Do I need a rental car in Santorini?

I agree with waiting until you get there. That's what we did - found a jeep at a car rental place right after disembarking from the Fast Ferry. We drove around and did get "off the beaten path." We drove down to a local's beach, tiny, no tourists, rocky, stunning clear water, and a bar with cold beer and wine! Can't remember where the beach was, but I believe very close to Oia, where we stayed. Santorini rates as one of the most memorable places I have visited in my life. I'm sure you will love it - enjoy!

Parking can be a problem in Fira during high season. Other than that it's usually not an issue. Renting a car will allow you to be spontaneous and make the best use of your time. Why not just wait until you're there to see if you really want one? If you do think you might rent a car be sure to go to your local AAA office to pick up an International Driving Permit, no test or membership required.

Thanks very much, folks! The hotel owner emailed me and wanted to know in advance if we needed a rental car. I figured since we're taking a cab from the airport to Oia anyway, maybe I could save some cash. Instead, I think I'll spring for the cab and see how it goes. Thanks again!

The taxi will cost around €30 but if you want to save some money you can book one of the mini-van shuttle services: http://www.santorinitransfer.com/santorini-taxi-rates.html or: http://www.a2btransfers.com/it/results.asp?AID=28&s=v7j&destination=

During a visit of five nights we rented a car and were happy that we did. Our hotel provided shuttle service so we rented a car once we arrived. I think that the money spent on a taxi from the airport might pay for a full days rental. It really depends upon how much exploration you plan to do. My recollection is that the cars are pretty small and inexpensive.

Roman, I was on Santorini a few months ago, and rented a Car for one day to explore the island and get photos. It provides a lot more flexibility than using public transport. I wasn't sure I'd need or want a car, so waited until I arrived before making a decision. I was staying in Fira and the rental agent came right to the Hotel to complete the paperwork. There was a public car park nearby, so parking wasn't a problem, and I simply left the car there at the end of the day. ¶ Many visitors to Santorini rent Quads, but I felt that a car would be more suitable for carrying expensive camera gear, and also much quicker. The Quads are a bit of a nuisance, as they travel so painfully slow on the roads. ¶ When are you planning to travel to Santorini? I'm not sure when the ancient site of Akrotiri will be re-opening, but having a car would be a definite advantage to getting there from Oia. Having a car will also allow you to get to some of the beaches (ie: Red beach, Perivolos, etc.). ¶ As someone else suggested, it would be a good idea to get an International Driver's Permit for driving in Greece (I believe it's compulsory). This must be used in conjunction with your home D.L. (the IDP basically provides a translation of the terms of your home D.L.). ¶ I wouldn't suggest using a Taxi from the airport to Oia, as it's quite a distance and the traffic moves SLOWLY (especially when there are Quads on the road). I made all my travel plans with a Greek Travel Agency, and they arranged for a Shuttle from the Dock (which was thankfully air conditioned). You might check Matt Barrett's * www.greecetravel.com * for further information not only on Santorini, but also transportation options. Happy travels!

rent a scooter. PM me. i opened a can of worms with this suggestion a few weeks ago.

Not to wallow in a can of worms, but a scooter is actually a good alternative if you have some experience on one, you will need to keep an eye out for all the other crazies on the road though. Rental car is fine, but again, traffic on the main roads can be a little hectic. Worse though are the people that firmly believe anyone can drive the four wheelers...and generally can not without being a hazard to everyone else on the road. I like the idea of waiting until you are there, and renting for maybe a day or two to explore, relying on buses or taxis for the balance.

We stayed in Oia early Sept. this year for about 3 days but we just relied on buses when we saw how the roads between Thira (Fira) and Oia is so winding, with many blind curves and some sections did not have barriers. Since the roads are carved from the mountain sides, there are steep areas when you look down below especially a night drive with no street lights in those areas. Bottomline we were too chicken to drive so we just left it to the pros to do that and leave the stress part to the bus drivers. The buses are all in one terminal in Thira (Fira)to go to must see areas in the island.

There is a very safe, flat and basically straight secondary road between Oia and Fira, so if the main road feels too dangerous you can still drive yourself without fear of driving off a cliff. In Oia this road terminates at the intersection by the supermarket closest to the bus square.

Thanks everybody! I'm interested in saving money, but also didn't want to offend the owner of the hotel where we're staying. She emailed me and asked if I needed a taxi from the airport or a rent-a-car. She quoted me 25 euros for two people in a shared taxi or minibus from the airport to Oia, and that's apparently the going price, so I'm going with that. As for getting around once we're there, my partner doesn't ride bikes, so scooters are out. Right now I'm going with the suggestion to wait until we get there and maybe rent a car for a day. Anyway, thanks again. Your expertise is much appreciated.