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Traveler information, visit santorini on a cruise ship here’s everything you need to know.

Are you planning to visit Santorini on a cruise ship?

It’s going to be fun!

Just make sure you know everything about traveling and getting around on a cruise ship in Santorini for a pleasant experience. Traveling on a huge cruise ship can be great but it also means that you probably have a limited time for exploring the island – and if you don’t have any idea of what to do and what to avoid, you can get confused.

Here’s the ultimate travel guide to make sure your trip to Santorini on a cruise ship is the best and smoothest trip ever!

Important Things to Know

• Santorini has two ports ; Athinios Port and the Old Port of Fira. Both the ports are too small for the cruise ships to be docked directly. Hence, you’ll have to rely on a ship’s tender to reach the ports.
• Generally, the cruise ship itineraries in Santorini drop some passengers off at Athinios and the others at the Old Port of Fira. Passengers who arrive at Athinios Port are supposed to book a bus tour via the cruise ship company. These tours are usually packed with many people and hence, we don’t recommend them.
• If you don’t book a bus tour via the cruise ship company, you’ll be dropped off at the Old Port of Fira.
• All cruise ships depart from the Old Port. Even the passengers who have booked the bus tour via their cruise ship company have to reach the Old Port to take the ship tender to get on the cruise ship.

How to Get to Fira from Old Port or Vice Versa

The easiest and most common way to reach the Old Port is by a cable car . It takes only three minutes. On the other hand, if you’re feeling adventurous and decide to walk to the port, it’ll be 587 steps. Local donkey ride is another easy way to get there.

Important note: Please note that Gialos, the Old Port is nestled at the foot of a rocky cliff below Fira. If you decide to go by a cable car or on a donkey, you’ll have to pay 6€ per side of the ride.

Where is the Meeting Point if You Book a Private Tour?

For private bus tours, the meeting point is at the top of the cable car. Once you reach the Old Port of Fira, you’ll have to take a cable car to go to the top. Depending on your tour organizer, you may find a guide waiting for you on the top with a sign that has your name or the company name on it.

For private cruise tours, the meeting point could be either at the top of the cable car or Old Port. If it’s the latter, the cruise will start there. Otherwise, you’ll have to meet the tour guide at the top of the cable car who’ll pick you up and drop you at the start port of the private cruise.

Typically, a private cruise in Santorini starts from Ammoudi Port or Vlychada Port while the drop off may be the Old Port of Fira. It’s best to book a cruise and request the organizer to arrange either the meeting point or the drop off location at the Old Port. This will allow you to witness the breathtaking views of Santorini from Caldera while helping you save some precious time by eliminating the need for arranging transportation.

An ideal itinerary is: Old Port > cable car > port of the private cruise by a shuttle > private cruise experience > drop off at Old Port on yacht OR Pickup from Old port on a yacht > private cruise experience > Fira via shuttle service > Old Port via cable car > cruise ship on a ship tender Get in touch with us to find out about the availability of a private cruise that has its meeting point or drop-off at the Old Port.

Will You Have Time to Enjoy a Boat Tour if You Visit Santorini on a Cruise Ship?

A simple answer to this question is that it depends on the time you’re going to spend in Santorini.

If you decide to book a volcano tour that is supposed to depart from the Old Port, the arrival time of your cruise ship must be at least an hour before the departure time of the tour. Moreover, the departure time of the cruise ship must be an hour after the end time of the tour. For example, if the tour starts at 11:00 AM and finishes at 14:00, your cruise ship must arrive at 10:00 AM and depart from Santorini at 15:00.

On the other hand, if you book a catamaran cruise or a private yacht cruise, the departure port will be Ammoudi or Vlychada Port. In this case, your cruise ship must arrive at least a couple of hours before the cruise tour starts because usually, the pickup is on the nearest road just a few meters away from the cable car. You’ll need approximately one hour to reach there and another hour to reach the port through the shuttle service. The time to depart, however, should be 2.5 hours after the tour ends. This is because you’ll need an hour to reach the cable car from the port and chances are that you’ll find a long queue of passengers waiting for the cable car. You might have to wait for half an hour or so before you get a seat. Please note that the last ship’s tender departs an hour before the cruise ship’s departure time.

