Hello travelers,
I will be taking the ferry from Piraeus to Spetses then to Hydra and back to Athens in May 2026. I originally planned to spend 3 nights in Spetses, 4 nights in Hydra and 3 nights in Athens. I don't have reservations yet and wondered if the stay is adequate for each Island. Should I spend more time in Hydra and less in Spetses or is this itinerary doable?
I'm trying to relax more and not rush thru each visit. I'm interested in Aegina, Agistri and Poros on my future trips. I appreciate your thoughts and recommendations.
LAH
Posted by
France Southwest
3222 posts
How many days you spend on an island depends entirely on you and your travel style.
Since you've already traveled to the Greek islands, you probably have an idea of what constitutes "enough" or "not enough" time.
Considering ferry travel times, accommodation-port transfers, check-in and check-out times, and time to settle in, 3 nights are only 2 full days, which isn't much when you're just looking for a relaxing stay.
Visiting 2 islands means 3 days (Athens to Island 1, from Island 1 to Island 2, from Island 2 to Athens), mostly spent traveling.
Personally, I never stay less than 5 days (6 nights) on an island, and by the time I get to the last day, I often feel like it's not enough.
From a ferry schedule perspective, you'll have quite a few ferries every day for this trip, regardless of the order in which you visit these islands. So no need to worry about ferry reservation.
Since Hydra has been a very inspiring island for many artists, including Henry Miller and Leonard Cohen, you might consider some reading in preparation for this trip:
Posted by
OP
Georgia
25 posts
JoLui,
I counted the flight time in my itinerary but not the ferry time and lodging check-in.
I'll continue researching these islands to get a sense of what I can expect (and appreciate).
Thanks for the info and link.
LAH