Ways to reach Lefkas from Athens

The Question:

HI Stavros,
Could you please tell me how we might get from Athens to Lefkas.
Also we would like to pend overnight in Santorini - is there any high speed ferries available?


The Answer:

Hi!

Well there are 3 different ways to reach Lefkas from Athens. The first one is by a car. The distance is 385 km and you should drive towards, Corinth, Patras (Rion), Antirion, Amfilochia, Vonitsa and finally to Lefkas. It will take you about 4 hours and the cost of tolls as a sum is 20 E as the bridge Rion-Antirion you cross is quiet expensive (11 E).

If a car is not the case, you can go to Lefkas by KTEL bus from Athens suburban coach station at 100 Kifissou Av. There are 3-4 daily routes and the trip lasts 5 hours. You can find out more at the tel. number 2105250108 about timetable and ticket cost.

Alternatevelly, there is also flight connection from Athens towards Aktion and from there there are busses going to Lefkas (25 km). The flight lasts one hour more or less.

Regarding Santorini, from Lefkas there is not available ferry connection, as they are located in difference sea-comlexes (Ionion and Aegean). There are connections with other islands in the same sea complex (Lefkas-Kefalonia-Ithaki-Paksoi-Zakynthos and Santrorini-Mykonos-Ios-Folegandros-Anafi).

Hope I helped you!

-Stavros

Ferry Service from Rhodes to Santorini

The Question:

We are traveling to Greece in Sept.
Want to know if there is Ferry Service from Rhodes to Santorini and if not then what airlines go from Rhodes to Santorini.


The Aswer:

Hey,

Unfortunatelly, it is a bit early for the sealines companies to announce their ferry schedules at this time of the year. They are expected in late March and I am sure you will find the site www.fantasticgreece.com amazing for your bookings. Air connections are being performed both by Olympics Airways and Aegean, usually through Athens.

Regards!

-Stavros

Winter Destinations in Greece

The Question:

i will be in Greece begining November 9. Besides Athens, were is the best place to visit this time of year? What are the must sees? Is Santorini or Crete good to visit this time of year?


The Answer:

Hello!
Greece has many beautiful destinations to offer during this period. Some suggestions are Kalampaka and Meteora, Ioannina, Zagorochoria and Xanthi. All these destinations are located in central and northern Greece and better reached by car, although you can also reach them by bus or train.
As far as Santorini and Crete are concerned, depending on the weather these two islands can be very picturesque. Santorini's only disadvantage is that in case there are strong winds, ferries won't be able to reach the island. Crete on the other hand, has far more options to offer and due to its southern location, the weather is also warmer and with less rainfalls.
Hope I have helped!

-Stavros

Travelling from Italy to Lefkada, Zante and Santorini

The Question:

hello I will be travelling from italy to greece and would like to visit santorini as well as lefkada and possibly zante and am having troubles connecting the pathways,
can you please assist me,
thanks Stavros!!


The Answer:

Hello!
This sounds like a nice trip!
So, if you start from Italy then you will probably stop at either Igoumenitsa or Patras. From Patras you need to either rent a car or catch a bus to reach Zante or Lefkada. There is no direct ferry connection from Lefkada to Zante. To reach Zante you can take the bus from Patras which will take you to Killini and from there you will take the ferry to Zante. To reach Lefkada, you can take the bus from Patras and it will take you straight there, without having to take a ferry since the island is connected to the mainland by a bridge. Another interesting way to travel from Lefkada to Zante is to take the ferry from Vassiliki in Lefkada and go to Kefallonia and from the Kefallonia (southern part) take the ferry to Zante.
Santorini is on the other side of Greece and belongs to the Aegean Sea islands. To reach Santorini you need to take the ferry from the port of Athens (Piraeus) or take a plane from the Athens International Airport.
Hope I have helped!

-Stavros

From Andros to the Cyclades

The Question:

we would like to visit some of cyclades on the way too or from andros where we stay with friends.where would be the best place to start and finish for flights home.

The Answer:

Hello there!
From Andros you can take the ferry to Mykonos and from there visit many other islands that belong to the Cyclades. You can check all available ferry itineraries and schedules at www.fantasticgreece.com and choose the ones you are interested in!
The islands that have airports so that you can catch a flight back home are Mykonos, Santorini, Milos, otherwise you need to return to Athens!

-Stavros

Is pre-booking necessary in September for the greek islands?

The Question:

Thank you Stavros that was most helpful.
Also, in September is it safe to just show up at Naxos, Santorini and Corfuwithout pre booking accommodation, and choosing good places once we get offthe ferry?
Athas

The Answer:

September is not a peak period for Greece, so the majority of hotels have available rooms even in places such as Santorini and Corfu. As a result, a pre-booking is not necessay, unless you want to something very specific or have something special in mind!

-Stavros

From Crete to Athens through the Cyclades

The Question:

What's the best way to get from Crete to Athens through the Cyclades?
Thanks ... Thea

The Answer:

Hello Thea!
I think the best way is to catch the ferry from Heraklion on Crete and travel to Santorini and from there catch the next ferry or plane to Athens!
It is the shortest route, with flying dolphin vessels and you will also get to see Santorini which is an amazing island!

-Stavros

From Bodrum to Santorini

The Question:

Round trip bodrom to santorini.

The Answer:

Hello,
There are no ferries departing from Bodrum to Santorini island. There are only ferry connections to the greek islands of Rhodes and Kos. From these two islands you can take another ferry to take you to Santorini. Ferry departures are not daily though.
To check greek ferry itineraries visit www.fantasticgreece.com/boats. For the ferry connection between Turkey and Greece, there is no official website, so you need to contact the local port authorities to find out regarding the ferry schedules.

-Stavros

From Rhodes to Mykonos and Santorini by ferry

The Question:

Hello,
We are arriving Rhodes on the 17th of August 2008 late evening and we are heading for Santorini or Mykonos. What ferries departure from Rhodes late night or the next day?Thanx! Best Regards!

The Answer:

Hello!
From Rhodes to Santorini or Mykonos there are mainly local ferries departing almost daily. So it is better as soon as you arrive in Rhodes to look at the port for their offices and ask specifically about times and prices. Nevertheless, the main ferry company departing to Santorini or Mykonos is Sky Express and also Lane Lines.

-Stavros

Journey Time Rhodes - Kos - Santorini by Ferry

The Question:

how long does it take on the ferry from rhodes to kos and santorini.cheers

The Answer:

Thank you for the question!
If you take the GA ferry "Dimitroula", then the journey from Rhodes to Kos will take you approximately 4 hours and 40 minutes. If you take the Blue Star ferry "Blue Star 2", then the journey will last 2 hours and 45 minutes. From Kosthere is no ferry connection to Santorini, but you can take a ferry from Rhodes and the journey will last approximately 1,5 hours.
Keep in mind that ferry itineraries are subject to change. I suggest you double check ferry itineraries with a website that can give you relevant and reliable information (e.g. http://www.fantasticgreece.com/) or even with the port authorities of the area.
I hope this has helped you!

-Stavros