OK for the day.

 

If you need an automatic, you really need to book in advance. When I got the car from Tony's, he had to turn away customers looking for an automatic.

 

Driving is very easy on Santorini, there is little traffic once you leave heavily-congested Fira, and free parking is abundant everywhere.

 

You absolutely will love Santorini, gorgeous at every turn.

 

Thanks for all your help. There are four of us traveling together ( 2 couples). I will check with Tony's early , we are not booked until Sept. 2010..I believe in planning ahead:p

 

I scour these boards for info, and this is the first mention of Santorini car rentals I have found..did you need to get an International License ??: I saw that written on the 'Santorini Car Rental' general info page ??

 

Thank you so much , Terry

[Susan-M]

 

I scour these boards for info, and this is the first mention of Santorini car rentals I have found..did you need to get an International License ??: I saw that written on the 'Santorini Car Rental' general info page ??

 

Thank you so much , Terry

 

Hi Terry,

We rented from Tony's in '05 and had a great day exploring Santorini. He advised that we didn't need an IDL, but I know that other rental companies did at that time. This year we rented on the island of Chios and needed one ... so probably best to have an IDL in case you are stopped by the police.

[CintiPam]

...did you need to get an International License ??: I saw that written on the 'Santorini Car Rental' general info page ??

 

Thank you so much , Terry

 

I have never had a car rental company in Greece ask to see my International Driver's Permit/License, but I always spend the $15 at AAA to get one when I plan to rent a car because, as Susan alluded to above, if you encounter the Greek police for any reason (such as an accident) and cannot produce one, you will have to pay a very hefty fine.

 

BTW, the license is good for one year from your first use.

[jagger16]

Thank you, CintiPam for the information on the car rentals. Renting a car is on our To-Do list and this will definitely help.

[CintiPam]

Thank you, CintiPam for the information on the car rentals. Renting a car is on our To-Do list and this will definitely help.

 

You're very welcome. We have visited Santorini twice in the past year, and I am ready to return tomorrow. There is nowhere even similar that we ever have visited, and there still is a lot of the island we have not had the opportunity to explore.

 

Enjoy your visit there!

[MisterBill99]

we are just back from our second stop in Santorini....both times we did the cable car up...I think it was 6 euros..we walked along the coast about half way to Oia.

How long did the walk to Oia take?

 

And how much are the donkey rides up (or down?) the hill?

[macaroni]

I understand it takes about 2 1/2 hours the whole way. We are going to do that in July when we go. You just have to start early because it will be hot.

[Captain Canuck]

we never made it all the way to oia....not sure how far we made it but likely about half way....we walked for about an hour and then decided to walk back to Fira..my understanding is that Oia is smaller than fira and less crowded.....views along the walk were what we were interested in anyways. I am attacing a picture that shows about where we walked to...just past the tower...

 

we did not take th donkeys so not sure of the price..I searched it though and virtualtourist says 3.50 euro each way

[Falcons07]

I have never had a car rental company in Greece ask to see my International Driver's Permit/License, but I always spend the $15 at AAA to get one when I plan to rent a car because, as Susan alluded to above, if you encounter the Greek police for any reason (such as an accident) and cannot produce one, you will have to pay a very hefty fine.

 

BTW, the license is good for one year from your first use.

 

 

Thanks for the info on AAA and the IDL. Ironically I was heading over to their office today to buy some movie passes as a birthday gift. I will check it out . Thanks again.. I have Tony,s info and all.

 

Terry

[MisterBill99]

we did not take th donkeys so not sure of the price..I searched it though and virtualtourist says 3.50 euro each way

I found a site that said 5. Still cheaper than taking the ship's tour!

[CintiPam]

How long did the walk to Oia take?

 

And how much are the donkey rides up (or down?) the hill?

 

Two guys on our recent cruise, both hikers, walked to Oia from the cable car terminus in mid-June. They said it took three hours and was brutal in the heat, with a lot of hills. Much harder than they expected. (I believe it is six miles one way.)

 

The donkey rides are five Euros, I believe.