Recommended : It’s always best to book a private cruise in Santorini for a smooth, hassle-free experience. You can contact us and tell us about your specific requirements. We’ll be more than happy to adjust the start and end time of the private cruise tour and even change the departure port for you! Get in touch with us today to ensure a pleasant private cruise tour in Santorini.

Best Things to Do for Cruise Ship Passengers

Book a Private Bus Tour

It is best for cruise ship passengers to book a private bus tour for seeing the top sights in Santorini. Not only will it help you save money but also your time.

Have the Time of Your Life on a Private Cruise

If you are a sea lover, booking a private cruise is a must! The beauty that lies in the crystalline waters of the island cannot be described in words!

We can arrange accommodation to pick up and drop you off at Old Port of Fira where the cruise ship departs.

Admire the View of the Caldera

Before taking the cable car to Old Port, don’t forget to stop by to explore Caldera and admire the breathtaking views it offers.

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Royal Caribbean side excursion - Trekking Hellas

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Royal Caribbean side excursion

A kayaking excursion at Santorini, Greece, was available from our Royal Caribbean cruise. While my wife and daughter visited Oia at the north part of the Island, I went on a kayaking tour at the south end. Pros: Friendly and informative tour guides Eleni, Sofia, and Thakis. Being on the water in a kayak. Seeing the interesting juxtaposition of black and white volcanic rock. Sofia took excellent digital pictures that were given to everyone after the tour (so we did not need to risk our own cameras). Our guides prepared an excellent picnic lunch of Greek food. Sofia kept us safe by keeping us out of harms way with respect to other boats and large waves. We were given a free pass for a cable-car ride from the high ground to shore near where our ship was anchored. The high ground gave an excellent vantage point for photographs. The cable-car ride was enjoyable. Cons: There is little sea life or land life along the shore we visited. The trip description said "snorkeling" at a beach but only masks were provided, not snorkels. The post-kayaking end of tour was not described in the excursion brochure so I expected to go directly back to the ship after kayaking but we were dropped off in Fira on the high ground above where our ship was anchored. There was a long wait for the cable-car. Overall, I enjoyed the tour very much and am happy with my choice of tour.

Amazing tour! Great guides and lunch was fantastic! Would recommend to anyone who wants a unique trip!

I loved this excursion as it gave us a chance to do something interactive and paddle the waters of the Mediterranean. Our tour guides were relaxed and even took pictures of us while we were in the water. The lunch was home-made Greek tapas, absolutely delicious! It was a refreshing excursion.

We booked this tour as one of our on shore excursions while on a Royal Carribiean cruise. Satorini was a beautiful, dry island. The guides were very nice although a little hard to understand sometimes. Things to pack for this adventure would be suncreen, snacks, water, hat. When you arrive by water taxi to the pier, you are directed to a mini bus and taken another 35 minutes to the put in place. Once there you are given a dry bag, small towel and some water. We waited another 45 minutes before being given a kayak. We then kayaked along the coast to a sea cave which was only kinda cool. Only one person can go in at a time. This took quite a while which meant the others are just sitting around waiting on the water. Then we backtracked the same direction to see a "white beach" unfortunately we could only "see" the beach from the kayak and continued on to another sea cave. Again only one boat in a time. From there we went at a VERY small beach to have "lunch" and snorkle. The place we docked for lunch was very rocky and the surf came in rather hard so snorkling was a bit dangerous for fear of being dashed into the large rocks. I was a bit sea sick from all the waiting on the water. The lunch they served was tomatos and hard bread, cantelope, feta cheese and grapes. It was very good, but it felt like a snack and not lunch. From there we traveled further down the coast to see a "red" beach again from the water. It would have been nice to actually go to the beaches and not just view them from the water. I felt like we wasted alot of time waiting and not enough time exploring. It is good to note that Satorini is a very large rock and so the beaches are all small pebbles either black, red or white. There is no sand and we didn't see any marine life while kayaking. By the time we arrived back into the city we only had about an hour and a half to explore the surroundings. It was disappointing. If had to do over again, I would skip the kayaking and explore the island.

We did not have time to snorkel as the tour was advertised, but the sea kayaking was very good. The staff was friendly and knowledgeable. The equipment was appropriate for novice kayakers, and worked well.

