From Kythera to Crete to Paros
 

Hi Friends,
Transport update needed!
I am looking at a new route to get to Crete in the beginning of July. I noticed the ferry line from Kythera to Kastelli. Does this ferry run daily at this time of year?
Also, we will later depart Crete for Paros - I realize it's a haul. Can we get a fast ferry direct to Paros? Thanks for your thoughts on this.

Using the calendar funciton on www.openseas.gr to backtrack, it appears that last July there was a ferry between Kythira and Kissamos/Chania 4 days/week: Wed, Thurs, Saturday and Sunday. Once on Crete you can catch the highspeed Hellenic Seaways catamaran ferry, the FC4, that will take you to Paros after stopping at Santorini.

What brotherleelove said! ;-)

Thanks! Just what I needed, as always.
Any general idea about time including the stop? We usually stick to the slow ferries - I'm guessing is between 4-6 hours on the catamaran? Can't seem to find that timetable...

Here is the FlyingCat 4 timetable for 2012. Bookmark it on your computer, and it will be updated for 2013 sometime in March: http://www.ferries.gr/hfd/. :-)

What Heimdall said! :-)

lol! ;-)

You two are so in sync! Thanks again.

I took this route once and it was good. It is a car ferry but it travels at a good speed. Left Neapoli after visitng Elafonisos Isl; Monevassia and Gythio etc. arrived in Kissamos and with some guidance was able to get a direct bus to Hania without very little waiting time. It was the first time I was able to find a very useful use of the greek word signomi, in english, excuse me.

Thanks Chania. Those details are helpful.
I have the advantage of a husband who has learned to speak and read Greek fluently. This always astonishes Greeks when we travel and certainly adds to our fun, esp. when lost in rural areas.
Signomi is one of the few phrases I've used, as I am generally stumped by the language.
Do you recall if it was a morning ferry and how long the bus took to Chania?

The ferry from Neapoli was early morning. That I recall because I left Elafonisos Is. reluctantly the night before and spent the night in Neapoli so as to make sure I got that ferry. The time it took to get to Crete, I don't recall. There was one brief stop in Kythera, I talked non stop to a woman I met from Nice but I would guess it was 1/2 a day. I remember when we docked in Kastelli there was no direction how to find the bus and no one to ask. Another couple were confused as well and we couldn't get any help so I walked up to a person in uniform who was talking to several local people and I said to the couple, watch this. I said "Signomi!" and he quickly turned around and gave me his full attention and directed us to the bus stop for Hania. I think it was maybe 2 hrs to Hania. I don't really recall altho if it was longer I would probably remember that. My memory gets confused as I recall staying in Kastelli but that I believe was on another trip and I was heading back to Neapoli. One time I took the bus from Hania and did a day trip to Afrata on the pensiula east of Kastelli, west of Hania. I walked up to the village from the bus stop on the highway. The village was the centre theme of a book written by a british writer who lived in the village. I met a german woman sitting alone on the front deck of the main restaurant in the village having a coffee. I told her about the book I had read and why I had come to the village. She knew some greek and asked at the restaurant about the book. http://www.cretanvista.co.uk/goodreadingx3.htm
We were directed to the restaurant described in the book and the owners made us lunch and talked about the author. The restaurant was not open but they opened for us. 2 strangers. One from Germany and one from Canada. These are the memories that are never forgotten.

Note that the ferry port in Crete, Kastelli, is sometimes referred to as Kissamos, but they are one and the same. :-)

What a wonderful anecdote Chania - thank you. I will look for the read by Saunders. Reminds me of John Mole's story about a place he bought in Evvia.
I found a schedule on LANE that showed a ferry from Piraeaus to Kythira, although other forums say that is no longer. Did you drive to the south? We'd like to drive, but apparently the picking up/dropping off a rental car at separate locations is an issue. The KTEL schedule seems run down to Neopoli only at night (plus inhibits the wandering). I'm intrigued by this route to Crete, yet still figuring out how to get to Kythira reasonably. We'll only have 5-6 days before we expect to be on Crete. Any thoughts appreciated.

Friends of mine who are from Kythira say that the fastest way to get to the island is with the ferry from Neapoli :)

The drive from Kastelli Kisamou to Chania is about 45 min., the distance is 40 km

Helpful info - thanks again!

I took the KTEL bus but I had lots of time. Stayed in Naplion, Sparti, Gythio, Momevassia, and then to Neapoli and the island of Elofonisos. I believe that if you went by car you could do Athens to Naplion one night and Neapoli 2nd night. It all depends on where you want to stop. There are some sharp curves on the road between Gythio and Neapoli but the drive from Gythio to Athens is a good fast highway. I would not hesitate to drive but on my own at the time I was mostly scared of driving out of Athens.
Regarding Saunders, the Greek restaurant owners said the couple split up and sold their house. They didn't have much nice to say about him. The fact that they had cooked for
the Greek Prime Minister Mitsotakis and the French President Mitterand was fascinating. I wish I could have understood what they were saying instead of listening to the translation. Nevertheless it was a great day. I walked back to the road and ordered a glass of wine at the roadside restaurant. Minutes later the bus arrived. The restaurant quickly poured the wine into a plastic glass and I got on the bus. The bus driver said you can't have that on the bus so I gulped it down. Amazing, the drivers have no problem smoking on their buses but a plastic glass with clear liquid was a problem. When I said 2 hrs to get to Hania, it does seem excessive. I took the bus from Hania to Elfonissi on the south coast and it probably was that amt. of time. Case in point. You take the bus for a day trip and it is a full day trip. ie I did this with Elfonissi; Falassarna, Preveli, etc. and you leave early and get back at the end of the day. A car would give you the flexibily to see more.