Santorini, Greece
Shore Excursion and Port Information

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For sheer beauty, few places on earth can match Santorini. This island is the crescent-shaped remnant of a volcano rim, the crater of which is filled by the sea. White-washed Greek villages cling to the slope on cliffs high above the sea, waiting for the perfect sunset to end each perfect day – certainly you have seen its image on travel posters.

Because there is no natural harbor, the ship anchors in the caldera below Fira town and independent passengers are tendered to shore (Skala) for a steep walk, vertiginous donkey ride, or efficient cable car ride (3 Euros) to the village above. Tour passengers are off-loaded first and are tendered to buses at a small port south of town. General tenders are available about 30 minutes after clearing port. Again, disembarking early will be amply rewarded by fewer crowds.

From the cable car (or donkey ride) station, walk south through town to the new (and worthwhile) archeology museum (3 Euros, closes mid-afternoon). The local bus station is just a block below (inland) from the museum.

As on Rhodes and Mykonos, the Santorini island buses are a wonderfully modern, comfortable, and cheap resource. For 1-2 Euros you can travel almost anywhere on the island – south to the free archeological dig at Akrothiri (whose artifacts fill the museum), east to the black sand beaches, or north to the delightful town of Oia (Ia). We chose to start with Akrotiri (1 Euro, 20 minutes), visited the museum (3 Euros) between buses, and then went to Oia (2 Euros, 30 minutes).

From Oia there is a well-built trail back south along the volcano rim, reaching Fira gain after about 3 hours of leisurely (but somewhat hilly) walking. This has to be one of the great scenic walks in all the world, and if you have the time and energy will be the high point of your cruise.
From Fira it is easy (but a bit slippery) to walk the donkey trail back down to the tender port. One can also take a donkey or cable car (3 Euros) down.

Since the ship anchors in the caldera till midnight, some passengers choose to watch the sunset from dinner in town. To be candid, I think the view of the town in the evening light looking back (eastward) from the ship is far more beautiful – especially as the town becomes a necklace of lights as darkness falls. The view is enchanting.

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