Ferry or fly to Naxos

Where are you traveling from? Athens? Or one of the other islands? Are you staying somewhere before you get to Naxos, for instance in Athens for a few days beforehand. What about the return journey?

If, as you mentioned in your first post, you're arriving in Athens on May 19th from Croatia, I assume you're coming from Dubrovnik on the flight that lands at 7:20 PM. In that case, it will be too late to catch a connecting flight to Naxos or a ferry.

Therefore, you have 3 options:

• 1/ Stay overnight at the Avra ​​Hotel in Rafina (free shuttle to/from the airport), and take a flight to Naxos the next morning, or a ferry from the port of Rafina where the Avra ​​Hotel is located.

Ferry schedules from Rafina on May 20th:

https://www.ferryhopper.com/en/booking/results?itinerary=RAF,JNX00&dates=20260520

• 2/ Stay overnight at the Port of Piraeus and take a ferry to Naxos the next morning.

• 3/ Stay in Athens for two or three days and then take a ferry (more convenient) or a flight to Naxos.

Also, according to your other post, since you have a return flight from Athens on May 26th, you will need to be back in Athens by the 25th at the latest.

My preferred options would be:

• Stay overnight at the hotel Avra in Rafina on the night of May 19th. On May 20th, lunch at the port of Rafina and take the 2 PM Golden Princess ferry to Naxos (arriving in Naxos at 5:40 PM).

• Or on May 20th, I would take the 10:05 AM Sky Express flight to Naxos (arriving in Naxos at 10:45 AM).

Then, on May 24th, return to Athens by ferry or flight.

This makes for 3 full days in Naxos (4 nights) and 2 nights in Athens (1.5 days).

Based on JoLui's information, I would fly round-trip Athens-Naxos. Why waste so much time on a basically boring ferry. Spend those hours on the beautiful beaches! The Naxos airport is tiny - it can only accommodate one plane load of passengers at a time, so it's quick to get through on arrival and you need less than an hour lead time when you leave. It's a short taxi ride from town.

Thank you. We have two days in Athens before Naxos. I’m now thinking of flying one way and ferry the other.

Even though Chani might not be the biggest fan of ferries, it's worth noting that they often provide a much more enjoyable experience than flying. Traveling by ferry and arriving at a Greek island port is far more captivating than spending an hour in a cramped airplane cabin just to touch down on a runway. It's definitely not a waste of time.

Anyone who enjoys traveling to the Greek islands will tell you the same thing.

So first of all, do what seems most convenient to you.

My ferry experience was limited to 2 trips, Heraklion to Santorini, then Santorini to Naxos in mid-October, ostensibly the end of tourist season. Both times, instructions were to arrive 1 hour before departure. Since Naxos is relatively small, it's possible that you don't need to be at the ferry port nearly that much in advance. It was all reserved seating and there wasn't much to do. (At least on the plane you can look out the window). Disembarking in Santorini was crazy. You started lining up more than half an hour before arrival - and scrambling to get your suitcase from the self-storage shelves, where other passengers may have moved your case or blocked access to it with their bags. Then there was a crush to get to ground transportation. Certainly that's not the case in Naxos, but what about Athens?

Chani, I understand your opinion about the ferries better now.

For both trips, you took Seajets catamaran ferries where the seats are assigned and there are no outdoor decks (or a deck/terrace at the stern without any outdoor facilities). Furthermore, going to or from Santorini is indeed a real nightmare in the port, especially since mid-October is still very busy season in Santorini.

The port of Naxos is completely different, there's absolutely no need to be at the port 1 hour before the ferry departs. We typically show up at the port 1 hour before departure and have plenty of time to settle into a café and enjoy a drink before boarding.

There's no need to take a transfer or a taxi to the airport and be there 1h or more before your flight.

From Naxos, there are conventional Blue Star ferries to Piraeus. They're cheaper, much more comfortable, with unassigned seats and outdoor decks. This is the first piece of advice when traveling by ferry: if you have the option, always choose a conventional ferry over a Seajets ferry. Travel time isn't everything to consider.

Traveling through a beautiful country, without being rushed, and arriving at a pleasant destination: that's what matters.

I’m not familiar with the Golden Princess, but I love floating through the Greek islands on a big, stable Blue Star ferry. I think it’s an important part of the Greek experience. If that means spending your first night in a hotel in Piraeus and catching an early morning ferry to Naxos, that’s what I think you should do. You’ll arrive relaxed and ready to explore Naxos. Then fly back to Athens at the end of your stay.