Santorini is an amazing island in the South Aegean Sea. The original shape of the island was a volcanic cone. The Santorini volcano erupted in the 16 BC. century, the center of the island sank together with the volcano and the shape of the island changed to a semicircle. The view of the island, from the side of the volcano, appears rocky and steep, while smooth on the other side. The incredible views with the amazing sunsets and the distinctive architecture have made Santorini one of the most popular destinations in the world.
Many visitors to Crete choose day or three-day tours to Santorini from Heraklion. Travel agencies organize day trips with the pick up of travelers from their hotels, the cruise to the island, the tour of Fira, the capital of the island and picturesque Oia and the return to Heraklion. Also, on certain dates, many offices organize three- or five-day excursions, which, however, are planned quite some time in advance.
Many tourists choose the ferry routes from Heraklion to Santorini. Sea Jets and Fast Ferries leave Heraklion in the morning at 7.30 or 8.00 hours. The distance from the port of Heraklion is 64 nautical miles or 103 km. The journey takes 1 hour and 40 minutes. The tourists can rent a car or take the bus to Fira or to other places. On the way back, tourists depart from Athinio, the port of Santorini, to return to Crete at 04:00 or 04:15 in the afternoon. The cost of the route, come and go, is around €160 in the summer. This one-day trip, however, is very tiring and, unfortunately, very short, to see enough things from the island.
From Heraklion Airport, there are several daily flights to Santorini. The cost varies depending on the season and availability. Santorini airport is located just 6 kilometers from Fira, it is small but serves many airlines from all over the world. There are many types of transport that one can choose for transport to the different parts of the island, taxis, private transport, rental cars or local buses.
There are also daily flights from Chania to Santorini.
In Heraklion, there are companies that rent sailboats or speedboats with a captain. Renting a boat is the ideal way to explore the beaches of Santorini, the Caldera, the islands of Nea Kameni and Palaia Kameni. There are two well organized marinas in Santorini, in Monolithos and in Vlychada. However, renting a boat costs a lot and requires knowledge regarding the choice of the most suitable boat for each case.
It would be advisable, for visitors who come to Crete and want to visit Santorini, to organize their time so that they can enjoy the island for at least three days.
(More articles about Crete on www.gomega.gr)
