ferry travel from Santorini
 

We will probably go from Santorin to Naxos by ferry (May). Can anyone tell me if we need to book in advance, does it go daily, about how long does it take.
Also, if we want to include Antiparos what is the ferry situation to reach that? Would you do that as a day trip from Naxos or go and spend a couple of nights?
thank you, thank you

Just looking at the ferry route and I do not see a ferry from Santorini or Naxos to Antiparos. do we just take the ferry to Paros???

Take a ferry that gets you to Paros. Then take the little local shuttle ferry from Paros to Antiparos. There are two. One is from the main village (Parikia) ferry port and the other, which is cheap and only takes 15 minutes to reach Antiparos, leaves from the east side of the island at the secondary port of Pounta.

http://www.greekvillaparos.gr/wp-con.../map_paros.gif

In May there will be several daily ferries from Santorini to Naxos. Championjet 1 departed Santorini around noon and gets to Naxos around 1:30. It is a fast ferry but it does have an open deck so you can experience the Santorini departure out in the open.

Blue Star will be less expensive and has lots of outside deck space. It leaves Santorini around 1:30 and gets in Naxos around 3. We opted for Championjet1 last June to get the extra few hours in Naxos.

It is possible to do a day trip to Paros by regular ferry. I believe the blue star departs Naxos around 9:30 and will be in Paros at 10:30. You would have some choices for your return but the longest day would be to catch the late blue star from Paros to Naxos which would be departing around 10pm. My comments are based on last years schedule.

Once you get to Paros just walk along the dock towards the town and the water taxi boats to Antiparos Lee mentioned are docked on the left hand side. There were three of them last time we were there. Probably best to get to Antiparos for the day then take the water taxi back in the early evening and have a stroll around Parikia and have dinner there before catching the evening Blue Star.
Antiparos http://www.flickr.com/photos/stanbr5...7632126687570/

thank you for this info

Do we need to book these ferry trips in advance

The best ferry from Santorini to Naxos and Paros is Blue Star, which is never full on those legs even in high season, so you don't need to book in advance. Not only is Blue Star cheaper than Sea Jets, but you get those wonderful views from the outside deck.

I believe Blue Star leaves Santorini at 3:30, and not 1:30 as stanbr stated, so if you want to leave earlier, then Champion Jet is okay, but you will sit inside an airline-like cabin. Recommend avoiding Superjet and SeaJet 2, which are the small passenger-only catamarans operated by the same company as Champion Jet.

There are two ways to get to Antiparos from Paros:

One is the little shuttle boat that leaves from the Parikia dock, which coordinates with most of the main ferry arrivals. It only begins its operating season in May, when it runs less frequently than in summer. Sometimes it is cancelled on windy days, even when the main ferries are running.

The other way to get to Antiparos is the car ferry that runs from Pounta across a narrow strait, taking only seven minutes. The ferry runs every 30 minutes from early morning until after midnight, and sails in all kinds of weather. That, in fact, is the main year-round access to Antiparos.

There is a bus that leaves from the station next to the Parikia docks, and stops next to the Pounta ferry 15 minutes later. You could also take a taxi to Pounta if you don't want to wait for the bus departure.

you are all so wonderful, you make traveling easier to do on your own (well with your help)