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A Greek cruise - island hopping in style!
Many people around the world dream of going to a Greek island for their vacation. For some, however, it may be difficult to decide where to go (not a problem we're familiar with...!). Or perhaps visiting just one island isn't enough.
If this is how you feel then maybe what you're looking for is a big fat Greek cruise ship that will let you discover a new amazing island each day.
In fact, very many tourists seem to prefer this style of travelling. Mediterannean and Greek cruises are really BIG business.
Santorini cruise ships - a majestic sight
That Santorini is a very popular Greek cruise destination is evident to anyone who visits Santorini. Each day in high-season there are at least a couple of majestic Greek cruise ships anchored in the volcano.
These 'cities on water' are a grand sight to behold as you gaze out over the caldera.
The real Santorini cruise day is Thursday of every week in mid- and high-season. Expect up to 6 or 7 ships to arrive in the morning, some carrying a thousand or more curious tourists!
Santorini day on your Greek cruise starts with 600 steps
Santorini does not have a port nearly big enough to handle a giant cruiser.
The boats anchor off-shore and shuttle boats carry the passengers the short distance to the old port of Fira.
Here, everybody will be faced with no less than 600 steps up the steep volcano cliffside.
Fortunately, using your own two feet is not the only option for how to reach Fira. You may prefer to use somebody else's feet. Well, four of them actually...
Riding the winding road up the cliffside on the back of a Santorini donkey while taking in the amazing volcano view is a great start to your Santorini experience.
Santorini in one day
The great thing about a Greek cruise is that you get to visit so many of the beautiful islands. Of course the downside is that you get very little time to spend with each one.
Now, when it comes to Santorini, it is definitely possible to experience some of its magic even if you only have one day. In fact, you are likely to experience that from the ship as soon as you enter the volcano, long before you take that donkey ride from the old port of Fira.
However, it is good to have some idea of the places you would like to visit when you only have a single day at your disposal.
The small size of the island works in your favor and it is actually possible to take in quite a bit of sightseeing in a few hours. As an example, driving from one end of the island to the other should not take more than one hour.
The choice many visitors on a Santorini cruise are faced with is whether to get a rental car or rely on public transportation.
Our answer is that it all depends. On a crowded day in high season with many cruise ships it is typical to see congested roads, especially between the most popular sightseeing spots. And once you get to your destination it may be a nightmare to find parking.
So, if you want to see the most popular tourist spots on one of these busy days, we highly recommend public transportation. The buses may be crowded too, but you never have to wait long for one and you don't have to concern yourself with parking.
On the other hand, if you're looking to explore the island beyond the tourist hotspots, traffic will be much lighter and we can definitely recommend you to get a Santorini rental car for the day.
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