Each island in Greece has different customs and landscapes. Island-hopping in Greece is actually a quite easy and affordable experience for everyone. Regular ferries can help you experience island-hopping with less than €50 to the country's most spectacular islands. A visit to Greece isn't complete without at least one island staycation.
Greece has 2,654 islands, 164 of those are inhabited, so visiting them might be daunting. Travel between islands is actually somewhat costly and not quite as feasible. It is not practical for me to just randomly choose an assortment of islands. More importantly, the Greek islands are not one monolithic entity. That is because, again, of the magnitude and diversity of the archipelagos. Each has its own character.
1. Make a list of all the Greek islands with airports.
Most airports in Greece only have direct flights to Athens on either Olympic Air or Aegean Airlines. Major islands have seasonal flights to various airports in other European countries.
2. What to expect in the Greek islands
The Greek Islands offer a fairly laid-back culture with plenty of good food and drink to offer. A lot of these islands have volcanic origins.
3. Credit cards
Most restaurants & hotels accept credit cards, but still bring cash.
4. When to go
August is when a lot of Greek people leave the city & have their vacations on the islands. May to mid-July, and then again in September are your best bets. Make sure to book early.
For famous islands, unfortunately, you have to book many months in advance. Island hopping during the off-season can be a great way to experience the islands without the crowds.
5. Choosing an island
Hydra has speedy connections to Athens and the Peloponnese and easily-reached beaches. Mykonos and Santorini are two of the most popular Greek islands.. Mykonos is an adorable, windmill-topped fishing village slathered in white. Santorini is the most interesting in structure of all the Greek islands, and arguably the most picturesque.
While each Greek island has its own twist and popular features, most offer the same basic ingredients. This main towns are generally the hub for transportation, both to other islands and within the island.
6. Booking.com
Book a hotel in Greece through Booking.com. Airbnb apartments are also included in Booking.com.
7. Buying your ferry tickets
Just log in Ferries in Greece or Let's Ferry to buy tickets in advance. Or you can buy from your travel agent. Plan your route in a circular motion to minimise ferry time. Make sure you do it early as the number of seats may be limited.
8. Accomodation
Accommodations really should be booked as early as possible. Not all of the islands have hostels. Check if an island has a hostel at Hostelworld by typing in the name of the island.
9. Exploring the different islands through what?
Some of the larger Greek Islands will have airports which accept international flights. The only real way to travel between the islands to explore is by ferry. It is by far more pleasant. The larger ferries are more "magical" but may take a longer time.
Are you ready to explore?
