Should you rent a car on the island of Santorini? Do you set that up before you leave the states? What type of paperwork do you need? How safe is it driving on Santorini?
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Camarillo, California
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Should you rent a car on the island of Santorini? Yes if you want to be able to explore the island on your own schedule in the most convenient and economical way.
Do you set that up before you leave the states? If you are planning to go in August when demand for goods and services is at its highest, yes, especially if you need to reserve a car with an automatic transmission.
What type of paperwork do you need? You need to bring an International Driving Permit from your local AAA office, no test required.
How safe is it driving on Santorini? People not used to the rental mopeds and ATVs make the roads hazardous, and some of the roads are very narrow and curvy, especially the main road between Imerovigli and Oia. There's also a very high dropoff along that road with lots of places where there is no guardrail. Be extra careful. There's also a secondary road on the other side of the island between Imerovigli and Oia that's a lot safer and almost straight and basically flat the whole way.
Road Map: http://www.santorini-web.com/map.pdf
Rental agencies: http://www.santonet.gr/rentals
There are also a lot of small independent rental agents there. Be sure to take out the full coverage local insurance.