Fira Cable Car Santorini 2027: Old Port, Tickets & Cruise Tender Tips
Fira cable car (Thira) connects the capital with the old port 220 m below — built in 1979 by shipowner Evangelos Nomikos. The only mass alternative to the 588 step donkey path.
Tickets & timing
6 € one way (no return ticket discount). 3 min ride, 6 cabins of 6 people. Operates 6:30-22:00 in summer, 7:30-18:00 in winter. Capacity: 1,200/hour — long cruise-tender queues 10:00-14:00 (up to 2 hours).
Avoiding the queue
Use the cable car early morning (before 9:00) or late afternoon (after 17:00). At peak cruise hours, walking down the 588 steps is often faster (15 min descent — beware donkey droppings, slippery).
Don't ride the donkeys
The donkey path is open but animal welfare groups urge against it — overloaded animals, no shade, hot stones. Walk down or use the cable car.
What's at the old port
Cruise tender dock, a few seafood tavernas (Remezzo, Captain's), boat trips to the volcano and Thirassia (25-40 €).
Stay in a villa in Firostefani or Imerovigli 10 min from Fira and add a private caldera cruise.
How Charterandvillas helps you
Our concierge has been bundling villas and yachts in the Mediterranean since 2019. We work in your language with a single point of contact for the entire stay. We provide a fixed price that already includes the skipper, final cleaning, and the first two hours of fuel, with no surprises upon arrival.
What to consider before you book
- Actual sleeping capacity, not the number of sofa beds.
- Distance and transfer time to the marina and the nearest beach club.
- Concierge extras: chef, masseur, DJ in villa, security.
- Cancellation period and what triggers a refund.
Please provide us with your dates and group size, and we will send you a proposal with two or three suitable villas and yachts on the same day.
Plan your trip with Charterandvillas
We bundle the villa and the yacht into one closed price, in your language, with a single contact. Build your villa + yacht package or talk to our concierge on WhatsApp.
How Charterandvillas helps
Our concierge desk has been bundling villas and yachts in the Mediterranean since 2019, and we work in your language with a single point of contact for the entire stay. We quote a closed price that already includes the skipper, end-of-stay cleaning and the first two hours of fuel, so there are no surprises on arrival.
What to ask before you book
- Real sleeping capacity, not sofa-bed count.
- Distance and transfer time to the marina and to the nearest beach club.
- Concierge add-ons: chef, masseuse, in-villa DJ, security.
- Cancellation window and what triggers the refund.
Tell us your dates and group size and we will send a same-day proposal with two or three matching villas and yachts.