Donkeys and mules in Santorini are part of the native charm of the island and can be loads of fun. During the summer the main business of the day is carting the tourists up and down the endless steep steps which connect Fira town down to the small port of Ormos, and Oia to Ammoudi harbour. They are extremely adept at negotiating the steps, but they do have a tendency to go very fast and take the bends like racing motorcycles.
One true story tells of a well built Greek lady having to use the donkeys as local transport since the cable car had done its last run. She was also carrying bags and suitcases. As the line of four legged friends were haring up the mountain side, she called out to the donkey driver " slower my man, I am going to fall off " to which the donkey driver replied " even better, one woman less in this world to plague us ".
Santorini donkeys also have a nasty habit of defecating on the pavements.

Words of Advice
Avoid arguing with a donkey or the donkey driver & watch where you step.
A point to be noted
Without the assistance of these hard working creatures, most of the Caldera as you know it today would not exist. All the work of transporting contruction materials to create the homes and hotels up and down this unbelievably difficult terrain was done by our furry friends. During the winter months this practice still continues.