A fun a different type of tour to enjoy the island. The staff are professional, friendly and helpful. The tour was exactly as described and a good value. We chose a tour with lunch and it was wonderful with more than enough food. They took lots of pictures and then emailed them to us which was fantastic!

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Santorini tours & greek island shore excursions.

Famed for its radiant blue waters and unique black sand beaches, Santorini, located in Greece, is truly a special place. Santorini hosts one of the most picturesque landscapes in the world exuding with Greek charm. Santorini is even one of the speculated locations of the mythical lost city of Atlantis. Tour the iconic white and blue buildings of Santorini, and visit small artistic villages, such as Oia and Fira, experiencing village life firsthand in this quaint town. To continue the intimate excursion experiences, delight in the delectable cuisine and local wine produced in Santorini. Explore a volcano, and allow all your stress drift away as you settle into one of Santorini's hot springs for a truly relaxing cruise excursion experience. Santorini is a place that will enlighten your soul with its immense beauty and colossal charm.

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THESE AREN’T YOUR USUAL EUROPEAN SIGHTSEEING TOURS

Venture off the beaten path with the new Europe tour collections. These immersive adventures take you beyond typical sightseeing, as you venture off the path to experience the best of the Mediterranean. Kayak along the coast of Dubrovnik. Explore the Carrara marble caves. Make and savor Spanish tapas like a true Malagan.

See Europe with new eyes.

Race sea kayaks in Dubrovnik, explore underground caves, or hike Santorini’s volcanic trails with the Europe Active Adventures Series

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“Wonderful excursion and great guide! The bus ride through the Amalfi Coast was beautiful. Pompeii was fascinating. Would highly recommend!”

“Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and made the tour very interesting. I enjoyed seeing the unearthed ruins from Ephesus and tried to picture how it would have been in Biblical times. Well worth it.”

“It was an unbelievable experience to actually be in the middle of all these historic places. I saw so many pictures of history throughout my life. I always thought that these things only existed in the distant past. Here in Rome, however the reality of all this is seeable and touchable. What an enormously wonderful experience to visit them all.”

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Kids Tour Free: Offer applies to select tours conducted between 5/1/16 and 8/31/16. With the purchase of one adult ticket for a qualifying tour, receive one complimentary child ticket for the same tour. Offer applies to tours purchased up to two days prior to cruise departure: the complimentary ticket will be issued in the form of an onboard credit (“OBC”) in the amount of the child ticket price. Child must be 12 years of age or under. Ticketed adult and child must be booked in the same stateroom. Selection of qualifying tours vary by sailing and port. Offer and tours are subject to availability. OBC will be applied to the guest's folio, is not redeemable for cash, is non-transferrable, and will expire at 10:00PM on the final night of the sailing. No tour substitutions. © 2016 Royal Caribbean. Ships’ registry: Bahamas.

10% Packages: Offer applies to select 2016 European sailings. Shore excursions are available on a first come, first served basis and subject to space availability. Packages must be booked a minimum of two (2) days prior to sailing to be eligible for the offer and must be canceled at least 24 hours prior to tour departure to avoid penalties. All prices are subject to change without notice. Tours may not be substituted or changed. Offer is limited by tour availability and may sell out prior to end date of the offer. Offers exclude all other price programs and discounted rates. Royal Caribbean reserves the right to correct any errors, inaccuracies or omissions and to change or update fares, fees and surcharges at any time without prior notice. Age restrictions may apply.

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Santorini Excursions

By Jap724 , November 20, 2019 in Greece Ports

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I will be in Santorini in July 2020, On a Royal Caribbean Cruise. Is it better to book a cruise excursion, or venture out. Can someone please help with the planning of this.  

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Perhaps ask this in the roll call threads for your particular sailing date?  You can also get info in the port of call threads.  Let people know what activities you like so they can provide appropriate responses.

When we cruised the Greek Isles we used ship excursions only, but that was just for our piece of mind.  Santorini is a wonderful isle to experience however you decide to do it!

6 minutes ago, Jap724 said: Hi,   I will be in Santorini in July 2020, On a Royal Caribbean Cruise. Is it better to book a cruise excursion, or venture out. Can someone please help with the planning of this.  

if you do a bit of reading on the sub forum for 'Greece Ports' you will find a lot of relevant information.

here:  https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/463-greece-ports/

Remember that Santorini is a tender port, so a ship's tour will have priority for tenders.

