A GREEK’S GUIDE TO GREECE
last updated: May 2023
As a Greek currently leaving in London, I am fully aware that there is a ‘barrier to entry’ for foreign travellers when it comes to travelling to lesser known corners of Greece. Most notably, the problem lies with finding and booking ferries and flights for Greek islands that don’t have international airports (which is the majority of them!). That’s why I am here. Let’s break that barrier down.
This post is part of a series of blog posts highlighting the best ways to travel to and around the Greek islands. In this specific blog post, I will cover how to find and book:
- ferries and flights to travel between the Greek islands and the mainland, and
- ferries from one island to another.
THE ROAD MAP TO A GREEK ISLAND HOLIDAY
In a nutshell, reaching islands that do not have an international airport typically involves:
- Greek airlines that operate flights connecting the bigger islands to the mainland.
- Greek ferry companies that operate routes connecting all islands to the mainland and to each other, usually within the geographical boundaries of the various island groups.
If you are unsure as to which islands have international or domestic airports and whether it is better to fly or take the boat, you need to go one step back. Check out the first part of this series of blog posts where I talk about your options on how to get to the Cycladic and Dodecanese islands (which are the hardest to get to):
A Greek’s Guide to… Travelling to the Greek islands -How to get to the Cyclades & Dodecanese
Once you know what to look for, you will need to know where to look, in order to book ferries and flights for the Greek islands. That’s what this blog post is all about and it is easier than you might think!
Let’s begin.
FLIGHTS FROM THE MAINLAND TO THE GREEK ISLANDS
Mykonos, Santorini, Rhodes, Corfu and Crete are filled with visitors from all corners of the world thanks to direct connections with many airports abroad. However, the rest of the Greek islands, despite their beauty and appeal, remain an unknown quantity for so many travellers. For these hidden gems, we are not just talking about lack of connections with airports worldwide. It hasn’t been until the last 10 years or so that flights have been established between many of the smaller islands and the Greek mainland. Needless to say, the variety of airlines operating these domestic routes is limited.
GREEK AIRLINES IN A NUTSHELL
ABOUT AEGEAN AIRLINES
There aren’t many airlines serving the Greek islands. From that small pool, Aegean Airlines is, by far, the star of the show. It is a full service carrier (not a low cost airline) whose size, reputation and wide network of routes place it on a whole other league compared to other airlines flying the friendly Greek skies. I have flown with Aegean Airlines multiple times, within Greece and from London, and always appreciate the professional and friendly crew and tasty meals.
Aegean Airlines is actually quite the success story in the business world, having modestly started in the 1990s with a few domestic flights. The airline slowly but surely expanded to connect major Greek cities and a few of the islands to airports worldwide. Aegean Airlines is privately owned, however, it is informally considered as Greece’s national carrier. Buying out debt-ridden state-owned Olympic Airways in 2013 meant that the country’s actual national carrier remained under Greek ownership. Furthermore, sustaining flight routes to remote Greek islands is maintaining a lifeline for those communities. It’s worth noting that many island flights still operate under the Olympic Air banner (but you are basically flying with Aegean).
Explore Aegean Airline’s Greek island destinations here.
ABOUT SKY EXPRESS
While researching flights to the Greek islands, you may also stumble upon Sky Express. On my travels to the Greek islands, I have flown twice with them; once from Athens to Astypalaia and once from Santorini to Thessaloniki.
Sky Express has been operating in Greece since 2005. This young company’s motto is owning one of the youngest fleets with the smallest environmental footprint in the region. There is not much I can say about them really, both my flights were fine. I do recall the luggage allowance being quite generous, though this might have changed by now; its been a few years since my last flight with them.
Explore Sky Express’ Greek island destinations here.
TOP TIP -SIT BACK, RELAX & ENJOY THE FLIGHT
Not all flights to the islands will be on small propeller planes (like my photos may have you believe) but some may well be, regardless of the airline. Excited yet?
HOW TO FIND & BOOK FLIGHTS TO THE GREEK ISLANDS
These are my 3 simple steps to find and book flights to the Greek islands. In fact, this is how I book flights for wherever I travel in the world, not just Greece.
Step 1: Use a flight search engine
I use Skyscanner to find flight schedules and compare prices. Both the above mentioned airlines are included within their search function.
Step 2: Head to the airline’s own website
Once I find a convenient date, time and route, I will head to the website of the actual airline and double check the price. Skyscanner filters highlight the lowest price which is usually provided by third parties, and not the airline itself.
Step 3: Book your ticket
When it is time to book, I always book my tickets from within the airline’s own website. This might come with a small price premium compared to the price Skyscanner provided. However, I have heard enough complaints about many of the ‘brokers’ that Skyscanner refers you to, to know better than to use them. Even if I end up paying a bit more, I book straight from the source.
ABOUT ATHENS AIRPORT & HOW TO TRANSIT BETWEEN THE AIRPORT & PORTS
While this is not always the case, you will be most likely flying to the islands from Athens. There is only one airport in Athens. It serves both national and international routes, which makes things nice and easy, especially if you are flying in from abroad on the same day. Check out
A Greek’s Guide to… Travelling to the Greek islands -Athens airport & ports FAQs
for the things you need to know about Athens International Airport, including how to transit to / from central Athens or the Athenian ports.
FERRIES TO / AROUND THE GREEK ISLANDS
Getting on a ferry is the classic start to Greek summer.
If you hate feeling like a tourist and wish to blend in with the locals, hop on a boat. Get up on deck. Feeling the salty breeze and gazing at the sparkling deep blue sea under the scorching sun with an iced coffee at hand is what you will see everyone doing… along with looking at their phones! But seriously, the boat journey is part of the Greek summer experience! As an additional benefit, being out at sea will help you switch off and get into holiday mode in a way that in-flight entertainment could never do.
