Do it yourself Santorini

[room with a view]

Hi, Any advice/suggestions for  a do it yourself Santorini ?

The ship's tours seem to involve music and eating ...when all we want to do is Santorini.

Are the wait times at the cable car back to port  long ?

thanks

[MotownVoice]

25 minutes ago, room with a view said:

Hi, Any advice/suggestions for  a do it yourself Santorini ?

The ship's tours seem to involve music and eating ...when all we want to do is Santorini.

Are the wait times at the cable car back to port  long ?

thanks

Everyone told us we’d wait for 45 mins to an hour for a gondola down.   I think we waited 5.  And it was 5 in the afternoon.  

[MeHeartCruising]

52 minutes ago, room with a view said:

Hi, Any advice/suggestions for  a do it yourself Santorini ?

The ship's tours seem to involve music and eating ...when all we want to do is Santorini.

Are the wait times at the cable car back to port  long ?

thanks

 

The wait will entirely depend on the number of ships in port that day and the timing of their time in port.  If several arrive at nearly the same time and/or leave at the same time, then there will be lines.  If not, then the line can be quite minimal.  My backup plan on the return to the ship is to leave enough time to walk down the donkey path -- which I did one time.  Not ideal, but a valid backup plan if you can physically do the walk.

Edited September 18, 2022 by MeHeartCruising

[Travelling2Some]

We took the most inexpensive ship's tour just to get to Oia as quickly as possible.  Once there, we just ditched the excursion and did our own thing for the day.  From Oia you can take the public bus to Fira whenever you are ready.  (Sit on the left side of the bus for added excitement or sit on the right if you are afraid of heights!)

[HuliHuli]

We were recently in Thira/Santorini.  First, there is more than one seaside dock where you might start your visit.  Ours started at the pier quite a ways from the pier where the cable cars run.  So without a confirmed means of transportation up to Oia or Fira, you would not have a pleasant start at the port.  In our experience, most of the excursions do cut you loose in Oia to wander on your own, so if that is your interest, I think @Travelling2Someprobably has a good idea.  Since we wanted to visit both Oia and Fira, and experience more of the Greek culture and food, a more inclusive excursion was right for us.  Final note: pick pocketing is an industry in Greece - BE FOREWARNED!

[MotownVoice]

40 minutes ago, HuliHuli said:

“...  Final note: pick pocketing is an industry in Greece - BE FOREWARNED! “

 

Been to Greece 4 times.   Never been pickpocketed once.   Virtually every country on the planet has crime, including pickpocketing.  It is not unique to any geographical location.  That rumor was started as a way to slander the Roma.  The elite in every culture looks down on the poverty stricken as being dirty and prone to stealing your things.  Italy has the same myth started either by the wealthy in Italy, or by travelers themselves.   
 

No matter where you are traveling, you should only carry the cash you’re going to use and never bring credit cards you don’t need.  If you carry a wallet carry it in your front pocket.  If you carry a purse never put it down in crowded markets or tourist traps, always hand it to someone.  And you should do that whether you are climbing the switchback at Santorini, strolling the airport in Atlanta, or attending a concert at your child’s grade school.   
 

People steal.  
 

We don’t need to make the situation worse by errantly attributing it to cultures or races.  

Edited September 18, 2022 by MotownVoice

[ontheweb]

LOL, we did Santorini on our own, and it was fine except when we got totally lost. At that point we discovered a museum in a cave. We took the tour (in English for us and Greek for the other couple). We then showed the guide our cruise line map, and asked where we were on the map. He laughed and said we were off the map. He asked if we had a car, and when we said, no, he tried unsuccessfully to get us a cab. He then showed us a short cut back.

 

It was truly a unique experience. Rick Steves says be a traveler, not a tourist. I think that's what we ended up being with that visit to that museum.

[room with a view]

Thanks everyone for your advice. There is a basic NCL tour ...that gives you a ticket for the cable car down .

I will check if there are any other cruise ships in on the 1st October .

Great suggestion to use the NCL tour then ditch it ...also may get us a quicker tender. 

We may be reasonably fit but I don't think two 72 year old will risk coming down the donkey path !!!

[room with a view]

1st October 2022    Rhapsody of the Seas 7.00-19.00

Odyssey of the Seas 7.00-19.00

Azamara Journey 8.00 -20.00

NCL Jade    12.30-19.30  ...guess it's going to be busy !!!

