hrendon

We are planning a trip to Greece and Italy for March 2006. We want to spend a few days in Santorini, visit Mykonos-maybe stay one night there, and spend 3 nights in Athens before flying to Rome.

We already have hotel reservations in Rome and we are okay with it. I need help with my trip to Greece. We will arrive in Athens early afternoon.

This is what we would like to do: after we arrive in Athens, take a taxi --- any suggestions? to the port and embark in the ferry to Santorini. After our stay there, take the ferry to Mikonos and spend the night there. Take the ferry the next day to Athens and stay there until we leave to Italy.
We don't mind spending the first night in Athens and leave to SAntorini in the morning in case the trip to SAntorini is too long. We do not want to fly from Athens to Santorini.

Can this be possible? How is the ferry itinerary in March? How far is the airport from the port where we will embark on a ferry? How long is the trip to Santorini? From what I read so far, Mikonos is the first stop and Santorini is the last with two other stops in between.

Having the answers will help us plan our trip better. Please help.
Also, does anyone knows of any hotels? Any suggestions?

Thank you so much.

Helia

brotherleelove2004

From the airport you can take the express bus directly to the ferry port. It costs 2.9 Euro and leaves about every 20 minutes 24/7 outside the arrival hall #5. You can also take the Metro into Monastiraki where you can transfer to another Metro line to the ferry port at Piraeus. I think it costs 10 Euros for 2 persons. Of course a taxi will get you there as well, for about 25 Euros.

The trip from Athens to Santorini will take you about 7 hours by car ferry. www.gtp.gr will give you the current ferry schedules so you can see if there's one you can catch the same day as your arrival or if you'll need to wait overnight in Athens. The timetables for next March probably won't be published until at least January 2006, but this route is fixed and regular, so you can count on at least 2 ferries per day to Santorini. Be advised that March is the slow season so your choices will be somewhat limited.

From Santorini to Mykonos you have a couple of different options. First is the car ferry to Paros where you would change to another ferry to Mykonos. This is the more likely choice. There's also an express catamaran from Santorini to Mykonos, http://www.greekislands.gr/hfd/, that takes a lot less time if it's in service on the day you plan to take the trip. You'll also have to check back after the first of the year to see what the current schedule is.

From Mykonos you have different options to get you back to Athens. Blue Star Ferries has an express boat, the Seajet II, which goes to the port of Rafina, and there are also regularly scheduled car ferries from Mykonos to Piraeus as well as express boats. Again, www.gtp.gr will give you the current timetables sometime after the first of the year.

Retsina

The simplified ferry routes are Piraeus-Paros-Naxos-Ios-Santorini. Mykonos is on the Piraeus-Tinos-Mykonos route. In March there are less ferry connections particularly the Santorini-Mykonos one, you will have to check with the ferry agents locally. I think you would be better off stopping on Naxos out of season, Mykonos will be dead then.

You will probably have to wait for the ferry at 07:30 the next morning for Santorini(9hrs.). There is a direct bus to Piraeus port where the ferries depart, check out the Athens airport website(aia.gr).

hrendon

Thank you so much for the advise. I really appreciate every one's input.

I stayed up last night searching for hotels in Santorini and I noticed that many of the hotels don't open until April 1st, the middle/end of April, or May.
We are thinking in moving the trip one week later and visit Rome first so we will be in Santorini after April 1st.

After finding out that the ferry to Santorini is long --- thanks to you all -- I am thinking about flying from Athens instead. The flight takes about an hour. Any sugestions. I don't like flying too much.

I really appreciate your responses and do thank you.

Helia

brotherleelove2004

The idea of waiting until April is a good one, not only for a wider variety of hotel choices, but also because the weather will be better.

Aegean airlines and Olympic Airlines both fly to Santorini and Mykonos. Aegean's prices are lower and they have become the more reliable of the two. Aegean also has cheap flights from Rome to Athens.

http://www.olympicairlines.com/

http://www.aegean-air.gr/aegeanen/home/

Don't attempt to purchase your Aegean or Olympic tickets until after the first of the year, the schedules will be changing between now and then. Also, once you've made your purchase, be sure to check back once in awhile to make sure there haven't been any unannounced changes. Normally they'll notify you, but it's good to keep track of this yourself for safety's sake.

hrendon

Thank you for your advise. I was planning in doing that soon. I already started looking for prices.

After reading everyone's response, advises, and sugestions for trips to Greece, we changed our trip a little.

We will fly to Rome and stay there for 8 days
Fly to Athens/Santorini and spend three nights there
Take the ferry (cc) to either Naxos or Mykomos - haven't decided yet and spend one night
The next morning, take the ferry to Athens and spend 3 nights
Fly home from Athens

We are very excited about the trip.

Thank you all for your suggestions.

I am addicted to Fodor's and I know I will be checking the many suggestions and experiences often until we leave.

Helia

brotherleelove2004

Your plan is a good one.

Whether or not you can get to Mykonos from Santorini by ferry in April will depend on which day you choose to travel, as the express ferry doesn't travel this route every day at that time of year. You might need to take the car ferry to Paros and change to another ferry to Mykonos from there. Either that or just go to Naxos for your one night and then back to Athens from there.

Have a great time!

hrendon

Thank you for your suggestion. The idea to stop in another island for one night on the way to Athens from Santorini is that the ferry trip will be divided in two and we will get to visit another Greek island. How is Naxos? I thought of Mykonos because I have heard about it in tours and so on, but if it is not on the way, then maybe I will add Naxos to our list and make things easier. Any suggestions of things to do in Naxos - we will stay there one night.

brotherleelove2004

Yes, Mykonos is a bit of an inconvenience for just one night, and despite it's fame there's not as much to do there as there is elsewhere unless your main interest is luxury shopping and partying at night.

It's been a long time since I've spent any time on Naxos, but there are plenty of shops to explore as well as the old part of city up on the hill above the port, the castro. You can walk through the narrow lanes and look at the old houses. If the flowers are in bloom it can be quite pleasant. Naxos also has some of the nicest beaches in the islands, although you might not have time for them. The bus system is good there if you do choose to explore other areas of the island.

Paros would be another good choice. It's on the same ferry route, and the main port village of Paroikia is interesting and large enough to occupy you for a day. I think there's actually more to see in do in Paroikia than in the main village of Naxos. There's a small archaeological museum as well as an interesting church, lots of shopping and narrow streets to explore.

hrendon

Thank you all so much for your advise and suggestions.

We are very excited about our trip to Italy and Greece. So right now our trip will be as follow:
8 days in Rome. While in Rome we will visit Florence, Pizza, and Pompeii (sorry if I mispelled the names)
3 days (4 nights)in Santorini.
3 days (4 nights) in Athens. I did not count the travelling time.

Our plans are to do some sightseeing, relax, enjoy the people, and enjoy the great Italian and Greek food.

Again, thank you all.

TexasAggie

Sounds like a great trip! Here is the proper spelling for the Italian towns. It will help you if you are using trains to know what to look for.

Florence - Firenze
Pisa - Pisa
Pompeii - Pompei

Panos

There is a daily fery service from and to Athens...
visit www.santorini-culture.gr to get your IT for a succesful visit

hrendon

Hello everyone and thank you again for all your sugestions.

Sorry but I haven't been checking Fodors for a while. We we visited by hurricane Katrina and it has been a little stressfull - nothing like New Orleans.

Again, thank you and I will tell you all about my trip when I return.