Dividing our time between Santorini and Crete

Crete has much more to see and do, being a much bigger island. Santorini is great for a short visit but I wouldn't recommend more than 2 or 3 days there.

Crete is huge and takes a minimum of a week with a rental just to barely scratch the surface. So if you can afford it when you first arrive fly straight away out to Santorini then take the highspeed ferry to Crete for the bulk of your time.

Thanks, Lee & Brandy, We'll start some juggling. To give us a bit more time we might want to leave Athens (for Santorini) on a Sunday. Typically we try to avoid travel between places on a Sunday, but in this case it looks like it would be good if we can make it work. Do you know of any particular problems with this connection (Athens-Santorini) on a Sunday? Also, Lee, we were thinking we would go by boat from Athens to Santorini but you mention flying there. Is that better? Again, this would now be making that shift on a Sunday. (We will have been flying from Seattle, thru London, to Athens and arriving Friday so we do plan to spend at least 2 nights in Athens, to 'catch up' with ourselves hence the tentative Sunday departure from Athens.)

Olympic Airlines and Aegean Airlines each have 3-4 flights a day between Athens & Santorini. Both fly on Sundays. Book very soon if you want to get the best prices. Flight takes only 45 minutes. Ferry takes 5-8 hours. There is nothing romantic about a Greek ferry ride.

The ferry, depending on whether it's a conventional car ferry or a highspeed catamaran, takes between 5-8 hours to reach Santorini, so one full day is shot in the process of going there by boat. I live in Oregon so I know about the long haul to get to Athens and the jet lag, but I swear it's better to tough it out and catch an ongoing flight to Santorini right at first than it is to give yourselves time to catch up in a hotel in Athens. I do understand that if you haven't built in any time at the end of your trip to explore Athens then staying there at the beginning is the only option you have if you want to see the sights there. Conventional wisdom suggests you save Athens for the end so you have a little extra time to return to the mainland in case of a delay or cancellation. Nothing ruins a vacation faster than a missed connection that's too tight. By late May there is at least one daily ferry to Santorini and as many as 4 flights/day each on two separate airlines, Aegean Airlines and Olympic Air, so making a connection isn't usually much of a problem. Flights from Seattle most likely arrive between 10am and 2pm. Just be sure to give yourselves at least 2 hours to make the outgoing connection. You will have already passed through Passport Control and Customs at the other EU airport on your way to Athens so all you have to do is collect your bags and go, either upstairs to check in for your ongoing flight, or to catch the airport express bus to Piraeus for a ferry or the Metro into Athens to your hotel. Ferry tickets to Santorini cost around €34 one way for the cheapest economy ticket on a car ferry and almost double that for the highspeed cat. If you're lucky you can take advantage of Aegean Airlines 'saver' fares which are about €39, all taxes included.

I agree with Lee, Santorini is what I consider just a bit too far on a ferry to be comfortable or efficient. Aegean or Olympia offer easy flights. Santorini is spectacular to see, but honestly, I did it with an overnight from Naxos to Crete and was fine, I may go back, but more than 2 or 3 days pales in comparision to what you could do on crete. On Crete, I would definitely plan on some time in Chania, maybe the Samara gorge, Heraklion with the museum and the Arch site. You can also find a number of great beaches, we spent a number of days in the town of Matala, just relaxing.

I'm hearing you on the ferry thing. But my husband really, really, really wants to do the cat. It looks like it leaves at 7:30 am (early in my book!!!) but our Athens host says that's not a problem for our departure. On the flights, the Aegean timing was certainly better (10:30 am departure - 45 minute flight). But, hey, it's called vacation and "adventure" so .... looking like it's the fast ferry unless something goes terribly wrong. I'm encouraged to hear the good reports for Crete. I'm still working on getting the days back-end loaded with 'Crete days'. Is the driving as daunting as reported? Maybe that's a question for another thread, tho'.... We did end up booking time in Athens, BTW. This is the front of an 8-9 week trip and we aren't heading back through Greece. From Crete it's on to Geneva, and beyond. So, those initial days are our only shot at Athens.

As far as I'm concerned the only redeeming aspect of travel by catamaran is the time saved vs. a conventional car ferry. They're enclosed, which means there's no fresh air and you can't go outside and walk around on a deck. The windows are usually cloudy with salt residue, meaning the visibility is poor. If the seas are choppy they bob like a cork.

Hi Keri- I strongly recommend that you spend the few euro extra to purchase reserved aircraft-style indoor lounge reclining seats so you can relax, maybe nap, and still get up and stroll around without worrying about someone taking your seat. I think those tickets cost around €38 each. That morning departure is on a Blue Star Ferry. They have a website. FYI-You can buy your ferry tickets right at the Athens Airport when you first arrive from the travel desk of Amphitrion Holidays in the Arrivals Hall between Exit/Entry Doors 2&3. Cash only, no cards. There are ATMs close by.

Oh, Lee, you have described our most recent Cat. travel to a "t" (Seattle to Victoria, last summer), down to the salt encrusted , minimal-view windows!!! With that reminder, focus has shifted to the slower ferry. It looks like it leaves a half hour earlier (7am) and arrives a bit later. Given that we have 8 weeks of airports and short hops on budget carriers (think RA and EJ!) ahead of us, a boat will (at the least) be a diversion in our travel types.

Thank you, Lee, this is very helpful information indeed. We had gotten to the point of finding a mention of the "reserved aircraft-style" seats and wasn't sure what that was all about. It sounded good, but ... not too clear. It's good to hear your recommendation as we were leaning toward that. And it's also good to know about the airport option to purchase (and in cash, only). The puzzle pieces are starting to come together!!

keri, One other point to mention regarding travel on the "fast Cats", is that the "bobbing motion" is not the only issue. I find that the air inside is sometimes "stale" and mixed with the smell of diesel fumes. The combination of motion and fumes is one that encourages motion sickness! I usually try to position myself beside an open doorway so that I can get some fresh air. Cheers!

" If the seas are choppy they bob like a cork." Amen to that. If you're going to take a ferry or cat, you'd be wise to bring along some anti-motion sickness medication. Even on a bright sunny day the Aegean can get choppy. I've been on more than one ferry ride where some passengers were turning a variety of shades of green.

Tom, Ken,
Lee has nudged us (helpfully) back to considering the 'slower' (but open) ferry. It arrives 3pm-ish into Santorini which, given the fact that it avoids airports (a good thing!), isn't all that bad for a change of location. As far as 'bobbing' (on any of the boat types), we have traveled on a couple of the ferry types between the UK and Ireland, the boat between UK and France (before the Chunnel), and some ferries between Seattle and various points in Canada. Should we expect the seas to be noticeably different here? (IAC, better safe than sorry -- so this question is more of a point of curiosity rather than trying to debate your suggestion!)

Let me just add that the car ferry you'll be taking from Athens/Piraeus is part of the Blue Star Ferry fleet, and as such it is modern, large and very stable. They even have stabilizer props facing left and right that help keep the ship from rocking side-to-side in rough seas. They are the smoothest ferries I've every ridden. That said, the seas are not choppy in late-May, barring a freak storm, so your trip will be very pleasant. One more thing: You'll be very glad you sailed into the caldera on the open deck of a car ferry. That first-time view is NOT to be missed. It's a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Be sure to have your cameras ready! The first village up on the cliff you pass by as you enter is Oia. Down at sea level is Amoudi Bay. http://www.santorini-web.com/map.pdf