Thira to Oia? (Santorini)

[ducklite]

We are taking an excursion to hike Nea Kameni in the morning and are scheduled to be back to the ship at 11:45. Do we have time to take the bus to Oia and be back for 3:30? I know we'd only have an hour, maybe two in Oia, but I'd love to see it. Would we be better off hiring a taxi to drive us and wait for us? Anyone know how much that might cost? Any other suggestions? Thanks!

[Hlitner]

Your post says you return "back to the ship" at 11:45 but we will assume you mean that your excursion will drop you in Fira. The local bus that runs between Fira and Oia takes about 25 - 30 min each way....bit the bigger problem is that it does not run very often (sometimes only about once an hour) and it can also get very crowded (particularly on the return from Oia in mid afternoon as many rush back to get to their ships. You also must factor time to get from Fira (also known as Thira) down to the pier (where you get your tender) which is done by a cable car that can only haul a limited number of people on each run (I believe its about 35). If there are a couple of ships in the cauldron there can be a too long wait (sometimes over 30 min) to get that cable car. The queues obviously happen around the time that folks need to get down to their last tender. If your last tender leaves at 3:30 you would probably want to be in line for the cable car no later then 2:45 (earlier if it is a very busy day). So given the logistics it is likely that the local bus will not work well with your time frame. However, the main taxi parking area is located very close to the bus terminal (in Fira) so you really do not need to decide until the last minute when you can check the bus schedules and see if it works. Otherwise, you can just grab a taxi which will charge 20-25 Euros one-way to Oia. You can arrange to have the taxi come back for you at a set time or ask the taxi to wait (this means you would pay for waiting time).

 

As to how long you need to see Oia, it really depends on you, how fast your walk, shopping time, cafe time, etc. At a minimum you would want an hour but we think 2 hours is much more reasonable (even more if you want to eat lunch in one of the cafes/restaurants).

 

Hank

[nick_arch]

I am little bit confused about where your Nea Kameni excursion will end.

 

Ships anchor in the middle of the caldera, between Nea Kameni ( the volcano ) and the island. It is possible indeed that your excursion may be ending on the ship, instead of the dock at Fira, where all the rest of the boats tender.

 

It really depends. If it is a boat than gets to the ship and then gets more passengers and sails to Fira, then you 'll probably want to stay in the boat and continue on to Fira dock. I really don't know the specific of how things will be working with this tour, so you may want to throw a mail to your cruise company asking for more specific details of the Nea Kameni tour and where it ends.

 

Regarding the funicular back to the dock, if you face this queue line ( which indeed tends to be very very very long at times ), you may want to go down by using the ramp stairs, aside the funicular track. It is doable by anyone on average physical condition and with no knee problems, and of course vastly easier than going up. You 'll need some kind of trainer shoes to do it - no flip flops. It 'll take around 10' to go down. Donkeys are also used to get visitors up and down but please don't use them. Donkeys should roam freely or if used for their workforce, carry no more than 60 - 70 pounds. An average visitor can be 180 - 200 pounds or more. A bit brutal for the animal.

 

( If your tour includes swimming in the Hot Springs, remember they are not really Hot srpings, but more of warmish springs. Don't wear the most expensive swimsuit you have ( get another one ) since water there is therapeutical but contains a bit more sulphur which will stain most light colored swimsuits. Eben if the springs are not hot, i 'd definitely take the tour. It's one of my most fond memories of the last Santorini trip. Besides who wants to swim in a rreally rrreally hot spring? :-) )

 

I am absolutely with Hlitner on how to go to Oia. I'd take a taxi if i definitely wanted to go to Oia. It will be an added cost but, hey. . . it's vacation time. Just a long shot: before leaving the dock at Nea Kameni, the volcano, just the sailormen waiting to get other tourists back, if by chance, any boat from those doing tours is actually going to Oia. Long shot, but asking is the only way to find : ) You may get two hares in a hat this way.

 

If your volcano tour includes visiting the Hot Springs too and swimming there, remember: they are not really hot, but more of warm-ish. You may not want to use your best swimsuit, since water there is therapeutical but contains sulphur which will stain most of the light color swimsuits. Even if Hot Springs are only warmish, the volcano and the Hot Springs tour is one of my most fond memories from the last Santorini trip. Besides. . . who wants to swim in a rreally rrreally very Hot spring? ;-) )

[zqvol]

Very doubtful that you will have enough time. By the time you get to shore and atop the mountain (you will most certainly NOT be let off in town) you are looking at it being almost 1:00 p.m.

 

The bus to Oia and back or a cab and you might have 30 minutes there before you have to turn around and get the cable car down by 2:30 to make your 3:00 on board time.

[ducklite]

Thanks for the responses. I'm still recovering from an injury and we decided that I'm probably not up to that type of walking/hiking yet, so we canceled the excursion.

 

To answer your questions, the excursion did end in Fira where we would have had time to explore on our own before taking the cable car back to the port for a tender to the ship.

 

We're now planning on taking a cab to and from Oia and hoping maybe another couple on the cruise might want to split it with us. We're in Santorini from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm, so we figure if we get to Oia around 10:00 we'll have a few hours to explore before heading back to Fira and still leaving plenty of time to wait for the cable car if need be and take the tender.

 

Is there a good way to find out how many ships might be in port that day?

[Travel Writing Mary]

I would spend time in Oia instead of Fira. The cruise ships have ruined Fira. Last year we got off the ship and just hiked to Oia with two other couples, then rode the bus back. We loved it. It was gorgeous. You could take a bus there from the center of Fira and then take a cab back. MAKE SURE the cabs are running though. They were running as people first came up the finicular and took them to Oia, then they all went on strike. The bus was fortunately still running, but it was REALLY CROWDED. However riding it was hilarious and worth doing. Allow at least an hour and a half once you are back to the finicular line to take it down to the tenders. We waited over an hour in line to ride the finicular down. We should have just walked, but it's steep and mule poopy I guess.

