Greece Travel
The Greek Islands
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This page is a general overview of a few of the Greek Islands, how to get there and how to book hotels and transportation. For more information on all the islands see my Greek Island Guide which gives a short description of each island and has links to more detailed information, plus hotels, travel agencies, stories and lots of photos. It also tells you which islands have daily connections from Pireaus and to each other. You can read hotel reviews at Hotels of Greece | |||||
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Islands | |||||
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Part 1. Introduction to the Greek Islands |
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Booking Hotels on the
Islands More questions about Greece? You can e-mail me at matt@greecetravel.com |
Ferryboats to the Greek Islands
Read my primer on
"How to go to a Greek Island"
which gives step by step
instructions. For more detailed info on the Ferryboats click here Important: Not every island is easily accessible from another. You must keep in mind when planning your Island itinerary that moving from one island chain to another can be difficult and in many cases you will have to return to Athens to do it. Generally travel within an island chain is easy but there are times when even a connection from Mykonos to Santorini has to be done through a third island. People have written that they have heard the ferries are unreliable. This is not entirely true. But they can be delayed or cancelled due to mechanical failure and bad weather. For this reason you should save Athens for the end of your trip to give yourself a buffer period so if there are any problems with the ferries at least you won't miss your flight home, though there are worse things than being stuck in Greece for a few extra days. (Unless you have to wait at the airport) |
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Domestic and International
Flights Do you know you can book a flight from your home airport all the way to your Greek island destination, with or without an overnight stay in Athens? Well, not all islands have airports but the main ones do, including Mykonos, Santorini, Naxos, Paros, Crete, Rhodes, Lesvos, Corfu, Skiathos, Chios, Samos, Kos..... and a few more. See www.greeceflights.com and ask David about booking a flight all the way to your island destination. If you are staying that first night in Athens it may be easier to take the ferry from Pireaus the next morning, than to go back to the airport to fly to the island, especially if you are going to Mykonos, Paros or Naxos. |
Island-Hopping and Combinations
For people
traveling to the Cyclades (Mykonos, Santorini,
Paros, Naxos) and the more popular islands like
Crete and Rhodes, choosing an island package is
often the best way to go. On Fantasy Travel's
website you can pick your hotels and choose which
islands you want to visit. You can go to from one
to five islands and they will take care of the
details of getting you from one island to the
next. These are not tours and you are not with a
group. You can also customize your trip to suit
your individual needs. Another great idea is the Create Your Own Itinerary page where you click to choose the islands and they number of days you want to spend on each, category of hotels, days in Athens, land tours or whatever and submit it to the travel agency. They come back with a price within 24 hours. Actually not only is this a great idea, it was my idea! See www.greecetravel.com/create-an-itinerary and save it in your favorite places. I have also put together a page of island combination suggestions at www.greektravel.com/suggestions which will make planning your trip a lot easier. Far from the Maddening Crowd: In response to the travelers who worry that recent demonstrations in Athens may disturb their sleep pattern, at my request Fantasy Travel has put together a 10-Day Athens-Mykonos-Santorini package which includes a tour of Athens and all transfers and ferry tickets. The package starts at 790 euros per person. What makes it unique is for the Athens part of the trip you will be staying by the beach in Faliron, just 20 minutes from downtown by taxi or 30 minutes by bus or coastal tram. Or you can stay in the leafy suburb of Kifissia or in one of the beautiful resorts on the Athenian Riviera. For more information see www.fantasytravelofgreece.com/farfromcrowds.html Economical Island Packages I recommend Fantasy Travel's program The Pursuit of Pleasure which is 12 Days and 11 nights in Athens, Mykonos and Santorini including hotels, ferries, transfers, tours, admission to archaeological sites and breakfast starting at 940 euros per person. These are in good centrally located hotels in Athens and the islands. You can't beat this price for these hotels and this itinerary. Or their 8 day package that includes a 4-day cruise plus Athens-Delphi-Meteora which starts at 595 euros per person. For these and more visit Fantasy Travel's Special Offers Page Sailboats and Yachts
Economical Cruise Packages Fantasy Travel's Smart 7 cruise allows you to spend 3 nights in Mykonos at the beginning of your cruise and 3 nights in Santorini at the end of your cruise. The cruise is 4 days and includes Kusadasi, Turkey, Patmos, Rhodes and Crete. See http://www.fantasytravelofgreece.com/smart7.html Check out the Greek Island Cruise video below.
