Karavolades Stairs — Attraction in Municipality of Thira

After disembarking from the cruise, we found ourselves wishing we had stayed on board.

The traumatic ordeal of navigating the steps was far worse than anticipated. Unprepared for the cruel treatment of the donkeys, my family and I were appalled by what we witnessed. Most tourists seemed indifferent to the plight of these gentle creatures, tasked with shuttling visitors up and down the perilous steps. It was heartbreaking to see donkeys with open sores, or one struggling to breathe under the weight of a heavy, uncaring tourist. It dawned on us that these animals suffer every day until they can no longer continue. Twice, we felt in immediate danger as we squeezed past donkeys' haunches or dodged overcrowded groups competing for sparse shady spots mid-descent. The scene was utter chaos. Even my seven-year-old, familiar with ponies, was occasionally scared. Online stories of a tourist being trampled to death didn't surprise us. We also saw a woman fall when her donkey's saddle came loose. The stairs, slick with compacted donkey droppings, became treacherous, leading to two elderly people taking a tumble, which only heightened our anxiety. Taking the cable car upon arrival was hardly better, involving a grueling hour-and-a-half wait in intense heat, with little shelter from the sun.

The entire visit left us deeply unsettled, with numerous online petitions now pushing for reform. Modern solutions could easily replace this outdated practice. Personally, I hope cruise lines will boycott this cruel destination. Although this might be wishful thinking, I feel compelled to share my experience in hopes that others will choose not to support such cruelty. My memory of Santorini is tarnished, not by its stunning vistas or charming buildings, but by the memory of animals consigned to a life of suffering for the sake of...

Yesterday we were having dinner in the evening in Fira and I couldn’t believe when I saw these poor horses standing there without any water, on direct sun. Today we went on a boat trip in the morning and animals were there again since the early morning. We couldn’t believe our eyes - fat, overweight tourists, instead of walking or using cable car, were sitting on these poor animals. Of course as was mentioned in other reviews, the stairs were slippery, stinky and a lot of tourists didn’t have any idea how to ride a horse, so there was a constant threat that the animal would kick you or hurt you in any other way.

We also visited SAWA - a shelter for animals and when we asked how is it possible that they have so many donkeys and horses there, their answer finally made sense. These stupid owners get rid of these poor animals by the time they have not enough power to make taxis for careless tourists. I heard that in the worse case, the owners put these horses on a boat and throw them into the see instead of providing them a dignified last years of their lives.

Cherry on the top - on official website of cable car is written: This is achieved without ignoring the traditional mule drivers who have offered so much, giving a unique beautiful sight to the island. The foundation approaches them with sympathy and compensation, paying them a percentage of the ticket price in order to help this tradition to survive.

Is this a joke or some kind of...

Going back to the old port is quite a challenge. If you are willing to wait 2-3 hours you can take the cable car. Wasting away half of the time you get here if you arrive by cruise. So: Don't!

Take the stairs. And I'm not talking about taking the donkeys. Again here: Don't! The animals are scared, so are the people that walk down/up the stairs. Many tourists riding the animals are scared as well - just some seem to have fun. Don't support this.

But walking for us was a very good option. It was october and there weren't many donkeys around. The stairs were also pretty clean of the donkeys "belongings". The stairs are still - even on a bright sunny day - slippery. Some solid sneakers do the trick. Sandals or shoes with flat soles will get you in trouble though. We've seen a good number of tourists slip (and fall) repeatedly. Walking takes only about 20-30min if you are in average physical shape. If you are physically challenged then of course walking isn't an option. It's quite a rewarding walk thanks to nice views of the cliff, the sea and the cruise ships. Take it slow, don't rush and make way for the donkeys and you'll be fine. Cable Car beats Donkeys - but walking beats the Cable Car. It's...