Frances

We have several hours in Santorini on Tuesday 7th May en route from Heraklion to Naxos.
We visited Santorini 4 years ago and so do not have any need to see or go anywhere in particular. I anticipate that we may head for the little cove the far end of Oia and sit and eat and drink .
I know that I can get there (to Oia ) by bus or taxi.
Now we are starting to think about whether to take suitcases or rucksacks I have found myself wondering whether the system of old still works- you could just leave your luggage in the port office /bus station where it would be perfectly safe until you returned. I anticipate not.- but it would be lovely to hear that there was still sufficient trust in people for this to be done.
Otherwise does anyone know whether there is a "left luggage facility " in the port? ( Sorry this sounds like SUCH a minor issue).
With thanks

Heimdall

Not sure which ferries you are taking, but FlyingCat 4 arrives at Santorini around noon, and Blue Star leaves for Naxos at 1530. You will have about 3½ hours layover, and need to be back at the port a half hour before ferry departure. Don't know if it would be worth going to Oia in that time, but you could certainly have a walk round Fira. Another possibility would be a taxi to Akrotiri for a look around the archaeological site, but you would need to insure you have a way back to the port in time for your ferry.

If you buy your ferry ticket to Naxos when you get to the port at Santorini, you could ask the travel agency if they would put your luggage behind the counter and hold it for you. I wouldn't just leave it somewhere like a port office or bus station unless someone took responsibility for it.

Tommmo

We are taking this route too end May. Do you think we could spend the 3 1/2 hours in the wharf area amusing ourselves or is it better to get a bus into Fira?

clausar

I can't imagine anything more boring than spending 3.5 hours at the Athinios port.....
Going to Fira sounds like a good idea to me

Frances

No the port is only a place where boats stop with a few car hire rentals,and the local bus comes down to meet the boat. But Fira is close by bus and easily reachable in this sort of timescale.
Having finally visited Santorini 4 years ago it is high up amongst one of the most beautiful places I have visited in the world although it took me 53 years get there!
Thank you for your help

Tommmo

Didn't I see a couple of tavernas down by the ferry terminals last time?

clausar

Tommmo, it is not a nice place to spend 3,5 hours.....
There are a few cafes there ( can't remember if there are restaurants as well, because i would never eat there.....)

I would go to Fira without second thoughts...

Retsina

With just 3 hours there is not an awful lot of point in going to Fira or Oia, as you would very shortly be making your way back. There is quite a clag up of traffic down to the port so best not cut it too fine.
There are several places to eat, and cafes there at the port, don't see the big problem.

The bus to Fira is crammed to the roof, there's a lot to be said for just relaxing at the port.

If it's a rough crossing you may not want to move much.

amer_can

Traffic can be horrendous coming down and/or going up the hill..Don't risk it..Grab a coffee, a wine, and chill out.

Tommmo

Ok, decided to hang at the port and read a book, having seen Fira last year..

parosblue

There's not much to do at the port, but I would not wander far. Santorini is the only island where we have ever missed our ferry. I would never take any chances there - it might be difficult to get transport back.

wug

Since the port really isn't a place I'd want to spend 3.5 hours, another option would be to take a taxi to Santo Winery. It's very close to the port and they have a nice tour/tasting you could do. They start with a video about the history of wine on Santorini and then a short tour of the facility followed by tastings. They have a HUGE patio that has multiple levels and gorgeous views over the caldera. They also have a nice shop to buy local products, etc. They have a small food menu where you could get a nice snack while having a glass of wine. I would say you could easily kill and enjoy 2.5-3 hours there.

