Assistance recommendation with logistics for trip to Greece

Have sent you a PM.

Here is some logistical information and advice about your planned trip to Andros, Tinos, Syros and Sifnos.

Be aware that while Andros, Tinos and Syros are on the same ferry routes, however Sifnos is in the western Cyclades and there are no ferries that go from any of the first three to Sifnos.

A good option would have been, arriving at Athens airport, to sleep one night at the port of Rafina before taking a ferry to Andros then Syros, then Tinos,

But then I'm afraid that in May you won't have a fast way to go from Tinos to Sifnos even with a stopover in an intermediate island

I had this possibility last year in May via Paros with the Golden Ferries Superexpress but in 2023 it will not make this connection before June.

On the other hand, if you start your trip with Sifnos from the port of Piraeus, you will then have the possibility, from Sifnos, to reach Tinos or Syros via Mykonos (2 to 3 hour stopover).

In this case the best would be to keep Andros for the end of the trip and return to the port of Piraeus.

So, before planning or booking anything, consider these ferry constraints.

To get off the beaten track you could more easily associate Sifnos with Kythnos, Serifos and Kimolos (or even Milos as well.
These Western Cycladic islands are all on the same ferry route

Thank you JoLui. I originally planned it that way - Sifnos, Syros, Tinos, Andros, but got caught up in questioning if better to go the other way. I am having challenges researching ferry schedules - I found that Blue Star Ferries goes from Sifnos to Syros, takes 4 hrs, 40 minutes, stops at two ports along the way as you mentioned and depending on the day, it is different ports. I can only see the schedule through the end of February, which is one of the reasons I need assistance with the planning. The February schedule shows only two days a week. I don't want to put anything in stone (and even with the best of planning, as happened with my last trip, the ferry just didn't go the day I had my ticket), until I have some reassurance of the ferry schedule.

One of the reasons I want to go to Sifnos is because of the pottery. Maybe I need to reassess...
Thanks again for your response.
Sharon

It is best to wait until the ferry companies have published their schedules for May.

When I plan ferry trips in May, I usually wait until March to get the final schedules.

Go regularly to the website https://www.ferryhopper.com/en/ ,
You will be able to see all the direct and indirect ferry connections

Last year the Artemis ferry of Hellenic Seaways (same group as Blue Star ferries) made the trip Sifnos - Syros on Sundays Tuesdays and Wednesdays. It was the only option without changing ferry.

About Sifnos, I guess you already have this information, but just in case...

The list of the 19 pottery workshops:

https://sifnos.gr/en/pottery/

The pottery museum in SIfnos

https://sifnospottery.gr/en/home/

Thank you for the list - no, I didn't have the list.

I a concerned about waiting that close to travel to make fliight and lodging reservations. I even think now it might be challenging, Locking in lodging and flights relatrively early is important to me with regard to planning the trip, It seems I am in Catch 22 territory. I don't remember this being a problem the last time I went, other than one of the ferries changed the day it sailed, but by only one day.

Good grief,

Sharon

JoLui,
I just checked the website you gave me for the ferries. It seems to give me the information I need. I am going to do a bare bones structure of the trip - thank you.

Booking accommodation months in advance is always a problem when choosing islands that are poorly connected by ferries.

In your case, if you respect this Sifnos-Syros-Tinos-Andros sequence, it is only the Sifnos-Syros part that may require you to have a stopover and possibly arrive in Syros later than planned. (not to mention the problems due to bad weather which prevents the ferries from sailing)

For the other parts you can establish your schedule and book your accommodation without worry.

That being said I would stay longer than 3 days in Tinos which is really an island that deserves it.

• Note that you can go back in time and see the ferry schedules in May 2022 with openseas.gr

http://www.openseas.gr/

By entering your departure island you will get the list of arrival islands without changing ferries.
If a crossing is possible on the chosen date you will see the list of ferries / days / times and crossing times of these ferries in 2022.

Be careful to take into account the days of the week and not the day of the month.
For example if you plan a ferry on Sunday May 14, 2023, compare with the schedules for Sunday May 15, 2022

By clicking on "Select" then "Continue Booking "on one of the possibilities you will obtain the details of the route taken by the ferry.

The schedules are relatively stable from year to year, so if you see a possibility in 2022 there is a good chance The schedules are relatively stable from year to year, so if you see a possibility in 2022 there is a good chance to have the same in 2023.

Thank you JoLui.

I will check out this website also.

I agree with you re Tinos. As I research it more, it really does appeal to me. I am not aligning with Andros as much as Tinos so may reverse the stay. I am really happy with Sifnos, Syros and Tinos.

Sharon