Fira Old Port

Whether you are going to take a boat cruise around the Volcano or a view of the Oia sunset from a ship you'll need to get to the Old Port of Fira.  You can get down there three ways.  The easiest and non-smelly way is to take the cable car; a one way ticket costs 4 euros per person.  You may also take a donkey ride down the 5 or 600 steps down.  These are rather large steps covered in donkey excrement, yuck, talk about smelly.  The last way is to actually walk these steps...  If you choose to walk I recommend you use shoes that you plan to throw away.  The smell afterwards doesn't ever really leave your shoes.  Interestingly I learned that people that work at the shops at the Old Port take the cable car everyday.  They get a reduced rate but must purchase a pass for an extended period of time making it not worthwhile for tourists.

 Entrance to the cable car

 The Old Port of Fira.

 My arch-nemesis of Santorini: The Donkeys.... laying booby traps for me on every step!

 Old Port from the Cable car.

 Fira

 The donkeys bringing tired tourists back to Fira.

Cable car station at the bottom.

Fira

Fira is the main city on Santorini.  Simliar to Oia, the city itself is a maze of white washed tourist trap shops.  Wander through the throngs of tourists, dodge the ATVs while crossing the street and scurry past shop keepers and their cries of "Where are you from?"  There are restaurants everywhere, a breath taking view of the volcano, travel agencies and souvenir shops at every corner.  When you're ready to see the volcano take the cable car or a donkey ride down the cliff to the old port and join one of the many tour boats available.

I regret that after reviewing my pictures I did not take any that show the chaos of Fira, or the mazes of shops.  So the following will have to do.

 A view of the volcano from Fira.

Fira Map

A map of Fira, Santorini.