Greek Island Advice Please!

  • 6 February 2023
  • 4 replies
  • 146 views
Eimear DS
Rank

Hi all

Hoping someone on here may have done similar before and we can benefit from their experience!

We wish to start our 2 month global pass starting approx 26th March by visiting / hopping between max 3 Greek islands, spending about 3 nights on each island.

We are trying to plan the simplest short travel plan directly from one island to the next, ideally avoiding having to go to the mainland eg Piraeus in between islands. 

Around our starting dates, we can only fly from Ireland to Corfu, Athens, Chania or Santorini. 

Of those, our preferred ‘start points’ are Corfu or Santorini. (we have already visited Crete, Athens and Santorini).

After the Greek islands, our next destination is Amalfi coast, Italy.

So, after our Greek islands, we need to get to Athens, to fly to Naples, Italy or alternatively get to Patras or Igoumenitsa to ferry to Bari, Italy.

Some inter-island ferries are understandably limited in frequency due to being low season so itineraries which are straightforward in the summer, are less so in March/ early April.

We understand islands within the same island group are interconnected so are happy to stay within one group or move between 2 groups via a hub, but ideally if the hub itself is on an island that would be a good one to visit in itself.

OR would we be better off flying to Athens and from nearby Piraeus, simply visiting 3 of the Saronic islands which seems close to each other ? Are the Saronics worth spending up to 9 days in?

We have done a lot of research on ferry routes but are going around in circles trying to find a fairly simple plan, that doesn’t waste too much time getting to/from each island.

We are late forties (how?) and like history, geography, nature, food, people etc so islands that suit this vibe, rather than party places are more our scene.

Thanks to anyone in advance who can advise :)

4 replies

M
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Userlevel 7
Badge +5

Hi, to be short and brusque: this is likely not the best of forums to ask this-go to a general touristy forum like tripadvisor about what to expect on which island. Places where trains simply cannot come are not well known among the very, very knowledgeable train-know-alls.

This is GR so also do not expect anything too much advance. Perhaps just pop into your library, borrow a GR guidebook (I still favour LP=Lonely Planet, also used to have an extremy lively travellers forum) or there is Rough GUides, perhaps more suited to your class. These will list summarily what ferries link islands. But it remains a questionmark what has survived covid etc. But as of now dr google and his maps will show what is there and from where to what.

I kind of remember that indeed any isl would have a direct link to Ath/Peireas and that inter-isl ferries on short distance were often only advertised locally and moreorless even to demand.  But in general except for those strange western island-hoppers, Greeks do not travel too much in between islands so demand is low. And here also flites are taking over for longer distances. An enormous stumbleblock for todays modern www-tourist who thinks s/he really needs to preplan all monthes ahead.

What works out best for flights: I would simply look at times and prices. Times will likely still change a few dozen times between now and then……...

Eimear DS
Rank

Thanks for your response Mcadv, cheers for that.

If other travellers on the forum has some good advice to offer (as per our original post  requesting advice from ….’someone on here may have done similar before and we can benefit from their experience..)  we would still appreciate it 😀

I
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Userlevel 1
Badge

One thing I would say for your planning is don’t underestimate the loveliness of the Greek mainland too. I’ve travelled across a lot of Greece and often by train - one can go to Volos and then a bus to the Pelion region or to Corinthos for history or Diakopto for walking and experiencing the rack railway high up into the mountains. 

 

 

Eimear DS
Rank

Thanks Ian, good advice indeed, appreciate that :)

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