[BermudaBound2014]

If you are in reasonably good physical shape, we loved the hike from Fira to Oiu. It's only 10K (about 6 miles) You hike along the volcanic ridge with spectacular views the entire time. Very safe easy hike. You start the hike at the top of the cable cars. We took the first cable cars up in the morning and by the time we got to Oui it was pretty hot so be sure to take water.  We wandered in Oui for several hours before taking the bus back to Fira and we just walked down to the pier (didn't use the donkeys or the cable cars).

[mapleleaves]

Ouch, looks like all the ships are leaving about the same time, so that means a big crowdat the cable cars for the last tender at 6pm..

I had hoped to take a basic NCL tour in order to get to Oia quickly, then ditch the tour ( after advising the excursion leader).  But it's sold out.  So we're going to get the earliest tender we can manage, then take the bus to Oia.  Or if there's a wait for the bus, hopefully grab a cab.  Then bus or cab back to Fira. 

Thankfully the ship departures are staggered on our day in port, so hopefully we'll avoid an hour wait forthe cable cars. Enjoy your cruise !

[Hlitner]

Lets clear the air (pun intended) about the cable car (down).  There is a single queue to get into the upper cable car station.  Having a ticket does not allow you to avoid the line which happens to be the same line used for those that need to buy tickets.  Even those on cruise ship excursions will need to use the cable car (of they could walk or use a donkey) to get down as the tours all end in Fira where folks are on their own.  

 

As to the queues, it is simply dependent on how many cruise ship passengers want to get down at any particular time.  Obviously this will be dependent on how many ships, when they depart, etc.  Most ships will quietly have one employee located at the upper cable car station who has communications to the ship.  He/she can monitor the queue and determine if there are folks, heading back to the ship, who are stuck/delayed at the cable car.  If so, the ship's delay their departure.   Most ships will not admit they will wait, the reality is that ships do wait at this port.  It is pretty common for ships to be 1-3 hours late because their passengers cannot get down to the tender pier.

 

Something needs to be done about this upper cable car bottleneck.  The local authorities claim to have already limited the number or ships and also encourage them to vary their departure times.  But some of the posts here on CC would lead one to believe there is still a big problem on numerous days.

 

As to exploring the island on your own, there are a few good options.  We will often rent a car (you must generally reserve well in advance) with a pick-up at Fira and simply drive ourselves where we please.  Other folks will rent small 4 wheel ATV like vehicles.  There are also the island buses (which run on various routes with a schedule) which can be a problem because of crowding and the frequency of the schedule.  There is usually a privately operated company that offers shuttle boats from Fira (at the tender pier) to a pier below Oia with van/mini bus transport up to Oia.  They also provide a return bus (to Fira).   The island also has quite a few taxis (mostly based in Fira) which can be hired for point to point or one can negotiate a rate for a tour.  The taxis are not inexpensive.

 

Driving on the island is not overly difficult, but moving near Oia and Fira can be difficult/congested, and parking can often be a real hassle at both Oia and Fira.  There are some parking lots, but that will involve plenty of walking.

 

Hank

 

Hank

 

Hank

[room with a view]

Two 72 year olds so a hike won't be for us.

So a taxi from the port to Oia will be a solution ...is it a fixed rate or haggle ?

[Hlitner]

5 hours ago, room with a view said:

Two 72 year olds so a hike won't be for us.

So a taxi from the port to Oia will be a solution ...is it a fixed rate or haggle ?

You will need to walk through a good part of town to get to the taxi parking area (located near the bus station).  Taxis to Oia are a fixed rate and used to be 25€ (one way).  But I would not be surprised if that price has increased in recent months.   The slightly bigger problem is getting a return taxi as there are many times when taxis are not sitting around Oia.   

 

 

[kristinp36]

We are planning to take the water taxi to Oia then taking the shuttle to Fira. Getting back down to the dock vis the cable car will be dependent on the line 🙂  We are in port with RC largest ship and 3 other ships. With ours leaving at 5 and two of the others leaving at 6!

[mapleleaves]

26 minutes ago, kristinp36 said:

We are planning to take the water taxi to Oia then taking the shuttle to Fira. Getting back down to the dock vis the cable car will be dependent on the line 🙂  We are in port with RC largest ship and 3 other ships. With ours leaving at 5 and two of the others leaving at 6!

If there are only a few people on the boat, think twice.  Someone on the Gem reported yesterday that they got on an empty boat, then sat there for 45 minutes waiting for other passengers to come along and fill it up.   So have a backup plan. Good luck !

 

[TVNews]

Last time we were in Santorini we took the ferry to Oia from the tender port below Fira. I think it was about 25-30 EUR and that included a shuttle bus from Oia back to Fira where we caught the cable car down. As Mapleleaves notes, the ferry will not depart until it is reasonably full (even though they will tell you it’s leaving “in a few minutes” so you need patience or good timing.

