Did you know that if you weigh too much, you are not allowed to ride a donkey on Santorini?
Santorini Imposed Donkey Weight Limit
For years, cruise passengers arriving in Santorini have had a choice: climb the steep steps from the old port to Fira, take the cable car, or ride a donkey or mule. When several thousand people arrive at once and the cable car backs up, the “choice” becomes fairly predictable, especially in the heat.
But the cost of that convenience has been borne by the animals. Reports of spinal injuries, saddle sores, and exhaustion have been persistent, and animal welfare groups have repeatedly raised alarms about neglect and abuse. Against that backdrop, Greece moved toward legislation that would prohibit loading donkeys, horses, and mules beyond a weight limit, a change widely interpreted as a ban on overweight tourists riding the animals.
It was implemented in 2018, but popped into my social media feed this week and I wanted to cover it since I was not aware such policy existed. More on that below.
The framework centers on a simple concept: donkeys, horses, and mules should not be burdened with any load exceeding 100kg (about 220 pounds), or one-fifth of the animal’s weight. While the law does not need to say “tourists” explicitly for everyone to understand the intended effect, the point is clear. Animals have limits, and tourism does not suspend biology.
The measure was tied to a broader effort to improve equine welfare, including an identification system for donkeys, horses, and mules. Local officials have also added practical improvements at the port, like additional shade and water troughs.
Enforcement has varied through over the last eight years.
This Was Always The Wrong “Attraction”
I understand why this became a thing. Santorini is stunning, the climb is steep, and mass cruise tourism means thousands of people are trying to get from sea level to the clifftop at the same time. But the fact that a practice is traditional or profitable does not make it acceptable, especially if it is hurting these donkeys.
My hot take: the donkey rides should not exist at all. The island can either invest in infrastructure that moves people without exploiting animals, or it can accept that some destinations simply cannot absorb endless volume without consequences. The donkeys have been absorbing those consequences for everyone else.
But this is a practical interim solution, albeit a blunt one.
This Is Not A New Law, So Why Am I Taking About It?
The underlying regulation is not new. As I mentioned, Greece updated its animal welfare rules in 2018 to limit how much weight donkeys, mules, and horses can carry.
What is new is the attention. For years, enforcement has been inconsistent, particularly in high volume tourist destinations like Santorini. Animal welfare groups have continued to document violations, and those images and reports periodically resurface, often framed as a new ban even though the law has technically been on the books for several years.
I’m happy to bring attention to this issue again ahead of what will likely be another busy tourist season.
CONCLUSION
I may not be your expected source for promoting animal welfare, but Santorini’s donkeys should not be paying the price for overtourism, poor planning, and a travel industry that treats living creatures so poorly. If the island truly wants to protect these animals, it should move beyond tinkering at the margins and rethink whether this “tradition” belongs in modern tourism at all…but this weight limit is better than nothing.
1/5 of the weight? What kind of donkeys are these that weight 500kg?
It’s an either or (any load exceeding 100kg or one-fifth of [their] weight)
Ban all cruises to begin with. They are an ecological disaster. Terrible record on dumping from ships. Terrible tourists being dumped on to towns causing mayhem and the bad kind of tourism.
If I hear another Karen from the Midwest complain cuz the locals get in the way of their gluttony and wishes at port cuz limitations of accommodating everyone at the same time…..
I agree. Donkeys should not be an option. Walk. Stave off the diabetes and work off those gluttony pounds at port.
If possible, eat less, walk more, and say hello to healthy living again! Always remember that type 2 diabetes and hypertension are like insidious killers, lying in wait!
Maybe, just, stop the donkey rides altogether. The cable car is good enough. The excrement is disgusting. Kaka!