santorini-istanbul
 

there are six of us on vacation in santorini & we were wondering is it possible to charter a boat to sail us to istanbul rather than fly back to athens and then to instanbul. how long would it take & the total appx. cost.

If it's even available, a private air charter will probably be very expensive, but if you're already on Santorini call Markos Karvounis in Oia at 22860-71290/71209 for assistance.

Another option would be to catch the overnight ferry from Paros (close to Santorini) to Lesvos, then another ferry to Ayvalik in Turkey then a bus into Istanbul.

Coincidentally, we will be following the same route in the fall and would also like to avoid having to fly back to Athens. Is Markos K. a travel agent; and is he accessible on-line?

Yes, he's a travel agent with booking capabilities working out of an office in the center of Oia next to the main square. His email address is

[email protected]

Phone: +30 (286) 71290 [From the USA, Dial 011 30 2 286 0 71290]
Fax: +30 (286) 71291 [From the USA, Dial 011 30 2 286 0 71291]

I just talked to Markos. He's in Athens for a few days to take care of his mother who's in the hospital. When he returns to Oia he'll be checking his email. But if you call him now he won't be able to help you since he's not in Oia.