[marazul]

On 9/19/2022 at 10:05 AM, room with a view said:

Two 72 year olds so a hike won't be for us.

So a taxi from the port to Oia will be a solution ...is it a fixed rate or haggle ?

There are no road taxis from the tender port to Oia, only water ferries.  The only road to the tender port is the donkey path. 

Once you get to Fira, the town on the cliff above the tender port, you can take a taxi to Oia.  You get from the tender port to Fira by cable car or donkey path.  There is no other way.

[roomba920]

On 9/18/2022 at 10:28 AM, MotownVoice said:

 

Been to Greece 4 times.   Never been pickpocketed once.   Virtually every country on the planet has crime, including pickpocketing.  It is not unique to any geographical location.  That rumor was started as a way to slander the Roma.  The elite in every culture looks down on the poverty stricken as being dirty and prone to stealing your things.  Italy has the same myth started either by the wealthy in Italy, or by travelers themselves.   
 

No matter where you are traveling, you should only carry the cash you’re going to use and never bring credit cards you don’t need.  If you carry a wallet carry it in your front pocket.  If you carry a purse never put it down in crowded markets or tourist traps, always hand it to someone.  And you should do that whether you are climbing the switchback at Santorini, strolling the airport in Atlanta, or attending a concert at your child’s grade school.   
 

People steal.  
 

We don’t need to make the situation worse by errantly attributing it to cultures or races.  

I don't see where HuliHuli attributed theft to a culture or race, just a destination. As is common in most tourist spots.

[emeraldcity]

8 hours ago, TVNews said:

Last time we were in Santorini we took the ferry to Oia from the tender port below Fira. I think it was about 25-30 EUR and that included a shuttle bus from Oia back to Fira where we caught the cable car down. As Mapleleaves notes, the ferry will not depart until it is reasonably full (even though they will tell you it’s leaving “in a few minutes” so you need patience or good timing.

That was my experience as well. We plan on doing the same thing this time. Sounds like we can expect a line to the cable car, but it's all part of the adventure. 

[LGinPA]

On 9/22/2022 at 10:10 PM, emeraldcity said:

That was my experience as well. We plan on doing the same thing this time. Sounds like we can expect a line to the cable car, but it's all part of the adventure. 

 

Does anyone know what type of payment they accept for the boat ride to the Oia port? Are CC's taken or is it cash only? 

[Kiwi Brenda]

Can anyone who’s walked down instead of taking the cable car advise how long it took them? On the roll call for our cruise next year someone posted it took them 2-3 hours! If that’s accurate a one hour wait for the cable car doesn’t seem so bad…

[Hlitner]

13 hours ago, Kiwi Brenda said:

Can anyone who’s walked down instead of taking the cable car advise how long it took them? On the roll call for our cruise next year someone posted it took them 2-3 hours! If that’s accurate a one hour wait for the cable car doesn’t seem so bad…

That will depend on the individual.  Many years ago (we were in our 50s) we walked down in aboOtut 45 min.  But at the time there was nobody else walking down to get in our way and we were healthy, fast walkers.  You probably could find some cruisers that would need hour (or even days).   Consider that there are plenty of cruisers who will wait 15 min for an elevator to go down 1-2 decks!

 

Hank

[room with a view]

September 26th  12.00 noon- the line down to the cable car along a very narrow street was 1 hour 20 minutes.

 

Those who opted to walk said the path was slippy and had donkey poo !!  very dangerous in their opinion but didn't want to wait.

 

OK we were on a cruise ship but believe me you could hardly move on Santorini . Too many ships in port.

 

Even booked NCL shore excursions leave you to take the cable car back down

[mapleleaves]

We were there on Wed Sept 28 on NCL Gem.  There was only one large ship in port with us and it left 2 hrs before we did.

The line for the cable car going up was horrendous ..... we were tender #4 so off the ship around 1:45pm.  Didn't get to the top until almost 4pm!!  However there was no line for the ride down at 7pm.  We walked right up to the counter, bought our tickets and immediately got on a cable car!

So it really depends on which ships are in port with you,  and what time they arrive and depart.

 

In hindsight I wish I had purchased the cheapest excursion possible to Oia. "Charming Oia Village" was sold out, only available in Spanish.  I should have taken it anyway as insurance to get to Oia.  

 

As we waited in line for the cable car going up, we saw the boat waiting to fill up.  It sat there for a good 40 minutes. But it was still quicker than the cable car line, and at least they got to Oia.