Off to Santorini

Looking back at Oia during Oia-to-Fira hike (Santorini)

We decided to check out Santorini. Everything we'd read told us two certain things, and one possibility: (i) Santorini is spectacular (it is!), (ii) Santorini gets incredibly overcrowded and is ruined by overtourism (in our mind, Santorini is a posterchild for the negatives of overtourism), and (iii) hopefully, by the end of October/early November, Santorini is not over-touristy (unfortunately, not in our experience).

But first we had to get there.

The F/B Prevelis is an older ship (built in 1980, which seems old compared to other ferries). Photos on the Anek Lines website show a sparkling interior; as we were to find out, the interior has seen a lot of wear-n-tear, there's rust,, and the shine is ooff. (These photos are kinda like looking at a lot of budget and midrange hotel websites; what you see is often not reality.)

As we noted in our last post, we chose this route because it had a good arrival time in Santorini and because we could see several other islands along the way. Before booking, we had read one comparision that really put the Prevelis in a positive light compared to the Blue Star Ferries. After booking, and after Stathis our Rhodes hotel manager said "it will be an adventure...😉😉", we did more research. Turns out the Prevelis is usually late, getting later and later after each island stop. Our hotel in Santorini also said it is also always late. The hotel also seemed to suggest they would only wait up until 12 midnight. (Turns out Blue Star Ferries are in lovely shape, are faster, and mostly ontime; not sure though what our hotel would have said about a 2am arrrival. We now believe arriving at such a late hour and the hotel would have accommodated us. But we didn't know that 'til later.) To try to "lock in" our arrival at the hotel, we had them arrange a driver to pick us up at the Santorini ferry... for a whopping 35 euros.

To give some time to sleep during the 14-hr trip, we booked a 2-bed cabin on the Prevelis. We did use it, but didn't really need it as there was plenty of room around the boat. (It also didn't help that ferry staff smoking in their cabin nearby ouurs droves us out for air a couple of times (smoking in Greece is a REAL problem!).)

Freshly-squeezed orange juice in lounge of Prevelis

Okay, in all fairness to the Prevelis: (i) it is a hard-working boat (it has a tough schedule to follow), with little rest between journeys, (ii) Ferry staff were good to us, (iii) although the self-service restaurant opening times confused us, we had good meals (lunch and dinner) at a decent price (perhaps 10% more than in Rhodes), AND, the most important, (iv) WE ARRIVED ESSENTIALLY ON TIME (perhaps 15-minutes late)! So the Prevelis worked out for us!

Stops along our Prevelis journey:
Nimporio (Halki Island)
Daifani (Karpathos Island)
Karpathos Town
Kasos
Anafi (arrived in the dark)
Santorini (arrived in the  dark)

We're going on a cruise! Leaving Rhodes Town on the Prevelis

"Our" beach: Elli beach

Arriving Nimporio, on Halki island

Tiny Nimporioo (Halki) is beautiful (not much else on this small island just off the island of Rhodes)

Much activity when the Prevelis arrives (Halki)

 

Daifani, Karpathos Island: Didn't look so inviting to us

Karpathos Town: Much larger than we expected; it looked interesting

Kasos seemed too isolated (on October 31) to us

We also stopped -- in the dark -- at Anafi's port (the main town is high up; we could see its lights).

We arrived in Santorini's main port at about 10:10pm (only 15 minutes late). Our driver waswaiting for the 9-km drive (35 euros; C$51!). All our worrying was for naught.... Our little hotel (and room with kitchenette) was lovely (Alonia Studios). We settled in for the night.

Arriving Santorini in the dark, we could see nothing. So next morning, we got out for a walk over to the edge of the "caldera" (Santorini is an extinct dormant volcano) and took a look: the views were pretty nice.

Our first Santorini view: looking up to Imerovigli from Firastefani

Looking down from Fira to old port (where cable car and donkeys start their climb up)

After our "oohs" and "ahhs" looking over the edge, we walked down to the main town Fira (we were staying in Firastefani, about 5-10 minutes walk from Fira). Suddenly, we were in crowds of tourists and multitudes of tourist junk stores. It was November 1st and supposedly uncrowded due to off-season, but in our view it was overcrowded and tacky. Then we started looking at "taverna" menus: prices were 2-3 times the prices at Rhodes (and often higher)! Yikes! Toto, we're not in Kansas any more.... We knew right there and then that 3 nights/2 days were all we could take of this overpriced, overtouristed place. Others may love it, but we hated it. We made plans to escape to another island.

Fira's main street

Even off season, when cruise ships arrive, Santorini (Fira & Oia) feels crowded

Turns out we had two cruise ships arrive, making it feel busy. We also learned that "real" cruise ships are still not our thing. (Thinking kindly of you F/B Prevelis!)

Cruise shippers being led around in a tour group in Fira (1 of 8 groups we saw in 15 minutes)

We did our research and found two tavernas outside of Fira that were decently reviewed with prices only a little above Rhodes' prices: fo one of them we had to walk up 20 minutes. None were in Fira.

Our next day, we had an excursion and hike planned. We would take the local bus from Fira to Oia, then do the 9+ km hike along the caldera rim back to our hotel in Firastefani. We could have booked a hiking company for 70 euros each (includes transport, guide, water and "snack"), but instead we made our own lunch, brought our own water (Santorini water is undrinkable; you have to buy bottled.... FYI. water on Rhodes was usually drinkable and OK.) then paid <3 euros each for the bus.

Fira-Oia hiking map: simple, clear, straightforward trail (NO guide required!)

Thirty minutes later, we got off the bus in Oia (about 11 am). We made away over to the caldera edge, and were immediately swamped with selfie-taking tourists. (I know, we take selfies too, but usually with few others around.) As usual, in our haste to get away from the hordes, we took no photos within Oia. But we do have nice shots of Oia from outside of Oia.

To be honest, the hike was pretty good, and the views were indeed absolutely stunning. Pretty easy, although it was hot with little-to-no shade, and no watering spots until we reached Immervigli. It took us 2.5 hours, excluding a sandwich break in the shade (which was rare). It is rocky, so running shoes or boots -- no open-toe sndals -- are recommended. There NO dangerous or tricky parts. About 5 minutes out of Oia, the crowds thinned considerably (guess cruise-ship folks and fancy-hotel guuests don't like to hike). Although the trail was busier than we like, it never felt crowded (after leaving Oia).

Oia

Oia

Further along the trail, looking back at Oia (OK, enough of Oia)

Trail always good, sometimes level but often up or down (yes, that's Michelle, she's always ahead when it's hot)

Half way, one could hitch a ride oon a vaccinated and insured donkey

Said vaccinated, insured (see the sticker on license plate?) donkey

We dd have an option for a donkey ride half way, but we declined. [Actually, there is considerable controversy concerning mis-treatment of donkeys who carry cruise-ship passengers (many way too heavy for donkey) fom the cruise-ship terminal up to Fira. Don't ride the donkeys! Walk up yourself or use the cable car!]

Yes ,we do selfies (we didn't have the $800/night for the fancy place behind us)

Michelle contemplating walk (Oia far in the distance)

Near the end: Immervigli looking down to Fira

We had a good dinner on our last night (well, 1 excellent and 1 "ok" dinner) in Santorini.

After 3 nights/2 days, we happily got on a Blue Star ferry leaving Santorini to go Paros (with a brief stop in Naxos). The public bus from Fira to the ports cost us 4.60€ for the two of us (compared to 35€ for driver on our arrival).