Santorini Advice Needed

Sort of opposite problem from Florence. We get to Santorini at 7AM and leave at 11:15PM. It looks like there's only 1 beach and even the shore excursions offered by the cruiseline are like 3-4 hours long.

Help me fill up my time there please

Re: Santorini Advice Needed

Jeez I'd love to but never been......maybe honeymoon #9!!

I hear it is absolutely beautiful. How about relaxing on the beach and then a long leisurly lunch at a local cafe?? I find I am always running around on trips and sometimes forget to just relax and enjoy the scenery....

Re: Santorini Advice Needed

We were on Santorini for 1 day as well.

We were with a tour group.

We sailed over, then we took a bus up to the top, then once we got there they let us roam around up to a certain hour.

We walked all the way threw the entire town and took tons of pictures and we ad a very short time to eat our lunch before we had to head back down the mountain to the boat down below and meet the group.

Re: Santorini Advice Needed

There are more beaches on the island but I'm not sure you'd have enough time to rent a car and get to them...

Fira was nice - lots of restaurants and shops (nothing spectacular though, imo)...

I would just relax at the beach...and be sure to hit some eateries.

Re: Santorini Advice Needed

Yeah, not much to do in Santorini, other than enjoy the fantastic views and shop. We stayed in Imerovigli, which was close to Fira. You can walk along the path on the side of the cliff, and the path goes down to this big hill that juts out into the water. There are steps that go up to the top of the hill (you can see them in the middle of the picture below).
Oh, there are also a couple of wineries that you can tour. DH and I went but missed the tour. We sampled some of the wines though - didn't really care for them.


Here's that big hill:


Here's the black beach in Santorini (there's also a red beach):


Fira (this picture was taken from that path that I mentioned):

Message edited 5/20/2005 12:11:05 PM.

Re: Santorini Advice Needed

Thanks everyone!!!

This may be one of the few places we actually use the cruise's shore excursions. They have a few that include excavation sites, wine tasting and one of the towns so maybe we'll do that (3.5 hours) and then head to the beach for a few hours and then just get back on the ship.

ETA: OMG Ann, you just made me sooooooo excited!! It's gorgeous!

Message edited 5/20/2005 12:14:26 PM.

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Gorgeous pics Annie!!

I would skip the Akrotiri tour - whatever they've excavated stands in a museum in Athens...but that's jmo.

This is the red beach:




Santos Winery


We took a sailboat ride around the island...


On the volcano...

Re: Santorini Advice Needed

I'm soooooo excited. You guys are awesome!!

There's a volcanic hot springs hike and swim, I'm thinking maybe we'll do that instead, it sounds pretty cool:

Travel by boat directly from the ship to Erinia Cove, on the volcanic island of Nea Kameni. Step out onto the Daphni lava flow, the oldest lava on the island. The path to the top of the dome is over volcanic sand and lava fragments. Observe large fragments of lava that were ejected in a molten state and cooled very rapidly as they traveled through the air. Upon reaching the summit of the crater at 127 meters, you will have time to relax and enjoy the view of the island of Santorini and the amazing cliff of the caldera.

Following the same route in reverse, return to your boat and sail to the thermal springs of Palea Kameni. The boat will anchor in the deep green sulfur springs and you’ll have a chance to swim in the mineral rich, warm waters (max 35°C) of the Hot Springs. On the return boat trip, you will be dropped off at the small boat harbor of Fira

Message edited 5/20/2005 1:47:40 PM.

Re: Santorini Advice Needed

Oh my I wanted to do the Med. Cruise this year but it was booked until October, too late for us. Looks like I will definitely try to go next year!! After seeing those pictures I am so envious!!

Wanna trade my Alaskan cruise for your Med cruise?????

Re: Santorini Advice Needed

Swimming in the hot springs was crazy. We had to swim to them from the boat - the water was cold........but the closer you got to the springs, the warmer it got - it was wild. The water itself is an orange-y color and everyone rubbed mud all over their bodies - it was hysterical.

The worst part was swimming back to the boat