Santorini Car Rental

[libtech75]

Hi everyone - I'm wondering, for anyone who has gone the car rental route in Santorini, what kind of car did you rent?

 

Do you think it is better to go with one vehicle over another, i.e. 4x4, convertible, small car, etc.?

 

When I read previous posts, some mentioned they rented a 4x4 but didn't make clear why - whether there was some off terrain that could be more easily navigated by a 4x4.

 

Our cruise is set for mid november so I hear it will be in low 70s during that time, so convertible might not be the best bet.

 

Any suggestions would be welcome and appreciated.

 

I just want to know what types of car would work better (if any), NOT whether I should rent a car in the first place and take a bus instead.

[Hlitner]

We have rented cars on several visits, and usually just go for the cheapest available (we are only 2). There is no reason to pay extra for a 4wd (you will be driving on real roads), but a convertable might be fun if the weather is good. I do recall finding a remote beach where we drove down a very steep rocky dirt road...but even this was no problem with a small car. Keep in mind that many of the rentals have stick shifts....and you will pay a real premium for automatics. If you have good weather, consider taking your swim suits in case you decide to take a dip and explore some of the beaches.

 

Hank

[CKD]

We (3) rented a very small Fiat ( no need for a 4 x 4) for the day when we went in July. It was one of my favourite days of a 12 day cruise. The freedom to stop when you wanted and explore as long as you wanted with the crowds was great. Make sure you go to Oia and just park and walk around. We drove pretty much end to end on the island in 40 minutes or so. You could never get lost on the island and if you did that would be half the fun. I think the rental was about 25 euros for the day and then had to refill the tank which was only 8 euros. Take the road that goes along the top of the caldera and you will find a Mexican restaraunt. Its a bright yellow building that you can't miss, it will give you incredible views of the port area. I would highly recommend the rental day. We rented from a place at the top of the tram and then turn left. Our experience with them was good but there are lots of rental places in the same area. Try here for some more info http://www.santorini.info/webcam/

for sure take a bathing suit and towel. you will definetely want to swim.

[libtech75]

Thanks guys. Again, I am going in mid November, will it still be convertible and swimming weather then?

[Susan-M]

Thanks guys. Again, I am going in mid November, will it still be convertible and swimming weather then?

We rented a small car/non convertible, A/C. No need for a 4x4 as I don't think there is any off-roading, and the roads are in good shape.

 

I recommend renting a car over bus travel as you can cover the whole island in a day and it's all very interesting! Plus, it's very economical to rent there and an easy place to drive.

 

This is a good site for current and past weather conditions - scroll down to the middle of the page (history & almanac) and choose the day you will be there - you can get weather details for that date for the previous 10 years.

http://www.wunderground.com/global/stations/WLGSR.html

[nco4242]

who\where did you set up rental from? Thanks

[Susan-M]

who\where did you set up rental from? Thanks

 

We rented from Tony's http://www.santorini.gr-santorini.com/rentals/

 

We set up the rental arrangements via internet (email.)

 

If you need an automatic, you might need to check elsewhere .... last year his availability of standards was minimal. We can drive either, so dealing with him worked well for us.

[CKD]

We didn't decide for sure that we were going to rent until morning of. There are lots of places to rent right at the place where the tender lands or above after you have taken the tram to the top. There were some places that were agents for the big car companies. As I said we just picked a spot that looked good and everything went well. A convertible would be nice (we have done that before at previous spots) but didn't see a lot of them on the island. You could decide that day. We were there in July and the port was quite busy but we didn't have a problem getting anything. Ours was a standard and it took awhile to get used to the small pedals (mens size 13 feet) but overall it was a blast...have fun!!!