[ducklite]

Fortunately I think we might be the only ship in Fira that day, so lines should be fairly non-existent.

[squaremimi]

I would spend time in Oia instead of Fira. The cruise ships have ruined Fira. Last year we got off the ship and just hiked to Oia with two other couples, then rode the bus back. We loved it. It was gorgeous. You could take a bus there from the center of Fira and then take a cab back. MAKE SURE the cabs are running though. They were running as people first came up the finicular and took them to Oia, then they all went on strike. The bus was fortunately still running, but it was REALLY CROWDED. However riding it was hilarious and worth doing. Allow at least an hour and a half once you are back to the finicular line to take it down to the tenders. We waited over an hour in line to ride the finicular down. We should have just walked, but it's steep and mule poopy I guess.

 

May I know are there plenty of taxis available in Fira to go to Oia? Or if we don't pre-arrange a taxi to pick us up at Oia to Fira when we come back, are there taxis available coz we want to stay in Oia for a longer time, thanks!

[ducklite]

We ultimately opted to take the public bus.

 

We tendered in to Fira right by the cable cars. There was one other ship in port with us, another small ship, so perhaps 400 people or so in Fira that day. No lines for anything until late afternoon as we were getting ready to leave when a larger European ship showed up and began tendering probably 1500 or so people in.

 

We tendered in and took the cable car up the mountain. At the top we walked to the bus stop. It took us 15 minutes but we were strolling, not paying attention to the map (ie didn't take the most direct route), and stopped to take some photos along the way. We could have done it in five minutes if we had wanted to.

 

We had to wait about 20 minutes for the bus. When the bus came in, the man yelled "Ee-Ya, Ee-Ya" Everyone scrambled to the bus, there's no orderly line, just muscle your way on board. You buy the tickets on the bus before it leaves. I can't remember the price, I think 1.60 euro each. You don't buy round trip, just one way. The man will make change, but I wouldn't try to pay with anything larger then a 10 euro note, maybe a 20 euro note for two tickets.

 

Then the bus leaves. It's a 20-25 minute scenic ride. You are let off at the main bus stop. The taxis wait there as well, but there weren't a ton of them, maybe one or two. There is also an ATM and a shaded waiting area. The market across the street has water, soda, snacks, and all sorts of odds and ends. We bought candy and packing tape there.

 

The buses seem to run on time. The route on the way back is different than the one to get to Oia, you'll see another part of the island which is interesting. The procedure to return is the same.

 

It was very hot in Oia, and there isn't much shade. Be aware of this and bring water and wear a hat. You can pretty much see it all in about two hours, more if you want to spend time shopping.

 

We returned to Fira and had a light lunch, used the cafe's Wi-Fi, and then took the cable car back down and caught the second to last tender. We cut it close because we knew there would be no line for the cable car, Fira was fairly deserted. If there were big ships in port I would have planned differently.

[squaremimi]

We ultimately opted to take the public bus.

 

We tendered in to Fira right by the cable cars. There was one other ship in port with us, another small ship, so perhaps 400 people or so in Fira that day. No lines for anything until late afternoon as we were getting ready to leave when a larger European ship showed up and began tendering probably 1500 or so people in.

 

We tendered in and took the cable car up the mountain. At the top we walked to the bus stop. It took us 15 minutes but we were strolling, not paying attention to the map (ie didn't take the most direct route), and stopped to take some photos along the way. We could have done it in five minutes if we had wanted to.

 

We had to wait about 20 minutes for the bus. When the bus came in, the man yelled "Ee-Ya, Ee-Ya" Everyone scrambled to the bus, there's no orderly line, just muscle your way on board. You buy the tickets on the bus before it leaves. I can't remember the price, I think 1.60 euro each. You don't buy round trip, just one way. The man will make change, but I wouldn't try to pay with anything larger then a 10 euro note, maybe a 20 euro note for two tickets.

 

Then the bus leaves. It's a 20-25 minute scenic ride. You are let off at the main bus stop. The taxis wait there as well, but there weren't a ton of them, maybe one or two. There is also an ATM and a shaded waiting area. The market across the street has water, soda, snacks, and all sorts of odds and ends. We bought candy and packing tape there.

 

The buses seem to run on time. The route on the way back is different than the one to get to Oia, you'll see another part of the island which is interesting. The procedure to return is the same.

 

It was very hot in Oia, and there isn't much shade. Be aware of this and bring water and wear a hat. You can pretty much see it all in about two hours, more if you want to spend time shopping.

 

We returned to Fira and had a light lunch, used the cafe's Wi-Fi, and then took the cable car back down and caught the second to last tender. We cut it close because we knew there would be no line for the cable car, Fira was fairly deserted. If there were big ships in port I would have planned differently.

 

Thank you very much for your information, ducklite!

[ducklite]

You are quite welcome!

[sharks48]

I'm interested in two different possibilities and would appreciate any helpful feedback anyone can offer.

 

We'd like to either take a [fast] boat to and from Fira dock to Oia or

 

...take a fast boat TO Oia and then the bus back to Fira.

 

We'd like to have time to wander Oia and a bit of time in Fira. Perhaps do part of the trail from Fira to either the first or second town [or the other way around if the bus stops there]. Does the bus back stop in either Firostefani or Imerovigli?

 

Thanks!!

[ducklite]

There are bus stops in the towns to Oia, but the bus takes a route along the north/eastern side of the island on the way back. I don't know if the bus goes to where the port is if your ship comes into port at Athinios instead of tendering into Fira.