Private tours are good and many are mentioned in the thread mentioned above.

If you take a private tour then it will be necessary to ascend to the upper level where the tours meet.  This needs to be done by cable car, donkey ride or walking the poop covered walkway up from sea level to the town.

1 hour ago, evandbob said: Santorini is a wonderful isle to experience however you decide to do it!

Whereas we found it so overcrowded that we would never go back.  Other islands, yes; Santorni, no.

1 hour ago, VMax1700 said: Remember that Santorini is a tender port, so a ship's tour will have priority for tenders. Private tours are good and many are mentioned in the thread mentioned above. If you take a private tour then it will be necessary to ascend to the upper level where the tours meet.  This needs to be done by cable car, donkey ride or walking the poop covered walkway up from sea level to the town.

On Santorini I think priority for tenders is rather different for most cruise lines - incl RCI with whom we sailed there. 

Tenders are either a mix of ship's and local operators' or all local operators', and they go to two different points on Santorini - ship's tours are tendered down the coast to the little ferry harbour at Athinios where they transfer to tour buses, independents are tendered to a little pier at the foot of the cliffs under Fira as per VMax's post.

Because of the two tender arrangements we independents didn't have to wait until ship's tour groups had gone, we disembarked at the same time.

From that tender pier under Fira you can go up the cliff by cablecar. or by donkey up the zig-zag path (only the super-fit would walk up). The "donkeys" are actually mules, so capable of carrying the weight of most folk, but I'll not get embroiled in any argument about cruelty.

Or to avoid going up the cliff from that tender pier you can take a ferry to the little harbour at Oia, a few miles up the coast, where a local bus up to the village is included in the fare..

So ships' excursion passengers score over independents on the transfers to Santorini.

But the big problem is the return to the ship.

Most cruise line tours end at Fira & passengers have to make their own way down to the tender pier at the foot of the cliff, same as everyone else (no priorities).

Add to that there's no ferry from Oia back to that pier.

If you're tolerably fit you can skip the cablecar line & walk down the zig-zag path. 

If you learn that there'll be half-a-dozen ships in on the same day, don't panic.

Check their arrival times and especially their departure times -  cruise lines & captains are aware of the problem and do their best to avoid clashes = some are in just for the morning, some til around 5 - 6 pm, some til 9pm.

Bear in mind that "last tender time" is the time that you have to be at the tender pier, not the time you have to be back on the ship. If the line at the tender pier is still there at last-tender-time the tenders will continue to operate until they've mopped-up the line.

Last summer Celebrity were experimenting with bringing back their ships' tours via the harbour at Athinios, same as the outbound.

That makes a whole lot of sense !!!!!

It might be worth checking if RCI plan to follow suit. 

The real "crowding" problem on Santorini is from tender pier to Fira, and especially from Fira back down to the tender pier.

Yes, it also gets crowded in Fira itself, Oia etc too, but I've seen a lot worse elsewhere in the world.

I cannot tell you which might be better, but will share our experience.   When we went this past spring it was on an RCI excursion which left in the morning.  Like JB explained, it was tender in, catch a bus to Oia where we were given a sufficient amount of time to see the place, visit various establishments, and take the mandatory pic's.   Then back to the same bus for a drop off in Fira.  From there we were on our own to get back down to the tender place below Fira.  

There were no crowds at Oia.  The place was literally wide open.   There were a pretty good number of people in Fira but not like super crowded.  We walked right on to the cable car down.  I think we were one of two cruise ships that day.  I suspect that the morning tour as well as it being early spring had something to do with the lack of crowds.  After hearing all of the horror stories we were very pleased with the experience.   

So, I guess my only advice might be to go as early in the morning as you can to stay ahead of the crowds and fingers crossed.

1 hour ago, clo said: Whereas we found it so overcrowded that we would never go back.  Other islands, yes; Santorni, no.

We were there with 220 passengers, only ship in port until an hour before we were leaving when a couple of mega-loaders heaved into the caldera.  No crowds at all until they showed up.

To the OP--We took the aerial up and walked a few blocks to the bus depot. A couple Euro each for a r/t ticket got us to Oia and back on the public bus.  It runs in a circle around the island, so we got to see quite a bit in each direction.

You can also walk the footpath to Oia if that is of interest.

