We arrive in Santorini on 08/13/2015 at 07:30, we have about 6 hours to visit the city. The departure is at 2:30 p.m.
City: Santorini (Greece)
Date: 08/13/2015
Arrival: 07:30 a.m.
Departure: 2:30 p.m.
At each stopover of the cruise, COSTA proposes excursions to visit the city or to do an activity. Prices vary from 50€ to 120€ per person. You can always do the tours yourself(sometimes the same tour offered by the company) much cheaper. But, it is necessary to prepare the necessary information before. The internet connection is very expensive on the boat and you will never find information about public transport because the cruise company “pushes” you to pay for its excursions. We did not take any Costa excursion and That is with no regrets.
Like Mykonos, the port of Fira in Santorini is too small for cruise ships. Our boat remains in the open sea and we disembarked via rowboats. The company distributes small cards with numbers. The number corresponds to the boat to which you are assigned.
Santorini is an archipelago that was formed after a volcanic eruption, which explains its shape. The main village of Santorini is Fira, but the most touristic village is Oia. Fira and Oia are located on the main island of the archipelago.
The rowboats drop us at the port of Fira
From the port of Fira, to go up to the village, you have 2 options:
Option 1: Take the cable car : This is the easiest option, but you can have a large waiting line in front of you
We took option 2 : Donkey ride. It is an attraction in itself! We strongly recommend it.
For €5 per person, you can rent a donkey to climb stairs, but you have to strap yourself in well. It’s funny ! After about twenty minutes, the donkey stops and lets you finish the last steps on foot.
NoWe arrive at the very top of Fira and head towards the bus station. This is where the buses leaving for Oia are located.
It takes half an hour to reach Oia by bus, but you will have the opportunity to see the volcanic landscape of the island:
Many people describe Oia as the most beautiful village in the world and that is understandable. Oia (pronounced IYYA) is breathtaking:
With a breathtaking view. The best view of the village is located next to the Castle of Saint Nicolas (36°27’36.5″N 25°22’22.1″E)
To return to Fira, we take the bus. To go down to the port, you can always take the cable car, rent a donkey, or do like us, go down the steps on foot. If you go down on foot, be careful because that it is the same path taken by the donkeys, and that it is a little slippery.
We return to our boat by rowboat
My Trip Memories 