Santorni-Naxos-Milos
Dec 12th, 2016, 02:35 PM
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Santorni-Naxos-Milos
I'm currently planning a trip to Greece for late May for 9-10 full days. We are interested in a mix of adventure + relaxation and would like to visit Santorini, Naxos, and Milos. We opted to visit Naxos instead of Mykonos since we're not looking to party too much and heard there's lots to do on Naxos.
Our main port of arrival/departure will be Athens. In what order of islands should we visit in terms of transportation convenience (ferry/flying). We don't mind paying extra for flights if that's what works best. Thanks for your help!
Our main port of arrival/departure will be Athens. In what order of islands should we visit in terms of transportation convenience (ferry/flying). We don't mind paying extra for flights if that's what works best. Thanks for your help!
Dec 12th, 2016, 03:35 PM
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Upon arriving in Athens fly straightaway out to Santorini (Aegean Airlines or RyanAir) then take a ferry to Naxos then another to Milos. From Milos you can fly or ferry back to Athens. Not sure what ferries will be available to you then but you can check here: www.gtp.gr and keep checking to see what will be added between now and then.
Dec 12th, 2016, 04:18 PM
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Ditto above. I would only add that if you return by ferry from Milos you will land at Pireaus, not Athens. Pireaus is a working port without tourist attractions. It will take about two hours to get from Pireaus to the Athens airport by metro, 45 minutes train time to central Athens then 45 minutes to the airport. So do some logistical planning here.
If you haven't been to Athens I'd take the ferry and spend a day / 2 nights there. Figure ~5 hours Milos-Pireaus then the metro to central Athens. Spend the night, take a whole day for Athens (Acropolis, National Architectural Museum, Monastiraki Square), spend a second night then leave the next day. There's a bus that goes from Syntagma Square to the airport. It's bus X95, less than a one hour trip, 3 buses per hour, about 5 euros.
If you haven't been to Athens I'd take the ferry and spend a day / 2 nights there. Figure ~5 hours Milos-Pireaus then the metro to central Athens. Spend the night, take a whole day for Athens (Acropolis, National Architectural Museum, Monastiraki Square), spend a second night then leave the next day. There's a bus that goes from Syntagma Square to the airport. It's bus X95, less than a one hour trip, 3 buses per hour, about 5 euros.
Dec 12th, 2016, 07:21 PM
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I would "tweak" brotherlee's suggestion ... his seem to require stopping at Santorini 2x because I don't believe there's a ferry from Milos to Naxos.
The easiest sequence would be N to South or S to N ... look at a map like this: http://www.explorecrete.com/crete-ma...ges/greece.gif (click & it gets large). If you have only 9 or even 10 days, you need to fly at beginning & end. Both Naxos & milos have several flights per day from athens Airport or TO ath airport. So you should do one of these:
• FLY to NAXOS - Ferry 2 hrs to Santorini -- next ferry 2+ hours to MILOS then FLY back to mainland.
• FLY to MILOS - Ferry 2+ hours to Santorini -- next stop ferry 2 hrs to NAXOS ... then fly back to Mainland.
Which one you choose depends on your arrival time from home (US? where?). Check Aegean air for domestic flight schedule. Warning -- do NOT book hotels, and then figure out transport afterwards. Get transport figured out FIRST, only then do hotels. And the ferries should just be between the islands not to/from mainland. With such a short stay, you cannot spare the best part of a day ferrying to or from Piraeus.
The easiest sequence would be N to South or S to N ... look at a map like this: http://www.explorecrete.com/crete-ma...ges/greece.gif (click & it gets large). If you have only 9 or even 10 days, you need to fly at beginning & end. Both Naxos & milos have several flights per day from athens Airport or TO ath airport. So you should do one of these:
• FLY to NAXOS - Ferry 2 hrs to Santorini -- next ferry 2+ hours to MILOS then FLY back to mainland.
• FLY to MILOS - Ferry 2+ hours to Santorini -- next stop ferry 2 hrs to NAXOS ... then fly back to Mainland.
Which one you choose depends on your arrival time from home (US? where?). Check Aegean air for domestic flight schedule. Warning -- do NOT book hotels, and then figure out transport afterwards. Get transport figured out FIRST, only then do hotels. And the ferries should just be between the islands not to/from mainland. With such a short stay, you cannot spare the best part of a day ferrying to or from Piraeus.
Dec 12th, 2016, 10:26 PM
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Travelerjan is mistaken.
First the direction I suggested was Naxos to Milos, not the reverse, so there's no reason to return to Santorini. Second, I said "fly OR ferry" to Athens (from Milos). Also, last year there definitely were ferries from Naxos to Milos in May, so if the upcoming season's routes and timetables are similar you will definietly be able to get from Naxos to Milos, so keep an eye out on the ferry schedule website I provided above and eventually the schedules will be posted.