3 minutes ago, ducklite said:   We were there with 220 passengers, only ship in port until an hour before we were leaving when a couple of mega-loaders heaved into the caldera.  No crowds at all until they showed up.   To the OP--We took the aerial up and walked a few blocks to the bus depot. A couple Euro each for a r/t ticket got us to Oia and back on the public bus.  It runs in a circle around the island, so we got to see quite a bit in each direction.   You can also walk the footpath to Oia if that is of interest.

We came on the ferry and IIRC there was one cruise ship in port.  This was in the spring.

11 minutes ago, clo said: We came on the ferry and IIRC there was one cruise ship in port.  This was in the spring.

I could see if the cruise ship in port was huge.  We were on a small ship. We were there in late May / early June.

navybankerteacher

First time was on Marco Polo in 1996 — only ship in, but the 800 passengers pretty much overwhelmed. I went back by ferry a few years later and spent two nights - and found it best to just hunker down during cruise passenger hours. 

 Because of tendering, you probably should take ships tour - priority tendering will give you a lot more time on Island.  I see that on July 16 there will be two Royal Caribbean ships and an MSC - possibly others - that 7,000+ load will mob things.

6 hours ago, Jap724 said: Hi,   I will be in Santorini in July 2020, On a Royal Caribbean Cruise. Is it better to book a cruise excursion, or venture out. Can someone please help with the planning of this.  

There is a forum on Greek Ports   You will find lots of tips about Santorini. The four times we ehave been there we have never taken an organized tour. It's easy to get a cab to Oia (a must see) and to the beach. There are also vinyards, and some historical sites. Don't forget to wander Thira, the views of the caldera are beautiful

Nebr.cruiser

We did a private tour--or I should say I did, as my husband had to cancel due to not feeling well that day, that another passenger arranged--about 16 or so on a small bus.  We visited the archaeological site, a winery and had plenty of free time in Oia and stopped for sunset views before heading back to Fira.

It was a great day; we were off the ship quite early because we got early tender tickets and the wait for the funicular was not too bad.  We were in port late.

We always try to do independent tours if possible, but I can see that a ship tour would perhaps make things easier here, although we had no trouble getting to our tour.

Thank you for your post on the Ask a Cruise Question  forum! 👍  

However since your inquiry concerns one particular port, I have moved your thread to the Greece Ports forum where it will be on-topic. 

Happy sails,

On 11/20/2019 at 10:32 AM, John Bull said:     But the big problem is the return to the ship. Most cruise line tours end at Fira & passengers have to make their own way down to the tender pier at the foot of the cliff, same as everyone else (no priorities). Add to that there's no ferry from Oia back to that pier. Add to that other ships visiting from the same tender pier and the line to go down on the cablecar can be ridiculous - sometimes literally hours.   

This is what I am afraid of, and we have small kids in the party. Wish there were return ferries from Oia. 

How are the taxis? Is it possible to go from Oia to the port by land? Will taxis take a family of 5 into a car?

On 11/20/2019 at 11:10 AM, ldubs said: So, I guess my only advice might be to go as early in the morning as you can to stay ahead of the crowds and fingers crossed.    

There will be 5 ships (including 3 big ones) docking at 7am on the day we arrive. 😞

On 11/22/2019 at 10:40 AM, jennyumaa said:   This is what I am afraid of, and we have small kids in the party. Wish there were return ferries from Oia.  How are the taxis? Is it possible to go from Oia to the port by land? Will taxis take a family of 5 into a car? Thanks!

You cannot get to the tender pier (where you get the tender back to the ship) via any kind of vehicle.  You can certainly try to get a taxi from Oia back to Fira (they usually charge 20-25 Euros) but there are not always taxis waiting around for fares.  Some (not all) taxis can hold 5 but you cannot count on finding one in Oia.  There is also a public bus that will take you back to Fira.   If you decide to take a boat from Fira (by the tender pier) to Oia, the boat fare will usually include return bus to Fira.  Those buses are separate from the public buses and run on a specific schedule (they will tell you the return times when you buy the ticket).  We recently did just that (last month) and  the bus dropped us at a rather distant location (as you near Fira) which left a multi block walk back into the heart of Fira (and to the Cable Car Station).  Speaking of the boats to Oia, once you get off the bus you do need to walk about a 100 yards (uphill) to where you can get a shuttle bus that takes you up the steep hill to Oia.  While it is possible to walk up that hill to Oia we do recommend taking the bus (included in the boat fare).   Once you see the steepness of that hill you will likely agree :).

