How it started
To be honest, I don’t remember how we came with the idea of Island Hopping in Greece anymore. The plan was originally to visit Santorini for a couple of days and forget for a while about the routine of life. Anyway, we ended up visiting 3 Islands in Greece thanks to the cheap one-week return flight offer we could find. It was 5 days before the “planned” trip.”
Actually, getting to Greece is quite easy. Whether from Europe or Tunisia, just book your ticket to Athens and don’t worry about the rest. The reason is, there are many low-cost fares from Athens to almost everywhere within the country.
Check those nice Athens viewpoints if by any chance you have some free time to spend in the capital of Greece.
If you are also looking where to swim check this cool best Santorini beaches article.
We started like everybody would do. We landed in Santorini as the first island. Unfortunately, as it was the high season, we had to stay quite far away from the beautiful Fira and the breathtaking Oia. But don’t worry, we had other plans in mind…
The combination was to find a convenient stay in Santorini somewhere “calm” and rent a motorcycle to set ourselves free from the chaotic public transport of Santorini.
Tip: Avoid public transport during the high season. It is usually not very organized and volatile, although it is cheap.
Santorini, the island of the romantic souls
How to enjoy the beauty of Fira and Oia the right way
The 2 most famous cities of our Santorini itinerary and too crowded with tourists. So if you are a traveler who wants to enjoy the beauty of Greek architecture and contemplate the landscapes away from consumerism, you will suffer by the middle of the day.
Unless you got a good place where to stay in Santorini, we had to wake up at 4:00 am on our first day, grabbed the motorcycle, and drove at night. Then, 35 minutes later, we had Oia for ourselves only. Only that way we could enjoy the city and take those shots:
Visit my Instagram profile if you want to check more of my shots 🙂
Tip: Rent a motorcycle for about 17-20€ a day, and you will be flexible about mobility. Public buses start working around 8:30. Too late and a typical start-of-day for tourists.
In general, Santorini is not just Oia. It is much richer! Read the experience of Paula in her nice post. For sports and nature lovers, try to hike from Fira to Oia. It is a great experience.
Choosing the right ferry:
Here I can say from the beginning: never book your ferry online. The myth of places sold out in ferries just doesn’t exist, and the internet is full of private agencies trying to spot naive tourists.
Also, while booking onsite in the city center, get the earliest ferry as it would have the lowest price. For example, we traveled from Santorini to Ios for 7€ at 9:30 am.
The island of Ios:
Well, we learned about the island Ios upon a chat with a shop vendor in Santorini. She meant the island is cheap and not very touristy although it is considered as one of the best islands in Greece., and it’s also where locals go. So we set Ios as our next destination for 2 days. (As we started our trip, we had open plans and booked only the 2 first nights)
It’s about 90 minutes away from the public morning ferry. To be honest, we didn’t like the island that much. Although it has got a beautiful hilly old village and clean beaches. It was as well way crowded with teenagers and testosterone-youth from all over Europe. We found out later that Ios is a famous party island. Not our type of life… Looking forward to the next stop.
Tip: I will actually say the opposite of what I mentioned before. If you want to visit Ios, waking up early to enjoy a calm part of the day in the old village is not worth it (comparing to Santorini). I was very disappointed when I did it. The streets were full of drunk people until 8 in the morning.
Ios is hilly. Make sure you are on the right hill during sunset
colors of the dawn in Ios
The island was actually not cheap, as mentioned by the Greek vendor. However, by the end of our second day, we were happy to leave it for our next stop: Naxos.
Hello Naxos!
Although Naxos is among the best islands in Europe, we spontaneously planned it during the trip, which started really well. Then, after the disappointment of Ios, we got on a cruise ship which also serves as a ferry between the islands, and it was our first time on such a huge monster. So that’s how we spent the 2-hour journey, just enjoying the scenic landscapes and the romantic contrast of the sea-blue and the dusty island’s color.
Naxos fully met our expectations. We directly felt comfortable, enjoying the cozy outdoor atmosphere and contemplating the golden sunset. It turned out that it’s where locals, young couples, and families really go. We got really lucky with this one.
Tip 1: think about a sunrise swim once you are in Naxos. The island’s geographic properties and natural bays make the water at its stillest state in the early morning. I was swimming in a literally dynamic mirror.
Tip 2: If you plan on staying longer, I recommend renting a car in Naxos. That is a great way to explore the island’s remote beaches and viewpoints.
This island was just perfect for us. We joined the wandering couples and small group of friends chilling around at the port and in cafés. We actually were hanging out around doing nothing special (uncommon activity for those who know me 😉 ) Some restaurants have live traditional Greek music, which is something we highly recommend when you visit Greece.
By the way, if you want to visit other islands, check this post about the best Greek islands to visit.
Speaking my mind out loud
From an international tourist perspective, I would visit Tunisia to enjoy almost the same food, architecture, and even better inspirational beaches at a lower price. Although to confess, I don’t know whether it’s the Greek people who were under the high season stress or it’s in their nature, but we had both the impression that they are not that warm and welcoming about visitors from other countries.
Also, Greece is not only about its beautiful islands. The country is so rich in terms of nature, culture, and history. There is also lots to discover in mainland Greece, especially on the mainland.
My advice for most patient readers 😉
- Visit Greece in the low season (between October and May). Actually, you can also enjoy Santorini in Winter. You will also enjoy it the most, and that will come at a relatively good price. We made the mistake of being there in July, and we regretted it more than once during our stay.
- Avoid breakfast-included hotels. I am usually a very breakfast-included guy, but breakfast in budget hotels is poor in Greece and is not worth the price. However, with 10€ you can offer yourself a good breakfast outside whether at the bakery or buying some things from the supermarket.
- Double rooms at budget hotels cost between 25-35€ per person during the low season and between 50-65€ during the high season. (Remember my tip from above 😉 )
- Always ask at least 2-3 people when you seek information (bus schedule, opening hours, etc.). People there give random answers.
- Depending on the season, think well about what to wear in Santorini. The weather is always humid all over the year, and it gets boiling in summer.
By the way, if you are on a longer Greece trip, have a look at this Greece 1-week itinerary. It will help you better organize your journey and visit other islands like Milos island.
Greece also has lots of cruises opportunities. So if you are rather a cruise traveler, you want to check these cruise essentials and packing list post.
https://www.instagram.com/achrafaouadi/
If you still have some time, you can plan a quick visit to another famous island in Greece. This guide about Crete Spinaloga will help you out.
Greece s also well-known for cruises as it has many beautiful islands. This type of journey can also be fun if you are a slow traveler. Here is some information about cruises in Greece.
Still can’t decide which island is the best for you? Think about discovering Rhodes, Mykonos, Amorgos, or visiting Koroni! Those islands are very famous for their nightlife. To get inspired about how to party there, have a look at this cool guide about the best beach clubs in Mykonos.
Also, Valentini, a Greek travel blogger, has a guide for which Greek island to visit, when, and why. Have a look!
Finally, this is for travelers who like bringing something from each country they visit. This guide about What to Buy in Greece can help you a lot to decide what to bring home with you from Greece.
This is it! I hope you enjoyed my writing. Sharing is caring. Spread this post if you like it!
See you, Ash
Comments are closed.