Here's my third (and final??) post regarding our trip to Greece this June (husband and I, and our teenage daughter). Thanks again to everyone on this forum for the great advice on hotels in Oia and Naxos! After 3 nights in Naxos, we plan to go to Chios for 4 or 5 days and stay with my cousin and aunt at their family house.

My question is how to get from the Cyclades to Chios by ferry without returning to Athens. The other ferry connections (Piraeus-to-Santorini and Santorini-to-Naxos) seem reasonably straight forward. After a lot of internet sleuthing, I found this ferry route from Mykonos to Chios (Hellenic Seaways; the Nissos Chios line, leaving Mykonos for Chios at 23:10). We can take a morning ferry from Naxos to Mykonos, spend the day/evening in Mykonos and then take this night ferry to Chios. However, this must be a new ferry route since the Island Hopping book doesn't list it as operating in 2008. Does anyone know if this route is likely to continue in 2010 and if it is (reasonably) reliable?

By the way, here are our overall plans so far, still tentative - any comments or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Arrive Athens, 23 June
2 nights in Athens, Athens Hilton (using reward points that almost cover the 2 nts.)
overnight ferry to Santorini (will book a cabin)
3 nights in Oia; then ferry to Naxos
3 nights in Naxos; then ferry to Mykonos
spend day/evening in Mykonos; then take night ferry to Chios
4 or 5 days in Chios, staying at cousin/aunt's family house; ferry back to Piraeus
spend 4 days in Glyfada at cousin's apt.; tour Peloponnese and mainland Greece
return to States, 12 July

Nissos Chios, along with it's sister ship Nissos Mykonos, are among the newest ships in the Greek ferry fleet. Timetables in <i>Greek Island Hopping</i> are always at least a year out of date. Nissos Chios is currently sailing that route, and although summer timetables are yet to be published, will likely still be doing that route in July. I doubt you will find a more reliable ferry. I sailed on the almost identical Nissos Mykonos last summer, and it was a very pleasant trip.

Just in case you didn't know, the Airport Express Bus X95 stops right at the Athens Hilton. Catch it outside Arrivals Door #5. It leaves the airport every 20-30 minutes 24/7/365. The fare is 3.2 per person. Buy your ticket at the kiosk in the same area and validate it inside the bus in the ticket machine (lots of baggage storage in the bus).

Thanks, Heimdall and brotherleelove - I love this forum! I was planning to take the metro from the airport to the Hilton, but the Express bus sounds like a better option.

moonlion, I agree re bus, both to/from airport ... if forced to make a trip during rush hour, train can save some (at price of great crowding), but otherwise, bus is it. No worries about baggage, also so easy just to step on/step off from pavement in Syntagma square, or in front of Airport building... no steps or long corridors. do it.

Your itinerary looks really good to me. First Santorini for the famous views, but then, you go further into the island adventure, via enjoyable ferries... and unlike many others, you'll have 4 different island "looks" and ambience to compare -- ending with a quite untouristed island, where relatives can really introduce u to the Chios village life. Prepare to overeat!

Thanks, travelerjan. My aunt makes the BEST mousaka I've ever had! I tried to make it once in the States using her recipe, but it didn't begin to compare.

One more question (OK, so I lied): what is the best way to get from the Hilton to Piraeus? I was thinking metro unless someone knows of an express bus or something more convenient. If I remember, the metro drops you off some distance from the actual port. Thanks, again!

From the Hilton take the bus to Syntagma Square, then the Blue Line Metro one stop to Monastiraki, then the Green Line Metro to Piraeus. Or take a taxi. The Piraeus Metro is located very close to the Blue Star ferry to Santorni.

The taxi to Piraeus makes sense unless you are totally in the rush hour. Have the doorman or whatever flag a cab for you, and see that the taxi driver turns on the meter. YOu might tip the doorman to tell the taxi driver in Greek, "I have told these guests how much the meter runs to go to Piraeus." IF he goes the most direct route, it should be no more than 15-18€ plus a small fee for the bags.

If you take the metro Green Line, it's fast: about 25 minutes from Syntagma to Piraeus very efficient. One warning... last summer it was targeted by pickpockets. Even when not too crowded, such thieves sometimes cause a distracting by falling, or by bumping into people. I have always been fine but have heard stories from first-timers who seem in a daze when on public transit (maybe because they never take public transit in USA hehehehe). Anyway, You're OK if the 3 of you keep nothing of value in your pants or jacket pockets... keep such items in a money-belt under clothes (NOT a waist-purse!), or you keep in your daybag with hand on zipper. Not in a backpack over shoulder. It's my impression that most people who are victimized are US Men who say Nobody can get into MY Pocket without me knowing it! And they are wrong.

thanks, great tips! I usually avoid taxis in Athens but in this case it might make sense.