Santorini, Greece... WhEELchaiR Accessibility and More ♿️

As we approach summertime in the Western Hemisphere the blue water always invites us for a relaxing vacation. Islands are packed with tourists on every continent. I have been fortunate enough to travel to a few of the exotic islands in the Mediterranean, Atlantic, and Pacific. All of them have their own characteristic. Some are very lively with the hustle-bustle of people watching and unique architecture where some are sprawling lush green fields surrounded by blue water. The most favorite of mine was the Greek Islands of Santorini and Mykonos.

Santorini is one of the most dramatic islands which is located on the arc of a cliff of Caldera. Santorini islands is still an active volcano. It is famous for its whitewashed villages and clifftop towns overlooking the Aegean Sea. In Santorini, there are many settlements. Some of the villages are cosmopolitan some are more peaceful. Amongst which Oia and the Fira are the most touristic ones. Soaking up the village’s distinctive traditional atmosphere and enjoying the sunset is a very rewarding experience. Our base was in Fira which is the Capital city.

Due to the geography of the island, this place is very challenging for wheelchair users, especially on the caldera side where people visit the most. Most of the hotels are not accessible. The main towns of Oia and Fira are mostly built on cliffs and have steep steps all over. It is very hard to negotiate those steps. As we have a wheelchair user in the family, we have planned our trip to this place accordingly.

Our hotel (Atlantis) was at the top of the cliff which sits right on the main street on the caldera in Fira in a location that is very convenient to the restaurants, shopping, and nightlife. As we entered our room the breathtaking view of the whitewashed Village and the Caldera was mesmerizing. There was a cruise ship anchored near the port. The view was picture perfect. As our hotel was on the cliff we could see the entire village and enjoy the sunset from our balcony.

♿️ Wheelchair Accessibility ♿️

These are some valuable inputs which one should keep in mind if there is a wheelchair user.

We took the high-speed ferry from Mykonos Island. The Ferry officials will guide you about the wheelchair seating area.
The Ferry has an elevator to go upstairs
When you reach the port of Thira there are Little shops for Car Rentals.
It’s better to rent the car from the port of Thira.
When you book a hotel make sure to check the accessibility of the hotel as most of the hotels are on the cliff and are NOT accessible.
Hotel Atlantis in Fira is an accessible hotel in Fira. The entry of the Hotel has few steps where a portable ramp is needed.
There is a parking lot in front of Atlantis but is not their private lot. If you talk to the administration inside they will make some arrangements for parking.
For a Day trip to Fira also you can ask a taxi to drop you off near Atlantis which is very Accessible and you can get a beautiful view of the downtown, Caldera, and the Sunset
If you rent a car you can drive to Akrotiri which is a little village and they have parking for Caldera view.
The old town of Oia is very challenging for wheelchair users
If you are driving from Fira before entering Oia you will find Perivolas villas which have a parking lot. Enjoy the Caldera view and the charm of whitewashed villas from the Parking
There are some restaurants near the Fira Bus Terminal that are wheelchair accessible