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Greek Island Cruise: You can get discounted rates for this cruise by going to the cruise page at www.fantasytravelofgreece.com or if you want an inexpensive package that includes a cruise see their 3 Day Cruise and 4 Day Cruise pages |
The best way to the Greek islands is by ferry boat.They are cheap and relaxing with restaurants,
snack bars and beautiful scenery. The boats to the
far Greek islands like Crete, Rhodes, Lesvos &
Kos leave in the evening. With a cabin it's like
going to sleep in a hotel and waking up in a new
place. The new ferries are like airplanes on the sea. You sit in comfortable chairs, they show movies on the TV and there are snackbars with decent food. Frequency of boats vary from island to
island. To get to the port of Pireaus from Athens
take the metro from the stop closest to you
(probably Monastiraki or Omonia) to the last stop:
Pireaus. The boats are across the street. There is
a map on the dock that tells you where to find the
ferries for each island. If you don't have a
ticket you can buy them at the boat too though if
you want a cabin you should get it in advance.
Also if you are traveling to the islands on the
days preceding Easter and the 15th of August or
any Friday in July and August you should buy your
tickets in advance. The same goes with returning
after those dates and on Sundays.
Of course you
won't have to worry about the ferry if you have
your own boat. As many people will tell you this
is the way to go and it is cheaper than you might
think.Throw in a
Captain and you have your own personal tour-guide
and translator. You can get together with a couple
friends or family and have your own boat or if you
are traveling solo or are a couple you can share
with other couples or soloists or even join a
flotilla
*. Sound like
fun? It is! I did it one summer and it was the
best part of my holiday. Much better than a cruise
or dealing with the Greek ferry schedules because
of the freedom it gives you. Plus the boats range
from comfortable to luxurious. David
Econopouly has a company based in the USA
called GM Charters that works with several
sailboat companies and individual
skipper-owners in Greece to find the
customer the best and most suitable boats at
the best price. Whether you want to charter a
large sailboat with some friends with a skipper or
on your own, or join a group of boats called a
flotilla, he does the research and gives you the
choices. A great service and very helpful whether
you know little about sailing or are an
experienced skipper bringing a group and looking
for the right boat. He also does power yachts and
sail cruises. See
Part 2: The
Greek Islands
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This is sort of a short version of my Greek Island Synopsis but on this page I will list my favorite islands first and then move on to the popular islands. There are a lot more islands listed in the Synopsis so after you read this don't forget to go there too.
Island Of
Sifnos
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This is a nice way to
start your trip to Greece. It's a quiet and
beautiful island that has retained its Greek
character where you can relax and get yourself
acclimated to Greek life. You may never want to
leave. And with the new High-Speed Cats you can be
there in a little more than 2 hours! I have spent
at least two weeks here every summer since 1984
and before that my parents used to go here. If you
are traveling with children this is my first
choice. The beach at Kamares is shallow,
with cafes and restaurants right there on the
sand. Platiyialos is one of the most beautiful
beach towns in Greece. The photo is of the village of Kamares taken from the balcony of the hotel Stavros. See my Sifnos page
at
Lesvos is in my opinion, the most interesting and
beautiful island in Greece, almost a country in
itself. Food and accommodations are less expensive
then the more popular Cyclades islands. Lesvos is
fertile with pine forests, olive groves and an
abundance of fish. It is the third largest of the
Greek islands with a variety of landscapes,
including some fantastic beaches, mountains, and
two large inland seas that are rich in marine and
bird life. (It is one of the finest places in
Europe for bird watching with an amazing variety
of birds and wildflowers.) There are medieval
castles, ancient Greek ruins and Mytilini is a
very enjoyable city that is alive with cultural
events and a city market that is like a Turkish
Bazaar.The coast of Turkey is close enough to take
day-trips. But the best thing about Lesvos is the
people of the towns and villages who have not been
impacted by mass-tourism and are courteous,
generous and friendly. If you are looking for a
truly special holiday in Greece, this is the place
to go. Most people who visit Lesvos return. Many
make it a yearly trip and with hotels and food
half the price of Athens and the Cyclades it is a
Greek holiday destination that is affordable. If
you only have a couple days in Greece then it's
best to go somewhere else but if you have a week
to ten days to explore then Lesvos is the place
for you.
