Island hopping in Greece

Hop from one to the other island

Greece is famous for its islands. In total Greece has around 1400 islands, and only 277 of these are inhabited. Each island has its own unique character: one has white sandy beaches, the other black volcano beaches and some are famous for their green scenery, nature life, hospitality of the locals and for their wine! Wouldn’t it be great to hop around them?

Here’s what to do! Take a plane to Athens (lately there are many low cost airlines that you can use). You may take a few days in Athens if you feel like it. From Athens, you take the metro to Piraeus. This is the harbor, from where you can take the boat to many different islands. You can even visit Turkey for a day or go from here to Italy. You can also take the bus to Kyllini where you catch the ferry. Check this website for boat connections and times.

For instance: take the bus from Athens to Kyllini. It’ll take you around 4.5 hours. From Kyllini there is a direct ferry connection to Zakynthos; the boat ride is about 1 hour. Zakynthos is like a tropical island with white sandy beaches. Go turtle watching or snorkeling between the rocks; enjoy the Zakynthos hospitality and green scenery of the island.

You can also take the boat from Piraeus to Mykonos. This trip takes about 4 hours. Even if it’s one of the smallest islands it is said to be one of the most beautiful island with cute streets and picturesque villages and a wild nightlife.

From Mykonos you can catch ferries to Paros (45 min), Santorini (2.5 hours) and many more islands. Paros is especially famous for its wine. Visit Naoussa, a little fishing village on the island. Fishing is the main income source for the islanders. Paros offers all a tourist is looking for: white sandy beaches, culture (churches), nice food and a wild nightlife. From Paros you can catch a ferry to Santorini (3.10 hours), Crete (3.45 hours), Naxos (45min) and many more islands.

Santorini has red and black sand beaches as it sits opposite a volcano. The island has a rocky landscape with many mountains where you have an amazing view on the other islands. Many people stay in the tourist area but if you want to see the “real” Santorini go out and explore the island.

Crete is the biggest island of Greece, famous among young tourists as it is one of the best party island in Europe? This is especially so in Hersonisos. Crete is the furthest island from mainland Greece; the inhabitants speak another dialect and name themselves Cretans instead of Greeks. There is a strong culture of traditions. Visit the Samaria Gorge, the deepest valley in Europe where you can find heaps of wildlife.

Naxos is the greenest island and has high mountains. You can still see the women in traditional dresses; the people live of the agriculture as the island is full of olive and fruit trees. If you go out of the cities you will find beautiful peaceful beaches. From Naxos, you can hop on ferries to Rhodos (11 hours) and Kos (6.5 hours), the islands in front of the Turkish coastline.

You can easily hop from one island to another, there are many more options than the ones mentioned above, check the link to create your own island hopping tour. The time from one island to another depends on the type of ferry; you can also take a flight on some of the islands.

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