Here is a link
http://www.santowines.gr/index.php?lang=en

Frances

After I initially posted, our booked crossing on Sea Jet was cancelled (the day we were due to depart). We were rebooked on the 9.45 from Heraklion which got us in to Santorini at 11.50. Until then we had decided that as we would have had about 5.5 hours to spare that we were going to hire a car and go to Akrotiri and also hopefully see the Ancient Thira Museum in Thira. It was going to solve the problem of what to do withour bags which was the principal reason I posted this question in the first place.
What we then decided to do as we now had 3 hours 40 only was to catch the bus to Thira to try and see the museum, leaving our bags somewhere in the port. We already had our reservation on the Blue Star Delos so the suggestion made by Heimdall wasn't an option.I intended to go in to the departure terminal to see if there were any lockers but when we arrived the terminal was heaving and I wouldn't have got in through the door. We also remembered that the bus to Thira had been full before and there hadn't been a second one so we got on it cases and all.
We saw the museum and they allowed us to leave our cases at the ticket counter. Then we headed to a cafe and eventually caught the 2.30 bus back to the port. Whilst waiting for the Blue Star I saw that one of the places at the port had a big sign on the roof offering luggage storage!
So that's what we did.
Thank you all from Naxos where it has rained today.

clausar

Most ports of Greece are going to be sold by next year, i hope that the new owners will improve the ( non existing) facilities of most ports.

As for the weather... it should be cloudy on Naxos tomorrow with a high of 22 C, and it will rain on Friday.......

Heimdall

Hi Frances,

Thanks for coming back to post your experiences. Unfortunately Sea Jets Consortium is continuing its habit of publishing timetables months in advance, then changing them at the last minute. They also cancelled the Easter sailings of their other small catamaran, SeaJet 2, which as far as I can tell is still laid up in a Piraeus shipyard.

If your itinerary includes travel with a Sea Jets catamaran it is wise to have a "Plan B". Fortunately for you, Frances, another ferry was available. Now all we have to do is wish for sunny weather on Naxos! ;-)

Frances

Ah yes, Sea Jet. It was in port in Heraklion on Monday night as we walked passed there on the way to our hotel. Then when we got to the port yesterday morning it had gone!
Guess what was in Santorini when we arrived?.... and when we left?
I hadn't mentioned that we had planned to go to Milos after two nights here in Naxos but the schedules weren't published until about two weeks ago. Then the boat from Milos was scheduled to arrivei n Piraeus at about 10.30. This was too late-both because we wanted an evening in Athens and also because this was the last boat before our flight home. I work in a port town and I am familiar with the limitations of fast ferries (which this was), meaning that there are times when the sea conditions stop them from going. Therefore we could miss our flight home.
Not that it is a hardship to spend longer here so we are using our days walking. Today we caught the bus to Halki and, using the "Walking on Naxos" book took a circular walk from there. It wax excellent for about half its length but then we came across three obstructions on the path which caused us to get lost. Doesn't matter we found our way back to Halki where we retired to the taverna whilst waiting for the bus

parosblue

clausar,
can you elaborate for us what you mean by the ports will be sold by next year? To private enterprise?

clausar

The key word is Privatization...

The first ones that will be offered are :
Zakynthos, Katakolon, Tourlos/Mykonos, Chios, Pylos/Messinia, New Epidaurus, Glyfada, Poros, Skiathos, Skyros, Agios Nikolaos/Crete, Itea/Phocis, Kalamaria (Aretsou), Kos, Alimos, Hydra, Rethymno, Rhodes (Mandraki and Akantia) ,Santorini, Suda and Argostoli.

At the same time airports will be privatized as well, in blocks
Group A : Thessaloniki, Corfu, Chania, Kefalonia. Zakinthos, Aktion/Preveza, Kavala, Alexandroupolis, Araxos, Kalamata, Nea Aghialos/Volos

Group B : Kos, Samos, Mytilini, Mykonos, Santorini, Skiathos, Limnos, Chios, Karpathos

brotherleelove2004

Let's pool our finances and buy Santorini's ports and ban all cruise ships!

clausar

brotherlee

In 2013 415 cruise ships are scheduled to visit Santorini.
I've read an article about it, and Santorini had the biggest number of cruise ships than any other Greek port ( apart from Piraeus).

The Greek law was changed and many cruise lines have chosen Greek ports as their home ports, something that was impossible in the past due to many restrictions from the Greek authorities. This will bring more cruise ships to Greece.