First the direction I suggested was Naxos to Milos, not the reverse, so there's no reason to return to Santorini. Second, I said "fly OR ferry" to Athens (from Milos). Also, last year there definitely were ferries from Naxos to Milos in May, so if the upcoming season's routes and timetables are similar you will definietly be able to get from Naxos to Milos, so keep an eye out on the ferry schedule website I provided above and eventually the schedules will be posted.
Dec 13th, 2016, 12:35 AM
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Brotherleelove is correct that there was a ferry from Naxos to Milos last summer, but it ran only one day per week (Fridays). That was the lifeline ferry Artemis, which publishes its timetables a few weeks in advance. The problem with combining Milos and Naxos is that they are in two different parts of the Cyclades on two different ferry routes, and Santorini is a link between the two.
Most sensible to me would be to start at Milos, which has an airport about the same size as the one on Naxos, but fewer ferries to/from Athens (Piraeus). Then, as travelerjan suggested, go on to Santorini, finishing up at Naxos. You can fly or ferry from Naxos back to Athens.
The X96 bus from Piraeus to the airport is much quicker than the metro, and only a few steps from where the Naxos ferries dock. That said, it's not a good idea to fly out from Athens on the same day you return from the islands. It's not even possible by ferry unless you have an evening flight, because none of the ferries from Naxos arrive until afternoon.
The small aircraft that fly to/from Naxos and Milos are reliable, but occasionally have to bump luggage or passengers in unfavourable weather. That's never happened to me, but I have heard of it happening to others. Plan to spend at least a night or two in Athens at the end of the trip unless you are willing to take the small chance of missing your flight home.
Most sensible to me would be to start at Milos, which has an airport about the same size as the one on Naxos, but fewer ferries to/from Athens (Piraeus). Then, as travelerjan suggested, go on to Santorini, finishing up at Naxos. You can fly or ferry from Naxos back to Athens.
The X96 bus from Piraeus to the airport is much quicker than the metro, and only a few steps from where the Naxos ferries dock. That said, it's not a good idea to fly out from Athens on the same day you return from the islands. It's not even possible by ferry unless you have an evening flight, because none of the ferries from Naxos arrive until afternoon.
The small aircraft that fly to/from Naxos and Milos are reliable, but occasionally have to bump luggage or passengers in unfavourable weather. That's never happened to me, but I have heard of it happening to others. Plan to spend at least a night or two in Athens at the end of the trip unless you are willing to take the small chance of missing your flight home.
Dec 13th, 2016, 12:16 PM
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Yes, you are right, Lee. SeaJet 2 started the Naxos - Milos sailing on June 7th last year, according to openseas.gr. I only looked at records for May, the month the OP plans to travel. In May, Artemis was the only ferry, running that one day a week.
According to the Sea Jets website they plan to start that route on June 7th again in 2017.:
https://www.seajets.gr/_res/file/313...n-Cyclades.pdf
According to the Sea Jets website they plan to start that route on June 7th again in 2017.:
https://www.seajets.gr/_res/file/313...n-Cyclades.pdf
Dec 13th, 2016, 08:35 PM
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Wow! Thank you everybody for your input!
If I choose to do Mykonos instead of Naxos - I heard this is logistically much easier regarding transportation?
Would you guys recommend Mykonos instead of Naxos? We don't mind going out one or two nights on the island of Mykonos and would much rather visit there instead of Naxos if it is logistically easier to travel.
If so, what's the best way to do Santorini-Milos-Mykonos?
We will actually be arriving from two different destinations. My bf will be arriving from Canada which lands @ 9:20am and I will be arriving from Abu Dhabi which lands @ 11:40am.
Thank you guys so much for all your help!
If I choose to do Mykonos instead of Naxos - I heard this is logistically much easier regarding transportation?
Would you guys recommend Mykonos instead of Naxos? We don't mind going out one or two nights on the island of Mykonos and would much rather visit there instead of Naxos if it is logistically easier to travel.
If so, what's the best way to do Santorini-Milos-Mykonos?
We will actually be arriving from two different destinations. My bf will be arriving from Canada which lands @ 9:20am and I will be arriving from Abu Dhabi which lands @ 11:40am.
Thank you guys so much for all your help!
Dec 13th, 2016, 09:40 PM
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Actually Naxos is easier logistically than Mykonos, which is one stop away from Santorini on the main Blue Star ferry route. If you go to Mykonos it will be by catamaran, and you will stop at Naxos (or Paros) on the way.
I prefer Naxos myself, but Mykonos won't be a party island in May. Naxos is a better choice in most respects unless you wish to see the archeological site on Delos, which is 30 minutes by excursion boat from Mykonos old harbour. Naxos has many traditional inland villages, while Mykonos has many high end hotels and restaurants with eye watering prices.
I prefer Naxos myself, but Mykonos won't be a party island in May. Naxos is a better choice in most respects unless you wish to see the archeological site on Delos, which is 30 minutes by excursion boat from Mykonos old harbour. Naxos has many traditional inland villages, while Mykonos has many high end hotels and restaurants with eye watering prices.