Combine
Sifnos with Lesvos? Yes is can be done though it
takes a little research and a few phone calls from
a travel agent! See
Santorini: # 1 Destination in Greece
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They say it's
the one essential Greek island and Santorini
should not be missed. Take the ferry and sail into
a giant volcanic caldera that is as dramatic, or
more so, then the Grand Canyon. Most people stay
in or near Thira where the nightlife is or Oia
where it is a little quieter, and go to the beaches
by bus, car or bike in the day. Others stay on the
beach and go to Thira at night or to watch the
sunset. The sunsets in Santorini are like nothing
you have ever seen before and for that reason many
honeymooners want to stay in a hotel overlooking
the volcano in Thira or Oia. A car is useful but
not essential because there are buses and taxis.
Watch out for motorbikes.
Mykonos has been
visited by just about every famous person on the
planet. White cube houses and amazing beaches
including the famous Paradise beach where clothes are
optional and a beautiful body if not essential is
certainly to be desired. The best nightlife in Greece
and some of the best restaurants too. In the summer
this island never sleeps and in the off-season life
can actually be quite sane. If you have dismissed
Mykonos as just a party-island forget it. The 20
minute boat trip to
Rhodes: Where Summer lasts all Year
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Great beaches packed with beautiful Scandinavian
women and nightlife not to
mention some of the most beautiful scenery in Greece.
Amazing history too. The old city is a walled fortress
and contains the famous castle of the Knights of Saint
John. The time to visit Rhodes is anytime. Even in the
winter. Southern Rhodes, where the Aegean and the Mediterranean seas meet is like Mecca for windsurfers. The whole south-western coast is an endless beach with few people on it, while the northern beaches are like Rio. If you are on a cruise and only have a day to see the
island NICHOLAS & MICHAEL AXARLIS and their crew
of drivers can give you the most bang for your bucks
(or euros) See
Part 3. A few more Greek Island odds and endsCULINARY TOURS of KEA: Join famous Greek chef Aglaia Kremezi and friends on a culinary experience on the island of Kea . And while you are there you may as well do the Walking Tours of Kea with Kostis Marulis. Kea is one of the best hiking islands in Greece with most of the ancient footpaths still intact. There are also the ruins of 4 ancient cities. See www.greektravel.com/greekislands/kea Learn to Cook at Diane Kochilas Culinary Tours and Greek Cooking School: Join the world famous chef and best-selling cookbook writer at her school on the beautiful island ofIkaria. Click on the above link for more info and dates. What a great way to spend your holiday in Greece. Edipsos in Evia:
Health Spas and Therapuetic Hot Springs! Bike Tours Greek Hotel Directory I have recently added a lot of hotels which can be booked individually without an agency and these are in all catagories including hotels so inexpensive that the agencies don't book them because it is not worth it. If you go to www.hotelsofgreece.com and find your island chain and the island you are interested many hotels in the C-catagory and below are very affordable if you are on a budget. Hotel Search: You can also find hotels and search by category, location, amenities, and price by using my Booking.com site which has excellent rates, photos and reviews
Greek Islands and Turkey Hahathakis Tours in Lesvos specialize in the North Aegean Islands like Lemnos, lesvos, Chios, Samos, Ikaria, Thassos and Samothraki combined with Turkey. Their website is at www.greecetravel.com/hahathakis-tours The easiest way to see the Greek Islands and Turkey is on a cruise. See www.greecetravel.com/cruise and also have a look at this short video: Greek Island Cruise Information Overload Remedy Travel Agents: An Endangered Species?What is the best way to book your holiday to Greece? Can you really save by using auto-booking systems or by booking directly with the hotels? Are Travel Agencies a thing of the past? Read my article Endangered Species about the internet and the disappearance of the small personalized-service travel agency. Remember to visit these Greek Island guides: Mykonos, Santorini, Rhodes, Sifnos, Naxos, Kea, Lesvos, Paros, Ios, Crete, Skiathos, Syros, Aegina, Angistri, Hydra, Poros, Kos, Kefalonia, Corfu, Delos, Samos, and of course you can find these islands and more in my Greek Island Synopsis Remember... if you book through a travel agency transfers to and from the port and hotels are included. But if you do it on your own here is my advice. You can take the metro to Pireaus or you can get a taxi through the hotel concierge or George the Famous Taxi Driver. See www.greecetravel.com/taxi |
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