Hey Travel Friends... I'm heading to Greece for 9 days, spending the first two in athens, the next three in nafplio, and hopefully the next 2 on a beautiful Greek Island and back to Athens a night early so as not to miss the flight home. Would love to get to Santorini, but can't justify the time spent on the boat with limited days. Any recommendations on closer to mainland islands and places to stay? Thanks & keep on exploring!
Posted by
Camarillo, California
3122 posts
It takes 30 minutes to fly to Santorini. There may still be cheap fares available. Check the Olympic Air and Aegean Airlines websites.
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32212 posts
Chris, As Lee mentioned, it would be possible to get to Santorini for a couple of days if travelling by air. However, you'd need to return to the airport at Athens, which is about a 2.5-hour drive from Nafplio. I believe there's rail service from Nafplio to Corinth and then to Athens. Aegean appears to have flights departing Athens at 10:35 and 18:20, so it might be a bit challenging to get to the airport in time for the morning flight (might be possible if you departed Nafplio early, and arranged transport directly to the airport with George the famous Taxi Driver). Travel in the evening would basically use one of your travel days, so it might not be worth the effort. You might also consider a visit to Hydra, as it's only a short trip from Piraeus by boat, and would be easier to manage the transportation. You might have a look at This Website as you may get some ideas for other nearby locations. Happy travels!
Posted by
Grand Rapids, MI, US
37 posts
Try Naxos!! Beautiful Arch of Apollo! Great hiking! Cute, waterfront town.
Posted by
Orange, CA, US
51 posts
I agree Naxos is beautiful and has less tourists. We very much enjoyed it. If you want spectacular, like a "Grand Canyon wow", we would recommend Santorini. We took Aegean air from Athens and like Lee says, it is very quick. The hotel owner picked us up (no cost, but we did tip). We stayed at the Aroma Suites in Fira. See tripadvisor.com. Owner very helpful. Rented a ATV and saw the whole island.