Islands in April

You might want to consider doing Athens last so you are on the mainland on your last night. Sometimes things happen and not being able to get back to Athens for your flight is not a good outcome.

I would look at Naxos if you want to consider another island. It has flights and ferry connections.

We figured we would do a last night in Athens right before our flight back. We'd like to use ferry connections between Athens and the islands (my husband is Not A Fan of smaller planes)

Sifnos being my first Greek island which I visited 35 years ago, and which made me love the Greek islands and its inhabitants, I can only approve of your choice.

The tourist season generally begins around mid-April, the "beach" establishments open roughly from June, but there are always accommodations and restaurants / bars open throughout the year.

• Ferries to Sifnos:

Ferry timetables for April 2025 will not be released before early March 2025, but you can see the Piraeus → Sifnos ferry timetable in April 2024 here (change the date if necessary):

http://www.openseas.gr/PIR/SIF/2024-04-07/2024-04-07/itineraries.

Zante Ferries' Dionisos Solomos operates this route 4 days a week all year round, it is a traditional ferry.

Seajets ferries are seasonal fast ferries.

Switch Departure-Arrival to see the schedules in April 2024 for your return trip to Piraeus

Ferries arrive at the port of Kamares, on the north side of the island. There is no need to book the ferry in advance.

• Transportation in Sifnos

Sifnos has a good bus network but it is rather limited outside the tourist season.

See bus schedules in mid-April (with a map of bus routes):

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rnhkiegNT33DV_9iE9iR0H9ETgV3Z0LS/view?usp=sharing

All bus lines depart from Artemonas / Apollonia (the capital).

So I recommend you to rent a car.

• Accommodation:

Before using booking.com or other third party services I advise you to see the island's website:

https://www.roomsinsifnos.com/

It is managed locally. You can contact the owners directly this year to find out their opening dates in 2025.

I went to Sifnos in May, June and October and stayed in different places (including once in a grocery store!), but each time I had a scooter or a rental car.

Sifnos was our very first Greek Island we went to way back in Oct. 2010.

At the time it was lovely, hardly any tourists and stayed in Kamares the main town/port of the island.

I know Sifnos has now become popular but April should be quiet unless it's around Greek Easter, April 20.

Bear in mind just because one travels off season doesn't mean Greece shuts down.

They'll always be shops, markets and tavernas open for locals which for us is fine as we like to fit in with locals rather than tourists.

It's just a matter of just how much open you want. If you want more options then an island like Naxos would be good as it's the largest of the Cyclades and Naxos Town should provide more than enough options for services.

It's about 3-5 hours or so from Piraeus depending on the type of ferry.

This is quite a coincidence — Sifnos was our first Greek island as well, in September 2003. We stayed in Kamares for 3 nights, and fell in love with Greek islands and people. So I too approve of your choice. Although beware, this could be the start of a Greek island addiction.

Thank you everyone -- Sifnos sounds addicting. ;)

Most tourists from Europe and USA flock to the Cyclades islandsforgetting that Greece has many other beautiful islands . The Dodecanese islands famous for the islands of Patmos ( the island of the Apocalypse) Kos the island of Hippocrates, Rhodes with the best preserved medieval town in Europe .
So have a look about the Dodecanese islands as an alternative to the Cyclades
https://www.in2greece.com/english/places/summer/islands/dodecanese/