Took cable car -no problem despite wife's worry about heights etc
Town at top -Fira- very touristy but still quite charming. Walked through it to bus station. Local bus to Oia €2.50 return, 45 minutes. Oia must see, amazing architecture down cliff face and of course blue domed churches.
Left boat at 8.30am back for lunch before cable car got busy.
Cost €5 for the two of us vs €200 on tour.. ...
The view of the white houses with blue roofs looking down the cliff is it. There is nothing more to look at! The donkeys are kept in horrendous conditions... get the cable car up and walk down the cliff. The donkeys are unhappy, no water and shouldn't be used as they carry fat tourists up and down - why would you allow that to happen to an animal? Nothing of interest on this port of call. ...
I had quite an extensive tour of Santorini years ago & with there being so many ships in port decided to just have free time on the ship.
One thing I did look forward to there was the sunset which did not disappoint. ...
Santorini is very scenic and picturesque but it can be a madhouse when several cruise ships are in port. We did not do a tour in Santorini but, in hindsight, we probably would do one through the ship. It would get us off the ship faster and give me more comfort in knowing I'd get back to the ship in time. ...
Tendered in and right next to where tender landed we took a boat to OIA. Fare included coach shuttle from landing point up to OIA. THe coaches then leave on the hour from OIA to take you onwards to Fira from where you can take the cable car down to the tender point. The alternative to the cable car, which had very long queues, is to take the donkey zigzag path down, either walking or by donkey.We ...
We did Santorini when there were no other ships there. That made is easier to get around.
Fira was nice, but you have to get out of the main part of the village and walk north to where the nicer restaurants and hotels are. We had lunch at a place that had stunning views of the caldera. ...
Too difficult to tender to the Island then go up to town by bus. Finally left via the tramway which had long wait lines in the hot sun. Then wait for a tender back to ship in another queue. Once was enough. Next time fly into Santorini, forget coming by big ship. ...
