scooter/motorbikes on Santorini-advice?

We were thinking of renting a scooter or motorbike of some sort to explore Santorini with. Has anyone done this? Is it safe to do? Where would we park it and is there lots of parking available? Do we need to worry about it being stolen? Any advice is greatly appreciated. We will be in Santorini on Fri. August 7th, 2009.

Thanks!

Monika

We were thinking of renting a scooter or motorbike of some sort to explore Santorini with. Has anyone done this? Is it safe to do? Where would we park it and is there lots of parking available? Do we need to worry about it being stolen? Any advice is greatly appreciated. We will be in Santorini on Fri. August 7th, 2009.

Thanks!

Monika

Hi, Monika, we thought we would rent an ATV for our day in Santorini last September, but decided after getting on one that it was a bit unstable. It's pretty hilly for just a scooter or motorbike, so the ATV is the usual fun vehicle of choice if not renting a car.

We ended up simply renting a car on both of our visits in the past year, and found it to be great (as well as sheltered from the strong sun and with a/c). It's only 40 Euros for an automatic, probably cheaper for a stick shift.

We saw plenty of ATV's on both trips, but they cannot go as fast as cars, so they have to pull over a lot for the regular vehicle traffic, another way we felt they were unsafe.

There's lots of free parking everywhere, and driving around the island is very easy.

Enjoy your day; Santorini is spectacular.

Hi Monika,

If you drive a motorcycle or scooter at home, I think you'll be OK on Santorini, but I would suggest not renting there if you aren't used to driving one.

Frommer's Destinations gives good info on getting around on Santorini, and they aren't too fond of scooters/mopeds for a couple of reasons: http://www.frommers.com/destinations/santorini/1647010002.html

We rented a car there and had a great day ... I agree with CintiPam that its an easy way to get around, and finding parking wasn't a problem for us, although we were there in late September.

Hi Monika,

 

If you drive a motorcycle or scooter at home, I think you'll be OK on Santorini, but I would suggest not renting there if you aren't used to driving one.

 

Frommer's Destinations gives good info on getting around on Santorini, and they aren't too fond of scooters/mopeds for a couple of reasons: http://www.frommers.com/destinations/santorini/1647010002.html

 

We rented a car there and had a great day ... I agree with CintiPam that its an easy way to get around, and finding parking wasn't a problem for us, although we were there in late September.

Hi CintiPam and Susan,

Thanks for the advice and Susan for the link. We are considering renting a car as per your suggestions but I'm a bit worried about finding parking. We will be there in August and I think it will be very busy. We may also decide just to rent bicycles. I think we will decide when we get there.

Thanks again!

Monika

Unless you are big mountain bikers, I can't imagine getting around Santorini on two wheels. Parking wasn't a big deal for us when we were there in the Spring, we drove from one end with the lighthouse to Oia and never had an issue anywhere.

We rented an ATV our day there and had a great time! The only issue is that you have to have helmets so it is something to carry around when you stop at different places. I'd go for a scooter over bikes, the hills can be a challenge.

Hi Monika,

 

If you drive a motorcycle or scooter at home, I think you'll be OK on Santorini, but I would suggest not renting there if you aren't used to driving one.

Scooter and motorcycle rider (mostly scooters - old school manual Vespas and Lambrettas) for 30 years here, and I have to agree 100%. Most people think that (automatic) scooters are easy to ride, and in some ways that's true. But the small wheels on scooters actually make them harder to handle than motorcycles and mopeds at slow speeds, and particularly treacherous on the kind of unpaved surfaces you find in many "less developed" locales.

On a strange-to-you bike, where maintenance could be questionable..... If you don't ride regularly, I say skip it in favor of a car.

Hi CintiPam and Susan,

 

Thanks for the advice and Susan for the link. We are considering renting a car as per your suggestions but I'm a bit worried about finding parking. We will be there in August and I think it will be very busy. We may also decide just to rent bicycles. I think we will decide when we get there.

 

Thanks again!

Monika

Hi, Monika, it's up to you, but I rented a car last September and just this past June, and there is plenty of free parking everywhere. Just the thought of a bicycle exhausts me! (And we actually never saw any bike riders our two days there, just plenty of ATV's; those hills are pretty rough in the heat!)

Have a great trip!

Pam

Thank you all for the input. I lived on Zakynthos and skooters were easy and available so thought about the same for Santorini but with age and adding my husband who is not a traveler, I think a car is a better option.

Can any of you recommend a good, reliable car rental place on the island - hopefully a quick and easy walk from the port?

Thank you,

:)

FWIW, we rented a car when we were in Santorini years ago on my 50th birthday cruise and thought it was a great way to see so much.

We rented from an agency that was a block from the cable car station - they were on the street parallel to the one that overlooks the harbor. As I recall, we exited the car, crossed the street, when a small block (maybe more like a building width? and turned left and they were near the end of that block. I don't have the contact info any more but seems like it was a guy's name - Tony's maybe?

Anyway, we went from there all the way to the lighthouse on one end, walked on a beach or two then came back and stopped at the wine co-op (if you time it right, you might accidently hit there when the cruise ship buses do, which makes it a little crowded and crazy, but it meant we got to partake of the tasting and some snacks for free....we didn't know until we went to leave that they charged for the tasting! ;))

We then drove to Oia and had a wonderful late lunch and wandered its beautiful streets before dropping the car off and riding the cable car back down before the line got too long.

Looking forward to being back in Santorini next year for my 60th...except this time we are hoping to be there for a week or more. It is the most beautiful place on earth IMHO.

Have a great time!