dianall

Has anyone used ixploregreece.com? I am wondering about their reliability. I am looking to go to Athens, Mykonos, Paros, Naxos, and Santorini and need help with the order and how much time will be spent on a ferry. Thanks.

Heimdall

Your link didn't work.

You have the order of the islands about right, although doing them in reverse would work just as well. Important info to include in a post on Greek Island hopping is when you plan to travel. During the May-Sep period there are highspeed catamarans linking all these destinations with each other, and with the mainland ferry ports of Piraeus and Rafina. Unfortunately you will have to wait until spring before the summer schedules are published for all of them. To give you an idea of times, here is a summer 2006 schedule:

http://tinyurl.com/hs9hw

and here are two for summer 2007:

http://tinyurl.com/y4gsfk
http://www.ferries.gr/hfd/

There is also a highspeed cat called Sea Jet 2 sailing out of Rafina, but I don't have current info on its schedule.

worldinabag

I note this is your first post. Mmm....

dianall

This is my first post although I have been traveling for many years; I have not used this site before. I also made a mistake in the link I typed in ... should be iexploregreece.com. We are going late June and July are are stuggling with the itinerary. While we want to see several islands, we don't want to feel like we are schlepping around every two days. Any suggestions on the number of days that would be best for Athens, Mykonos, Paros and Naxos and Santorini. Should we go to either Paros or Naxos but not both? We will have 18 days including the travel to and from. Thanks.

brotherleelove2004

The car ferry from Mykonos to Paros takes about 2 hours, the highspeed passenger-only cat takes just over 1 hour. From Paros to Naxos by frequent car ferry is about an 1 hour. From Naxos to Santorini is 2 hours by car ferry. The Hellenic Seaways highspeed cat #4 runs between Crete and Mykonos, stopping at Santorini, Ios and Paros in that order. If for some reason you need to get from Mykonos to Santorini but aren't taking the highspeed cat, first you'll have to take the morning ferry from Mykonos to Paros, then catch the noon ferry on to Santorini. There is no ferry other than the highspeed cat that will take you from Mykonos to Santorini without a change being needed.

To get to Rafina to catch the ferry to Mykonos requires a bus or taxi ride from the Areos Park bus stop near the National Archaeological Museum in Athens.

It's a bit more convenient to leave from Athens/Piraeus instead of Rafina, stopping in Paros first, then Naxos, then Santorini, as they're all on the same car ferry route. Then from Santorini you can easily catch the highspeed cat to Mykonos. Athens to Paros takes about 4 hours on the car ferry.

You can use this website, http://www.openseas.gr/OPENSEAS/serv...amp;show=index to plug in your travel dates but using last year's calendar for June and July to see what was running then. This will help clarify your thinking about scheduling.

Mykonos has its loyal fans, but if it were me I'd eliminate it altogether, especially if you're thinking of the "old" Mykonos, the famous Jet-Setter's Paradise Island of the 60's and 70's. It no longer exists. In high season it will be swarming with cruise-ship, group-tour and charter flight visitors. To be fair, Santorini will be crowded as well, but there's more to see and do there.

Visiting Athens and 3 islands in a total of 18 days minus travel and settling-in time at every stop is the maximum I'd recommend. Don't forget you still have to get back to Athens a day before your departure for home.

dianall

Thank you brotherleelove. I have enjoyed reading you numerous postings answering many other questions. Do you think it is easy and cost efficient to book your own rooms and ferry rides or might I just as well use a booking agent?

brotherleelove2004

Never having used a booking agent I can't say for sure. I've always done my own bookings. I have read, however, that some people have gotten rooms cheaper than at the internet rates by booking through Uli at Dolphini-Hellas Travel Agency in Athens. I suppose this would depend on the hotel and the relationship they might have with D-H. One distinct advantage of using D-H or another Greek agency such as Fantasy Travel is that if you have any problems while you're in Greece you'd have someone close by to assist you in straightening them out.