We plan to drive from Delphi to Athens and catch a ferry to Mykonos on Sept. 17th. After 3 days in Mykonos we plan to ferry to Santrini on Sept. 20th, stay there for three nights and return to Athens on Sept 23. The ferry web site I am searching and the book I am reading (Greek Island Hopping -2008)do not have information on connections between Mykonos and Santorini. Before booking hotels, I want to make sure that we can do the Mykonos-Santorini ferry trip without returning to Piraeus from Mykonos and taking a ferry from there to Santorini. Does anyone have any information on this topic? Thank you.
Posted by
Camarillo, California
3149 posts
You can see on this website
that the Hellenic Seaways FlyingCat4 runs between Mykonos and Crete with stops at Paros, Ios and Santorini, and it will be operating on September 20 (note the no-sail Wednesdays).
You would also have a second option by taking the 10am morning Superjet to Paros to catch the Blue Star ferry when it stops at Noon on the way to Santorini. This would actually get you to Santorini earlier in the day than the FC4.
These ferries and routes are some of the most reliable and widely-used in the Cyclades. Unless something unforseen happens such as a mechanical breakdown or high winds you can be assured that you'll get to Santorini on September 20.
Posted by
OP
Anywhere
2 posts
Thank you very much. I went to the site you recommended and see that the trip is possible. You seem very knowledgeable about this matter. If I may ask another question, how choppy is the ocean usually? We have island-hoped via ferries in the Caribbean a lot, with no problem. However, the only time we ferried in Europe was between a little town in Italy called Florida Lerichi and Cinque Terras, also in Sept. The ocean was so choppy that people were getting sick and all subsequent ferries were cancelled for the day. I read in one of the books that there is a strong meltemi wind in high season that rushes along the Cyclades north. Is there a particular part of the trip (athens to Mykonos, Mykonos to Santorini and then back to Athens) that is choppier than other stretches? Is the entire ferry trip likely to be choppy? We like ferries for the relaxation and views. But if choppy oceans are the norm we will forake ferrying and fly. Thanks so much.
Posted by
Camarillo, California
3149 posts
The wind does blow a bit in September but there's really no way to know what it will be like then. The FlyingCat4 and the Superjet are fairly small but if the sea is choppy you can minimize the discomfort if you sit along the centerline of the ship so the side-to-side rocking motion is minimized.
If you take the second option I mentioned you'll only be in the small ferry from Mykonos to Paros, for only an hour. From Paros to Santorini would be on the Blue Star ferry and it's huge and very stable, even if the seas are choppy.
Posted by
Athens, GA, USA
14 posts
Over 3 weeks in 1997, I ferried from:
Athens to Sifnos.
Sifnos to Paros.
Paros to Santorini.
Santorini back to Mykonos we took the hydrofoil.
Mykonos to Athens.
It was quite a relief to take the fast boat from Santorini to Mykonos, because via the slow boat it would've been a very long day.
Consider the faster boats, because those long ferry rides get boring fast.
Posted by
Atherton
11 posts
What no one warned us is that the fast ferries--at least all that we were on--don't have a place to stand outside and the windows aren't very clear. So you have a very limited view of the islands as you are traveling.
We were very, very happy that we took the Blue Star "Paros" from Paros to Naxos and then to Santorini and were able to sit and stand outside and see the islands as we traveled and the views of Santorini as we approached. (It leaves Paros at 11:55 and gets to Santorini at 15:00.)
Posted by
Camarillo, California
3149 posts
Your posting causes me to wonder if you asked for details such as whether or not the fast ferries had open decks. If you didn't, what would motivate someone to mention it?
Did you do any research on your own, such as looking for photos of the ferries you were considering? It's pretty easy to see from the photos which ferries have open decks and which are enclosed.
Posted by
Atherton
11 posts
No, we didn't ask and lucked out. But I wanted to let Mercedes know before she decided what ferry to take.