Santorini has sublime views and creative ways to get to them, says Megan Singleton.
We had one day on the Greek island of Santorini on our Royal Caribbean cruise, so this is how to work it.
1. Take the cable car
There are two ways to get up from sea level to the hilltop town of Fira, a cable car for $8 or a donkey ride for the same price. You could also walk up the donkey path for free, but you'll need good shoes and an ability to step around excrement. A tip for coming back: leave enough time for the cable car or you will be walking that track with a day's worth of do-do and jelly legs. I know this from experience.
2. Hire a quad bike
Your ship will offer various excursions where you'll be taken by bus to see the sights but we took our time, and waited until the bus loads had gone. We were in no rush to get off the ship, preferring the hordes get their sightseeing done first. We rented a quad bike and hooned around at our own pace. A tip would be to pre-order if you want a buggy.
3. Visit Oia
Pronounced "ear" (without the 'r', for any American readers), this is the hero village of Santorini, where the photos of blue-domed churches are taken from. It's a tourist hot spot, so be prepared for a slow walk along narrow alleyways edged in majestic views on one side and little boutiques on the other. We parked our quaddie, browsed the shops, took photos, had lunch overlooking the sea and zoomed off again.
