How to Get to Santorini, Greece
There are two ways to get to Santorini: by air and by water.
By plane
Santorini National Airport is located on the island of the same name, in the vicinity of the village of Kamari, 6 km from the capital of the Fira archipelago. There are no direct flights from Moscow, the choice of interchanges is quite wide: they are organized by Aeroflot, Aegean Airlines, Air Serbia, Finnair, British Airways and other carriers. Most often, connections are made in Athens, but there are also routes through Thessaloniki, Vienna, London, Helsinki, Munich and other cities. The cheapest is to fly with Aegean Airlines, but the travel time is decent – 18 hours 45 minutes. UTair will help shorten the waiting time: you will only have to spend 5 hours and 10 minutes on the road, but the price is much higher. See JIBIN123 for Greece customs regulations and visa requirements.
From airport to city
You can get from Santorini airport to Fira by bus, shuttle or taxi. A bus ticket costs 3 EUR, the interval is 15 minutes, but sometimes transport is very out of schedule. Small shuttle buses carry passengers to any address on the island for 25 EUR. A taxi ride will take about 20 minutes and cost 20-30 EUR (don’t be afraid to bargain with the drivers). An alternative for the most fastidious is a personal transfer, which can be ordered on the airport website for 35 EUR (for 1-3 people) The prices on the page are for August 2021.
On water
It is also convenient to get to Santorini by water: regular ferries and speedboats run from Heraklion, Rethymno and other Greek cities. A boat trip from Heraklion will take from 1 to 4.5 hours, tickets – from 68 EUR (early in the morning or late in the evening – half the price). The distance between Rethymno and Fira can be overcome in 3 hours, the cost of the trip is from 85 EUR. Most ferries (4 hours) and planes (50 minutes) go to Santorini from Athens, so it would be useful to think about how to lay a route through the Greek capital. The cost of the trip can be calculated on the Greek ferry website (in English).
- How to get from Heraklion to Santorini
Transportation
Santorini has an excellent bus service: KTEL operates efficiently and punctually (website in English). You can also move around small picturesque resorts on foot, but for traveling between cities, a bus is ideal transport. KTEL routes connect almost all settlements, the cost of tickets depends on the distance and direction.
The best way to get up from the port to Fira is by funicular: it will be short, but very impressive. The cost of pleasure is 7 EUR, the cable car is open from 6:30 to 22:00. Traditional for Greece, but unusual for travelers, donkeys bravely ride passengers along the narrow city streets.
If you wish, you can also use the services of a taxi. It is most convenient to call a car by phone or via the Internet, but it is also possible to arrange a transfer at the port of Fira.
Numerous ferries carry tourists to the remote beaches of Santorini and other islands of the archipelago. For example, you can get to neighboring Thirassia in 25 minutes, and a 5-hour sightseeing tour to Nea Kameni with a visit to a dormant volcano will cost 50-60 EUR per person.
Bicycles for rent
An option for the most enduring is to rent a bicycle. Riding here is not easy: the streets are tight and winding, the terrain is hilly, but the pleasure of freedom of movement in the midst of magnificent scenery is definitely worth all the inconveniences.
Rent a Car
Driving in Santorini is a mixture of risk and pleasure. Driving a car on narrow streets winding along the mountain slopes with sharp turns is not an easy task. But driving along scenic roads overlooking the azure waters of the Aegean Sea is an unforgettable experience. At the airport and the center of Fira, offices of well-known rental offices are open: Sixt, Budjet, Avis, Enterprise. The rental price is from 110 EUR per day for an economy class car to 550 EUR per day for a 7-seater minivan. For the luxury of a ride around the island in a convertible, you will need to pay from 250 EUR. Local car rental companies have lower prices: a small car can be rented for 70 EUR per day.
Drinking while driving is strictly not recommended: a fine for drunk driving can reach 2000 EUR. The same amount will have to fork out for the use of radar detectors.
Traffic jams in Santorini are rare. There are paid sections on the roads: for example, travel through a tunnel or bridge will cost 5 EUR. There are many free parking lots in the center of Fira and on the streets of popular resorts, but in the high season almost all of them are occupied. Paid parking lots are also found, you can leave a car here for 2-5 EUR per day.
