Visiting Santorini, Greece on a Cruise Ship? Here's Everything You Need to Know

Visiting Santorini, Greece on a Cruise Ship? Here’s Everything You Need to Know

Author: Janice Vazquez | Last updated: November 1, 2023

View from the donkey trail shows the cruise sitting on the Aegean Sea — *Viking Cruise Ship on Aegean Sea*

When visiting Santorini via a cruise ship, it’s important to plan your activities carefully to avoid missing your departure time. To ensure a seamless trip, this travel guide provides useful tips and recommendations for exploring all that Santorini has to offer.

Santorini, Greece is located in the Aegean Sea, about 120 miles southeast of the Greek mainland. It is part of the Cyclades island Group, which includes over 200 islands. Santorini is a small island with a population of around 15,000 people. Despite its small size, visitors travel to Santorini for its stunning views, unique geology, and picturesque whitewashed buildings.

Important Things to Know when visiting Santorini via Cruise Ship

Santorini has two ports: Athinios Ferry Port and Old Port of Fira. Due to the size of the cruise ships, they cannot dock directly at Santorini’s ports. Therefore passengers must utilize Santorini’s official tender* boats to reach the ports.
Arrival: During our December trip on the Viking Greek Odyssey Cruise, we had to take a tender boat. It took us roughly 20 minutes on the tender boat to get to the Athinos Ferry Port. After arriving at the port, we proceeded on foot to the bus where we were introduced to our tour guide.
Departure: To return to the cruise ship, we had to rendezvous at the Old Port of Fira and locate the red tent with the “Viking” sign. After queueing for approximately 15 minutes, a tender boat arrived to transport us back to the cruise ship.
Port Locations:
- Athinios Ferry Port https://goo.gl/maps/o8eZMBc5nWHEFCgcA
- Old Port of Fira https://goo.gl/maps/zJzs15gVnjUavBvf9

*Note: A tender boat is a smaller craft that runs back and forth from a larger yacht or ship.

How to Get to the Old Port of Fira

There are two options to reach the Old Port of Fira.

Option 1: Cable Car

The cable car takes only three minutes to go down the mountain. The cable costs 6 euros per ride.

Option 2: Donkey Trail

The Donkey trail takes 20 minutes to go down the mountain. The trail is free and consists of 600 steps down the trail. If you take this trail, be careful as the stones are misplaced and reek of donkey poop.

the view of donkey trail from below — *View of donkey trail from below*

the view of donkey trail from above — *View of donkey trail from above*

Click here to dive into our thrilling escapade down the serpentine donkey trail and our exhilarating cable car descent to the port!

Best Nearby Attractions for Cruise Ship Passengers

1. Oia Village

White houses in Oia VIllage — *White houses in Oia Village*

*Resurrection of the Lord Holy Orthodox Church*

Oia village is the most picturesque and romantic destination in Greece. It’s known for its stunning views of the Aegean Sea and the island’s caldera. You can easily spend several hours walking around the narrow cobbled streets, shopping for souvenirs, and taking pictures with the iconic blue-domed churches. However, it’s worth noting that in the summer time people can spend hours queuing to get the perfect picture. Finally, you can watch the spectacular sunsets from a rooftop bar or a secluded corner of the village.

Visit:

Time Needed: 2 hours
Location: https://goo.gl/maps/J1kmHU34txDoauPq5

2. Explore Fira

The clock tower and dome of Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist — *Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist*

Interior of Stoa Bar Santorini Fira depicts blue chairs, christmas decorations, and a bar with bar stools and liquor — *Stoa Bar Santorini Fira*

Fira is the capital of Santorini and is home to several notable landmarks such as the Archaeological Museum of Santorini and the Orthodox Metropolitan Cathedral. By walking around Fira, you can shop for souvenirs, eat at cafes or restaurants, and explore churches. Additionally, when the sun sets, you can drink and dance until the sun rises at the numerous cocktail bars, party bars, and clubs. However, its worth nothing that many of these night clubs are closed during the wintertime.

Visit:

Time Needed: 1 hour
Location: https://goo.gl/maps/J1kmHU34txDoauPq5

3. Drink Santorini Wines

Glasses of red and white wine accompanied with doritos chips at Stoa Bar Santorini Fira — *Glasses of Red and White Wine with Doritos*

Glass of Vinsanto, which is a dark burgundy color. — *Glass of Vinsanto*

Sanrotini is known for producing some of the most unique and flavorful wines in the world. The island’s volcanic soil, sunshine, and sea breeze create ideal growing conditions for several grape varieties such as Assyritko, Athiri, and Aidani. If you rent a car, then you can drive around and visit all the wineries on the island. However, it’s worth noting that during the winter, there are fewer public wine tours available because many owners are on vacation. The public wine tours typically run from April to early November.