Once back in Fira  you would need to either use the cable car, the donkeys, or your feet to get down to the tender pier.  Keep in mind that there can be some very long queues for the cable car (to get down) when it gets near the time when folks must be back on the ship.

I should add that there is a lot more to Santorini then just Fira and Oia.  There are wineries, beaches, ruins, etc.  We have previously enjoyed renting a car on the island and it is also possible to get to many places on the local buses...although the schedules are often too darn infrequent for most folks.

3 hours ago, Hlitner said: You cannot get to the tender pier (where you get the tender back to the ship) via any kind of vehicle.  You can certainly try to get a taxi from Oia back to Fira (they usually charge 20-25 Euros) but there are not always taxis waiting around for fares.  Some (not all) taxis can hold 5 but you cannot count on finding one in Oia.  There is also a public bus that will take you back to Fira.   If you decide to take a boat from Fira (by the tender pier) to Oia, the boat fare will usually include return bus to Fira.  Those buses are separate from the public buses and run on a specific schedule (they will tell you the return times when you buy the ticket).  We recently did just that (last month) and  the bus dropped us at a rather distant location (as you near Fira) which left a multi block walk back into the heart of Fira (and to the Cable Car Station).  Speaking of the boats to Oia, once you get off the bus you do need to walk about a 100 yards (uphill) to where you can get a shuttle bus that takes you up the steep hill to Oia.  While it is possible to walk up that hill to Oia we do recommend taking the bus (included in the boat fare).   Once you see the steepness of that hill you will likely agree :).   Once back in Fira  you would need to either use the cable car, the donkeys, or your feet to get down to the tender pier.  Keep in mind that there can be some very long queues for the cable car (to get down) when it gets near the time when folks must be back on the ship.   I should add that there is a lot more to Santorini then just Fira and Oia.  There are wineries, beaches, ruins, etc.  We have previously enjoyed renting a car on the island and it is also possible to get to many places on the local buses...although the schedules are often too darn infrequent for most folks.   Hank    

Thank you so much for your detailed answer! It seems that in order to see Oia, we have to go through the whole ritual? Now I am wondering if we should split the family, and leave the little one somewhere...

• 2 weeks later...

We booked a 4-6 hour private tour with Vicky of Santorini Skyline travel and she customized the tour to what we wanted to see. We told. her we didn't want to stop at the winery.

You will have to take the tender from the ship  to  the dock below Fira and then the cable car to the top of Fira. We arranged to meet Vicky at 9am. So we were on the first or second tender from the ship (for the DIY passengers)

Vicky's tour company met us outside the cable car terminal with a sign and walked us over to where the car was parked.

She took us first to Oia to avoid the crowds, then to Akrotiri ruins and then around the island to Red Beach and Black Beach where we had lunch. Then she dropped us off in Fira, where we had time to walk the pedestrian path with shops  in Fira to the cable car terminal.

There isn't any way to avoid the cable car back down to the tender dock, unless you want to walk. It took about an hour in line to get back down.

The cost was  worth the private tour. Since Vicky knew the shortcuts, she saved us time. We didn't have to figure out how to use the bus to get from Oia to Fira, the Fira to Akirotiri and back to Fira.

If you have a large group or family  the price becomes cost-effective. 

The company advertises on Trip Advisor but we just emailed her at [email protected] and inquired.

We recently used the private tour company "Greek Traveling" they were wonderful for our day port stop in Santorini.

On 12/6/2019 at 4:15 PM, dkata said: There isn't any way to avoid the cable car back down to the tender dock, unless you want to walk. It took about an hour in line to get back down.

One hour line in the off-season? That's a lot! How long would it take to walk?

3 hours ago, jennyumaa said:   One hour line in the off-season? That's a lot! How long would it take to walk?

25-35 minutes or longer depending on how fast you walk and how hot it is and how much donkey dung you need to avoid.

When we were there, another couple from our ship, decided to walk down at the same time we got in line, and maybe they beat us to the bottom by 10-15 minutes, but we were both on the same tender back to the ship.

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