Greece is a small country but has a remarkable naval tradition. Some of the companies that operate routes to the islands have been around for decades and hold large fleets of catamarans (fastest), ferry boats (cheapest) and hydrofoils (for short trips). In a nutshell, passenger boats in Greece are safe, modern, comfortable and, overall, pleasant to travel with.
Let’s have a quick look at some of the most notable ferry companies in Greece. Then, I will explain how to find and book boat tickets.
GREEK FERRIES IN A NUTSHELL
The two lists below are not exhaustive but include companies I have personally travelled with and are amongst the most well-known in Greece. I have had very good experiences with all of them. By clicking on the links, you can check routes and schedules and book online. Some companies offer electronic tickets; for the rest, you will be able to pick up your ticket from the port.
Greek ferry companies to look out for when travelling to the islands of the Aegean Sea:
They all operate conventional ferries and high speed catamarans / jets.
- Blue Star Ferries covers a ton of islands throughout the Aegean Sea.
- Hellenic Seaways also covers a ton of islands throughout the Aegean Sea.
- Seajets runs routes to the Cyclades and southern Dodecanese islands starting from Athens or Crete. They also have an extensive inter-island route in the Cyclades starting from the island of Syros covering many other islands, including Minor Cyclades. There is even a Sporades route from Thessaloniki.
- Minoan Lines connects Crete, Cyclades and Athens with a variety of routes.
- Dodekanisos Seaways exclusively runs routes between the islands of the Dodecanese.
Greek ferry companies to look out for when travelling to the islands of the Ionian Sea:
- Levante Ferries connects Zakythos (Zante), Kefalonia and Ithaca to the mainland and each other.
- Ionion Pelagos Lines connects Lefkada, Zakynthos (Zante), Kefalonia and Ithaca to the mainland and each other.
HOW TO FIND & BOOK FERRIES / CATAMARANS TO THE GREEK ISLANDS
These are my 3 simple steps to find and book boat tickets to the Greek islands, whether for an island hopping trip or a longer stay in one island.
Step 1: Use a ferry search engine
Once I know which island(s) I want to visit, I start my research within a ferry search engine (see my recommended below). This is far easier than going through and checking individual ferry company websites one by one. Sometimes, I will double check results with another ferry search engine just to make sure that I got information from all available companies (though this is hardly necessary with the ones I mention below).
Step 2: Browse routes, adjusting your itinerary if possible
Once I find a convenient route and timing, I will have a look at the boat’s intermediate stops as well as next port of call. This way, I get ideas as to which islands I could also easily visit on the same trip!
My advice would be to always browse available boat routes before booking anything else, especially if you are planning to visit more than one island. Aligning your island hopping itinerary with the boat route will save you time and money.
Step 3: Book your ticket
Then, I will make my booking (from either the search engines noted below or the ferry company), and voilà! Ready to go!
Ferry search engines I recommend checking out are:
TOP TIP: SUMMER FERRY ROUTES & SCHEDULES RELEASE
Summer boat schedules for routes to the islands are usually released in late January or February. I do have to stress, though, the word usually.
TOP TIP: PUNCTUALITY & TIMINGS
I have generally found Greek ferries to be punctual. I have travelled with conventional ferries and catamarans dozens of times and I have experienced delays only a handful of times. This may not sound that reassuring to you, but, late arrivals are common on windy days due to conditions at sea.
To account for that eventuality, allow plenty of time if you are catching a flight straight after your boat journey. I always allow a minimum of 2.5-3h gap between the time my boat is intended to arrive at my destination and the time I am supposed to head to the airport (not including the journey from the port to the airport).
ABOUT THE PORTS OF ATHENS & HOW TO TRANSIT BETWEEN THE AIRPORT & PORTS
There are several ports throughout the country which operate boat services to the islands. If you are visiting Greece from abroad with the intent of catching a boat, chances are that you will be travelling through Athens. There are 3 ports within the greater metropolitan area of Athens, all operating boat services to the Cyclades, the Dodecanese and Crete: Piraeus, Rafina and Lavrio.
Piraeus is Europe’s biggest passenger port and, by far, the largest port in the country. In all likelihood, your boat will be leaving from here. However, there are some islands that are served via Rafina and / or Lavrio so don’t feel like you have done something wrong if you have booked a boat departing from there! Check out
A Greek’s Guide to… Travelling to the Greek islands -Athens airport & ports FAQs
for a comparison between Piraeus, Rafina and Lavrio and how to transit to / from central Athens or Athens International Airport.
TOP TIP -DISTINGUISHING BETWEEN THE 3 PORTS OF ATHENS
When searching for ferry tickets, you are usually able to type Athens and get options for all three ports (if applicable). However, some websites do require that you input the actual name of the port. In any case, boat schedules and tickets clearly indicate the name of the Athenian port of departure / arrival.
FINAL THOUGHTS
I hope you now feel ready to plan your adventures in the Greek skies and seas! Finding and booking ferries and flights for the Greek islands is not that hard, is it? Anyways, if you are putting together an itinerary and have any questions or would like some recommendations, do reach out in the comments down below. Still looking for that perfect Greek island? Browse my Greece Travel Guides as well as my post about Under-the-radar Greek islands you need to visit. Lastly, make sure to check out the rest of A Greek’s Guide to Greece for more ‘inside information’!
…And remember, the fun starts the moment you start planning the trip! Enjoy!
This is not a sponsored post & I am not affiliated with any of the hotels, restaurants or organisations mentioned.
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