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Island Hopping from Crete

Travel to the Greek Islands with insider tips

Island Hopping from Crete - to many other Greek islands. It is as easy as one ferry ride or a short plane ride. Island-hopping has never been so easy - we love exploring the Greek islands - and we know many of you do too - here are our tips.

Q&A Ferries to Greek Islands from Turkey

Getting to Crete

Here we show you some of our favourite places in Greece, close to Crete and further away, with plenty of tips of what to see and where to stay.

Crete to Santorini - ferries, flights and more. How to savour a visit to Santorini from Crete.

Santorini Accommodation - our tips for great places to stay in Santorini, for different budgets.

Plan your holidays in Crete & Santorini - how to enjoy both islands on your next vacation.

Crete to Mykonos - home of bright light, sandy beaches and beautiful white-washed streets, this beautiful island in the Cyclades is full of surprises.

Crete Travel to Mykonos - a 10 day itinerary including both islands, tips and accommodation.

Crete to Naxos - see the Cycladic island of Naxos with a personalised itinerary from Crete, island-hopping via Santorini.

Crete to Kythera - how to get to this small island to the north-west of Crete, and exploring the island.

Crete to Karpathos - all the info you need for visiting this wonderful rugged island to the east of Crete.

Crete to Rhodes - how to get to this island in the Dodecanese, accommodation and exploring the island.

Magical Places to Stay in Rhodes - unique and fairytale accommodation that will capture your imagination

Syros Island - this beautiful Cycladic island has a rich history and relaxed summer feel.

Syros Beaches - where to visit great sandy beaches on Syros.

A quiet village street in Amorgos, Greece

Amorgos - a quiet, beautiful island in the Cyclades, perfect for relaxing days by the beach.

Amorgos is quieter and lesser known than other Cycladic islands

Crete to Amorgos - a personalised Greek Island holiday starting in Athens.

Skopelos Island - a stunning green island in the Cyclades, where the first Mamma Mia movie was filmed.

Greece Budget Travel - plenty of options for travelling cheaply in Athens and Greece.

Hydra Island - peace and quiet in a magnificent harbour.

Hydra hotels and guesthouses within walking distance to the old port

Hydra Hotels & Guesthouses - just walking distance from the port - travel Greece with all the info.

Island Hopping from Crete by Ferry

Q&A for Ferries to Greek Islands from Turkey - how to travel from various ports in Turkey to Greek Islands - how to get from Turkey to Crete by ferry... ask YOUR question about ferries and read other travellers' questions and answers.

Travel Greece by Ferry - Check Fares Here

The Greek Islands

The fast ferry from Heraklion port to Santorini Thira takes 2 hours

Island Hopping from Crete - including Crete in your Greek Island holiday is easy as there are flights and ferries between Chania port and airport and Heraklion port and airport.

From Athens, you could choose to fly to Crete to avoid a 9 hour ferry journey, as the flight is only 1 hour. See more information about getting to Crete here

Explore Crete with plenty of time, see our handy e-book guides to the back roads of the west and east, or combine the two into at least a 10 day journey through Crete.

One of the most common ways to start island-hopping is to take the fast ferry from Heraklion in Crete to Santorini - a journey of only 2 hours.

From Santorini you can take ferries to many of the Cycladic islands, such as Mykonos or Syros, then return to Athens via Pireaus Port or Rafina Port. Using Rafina Port is more relaxing, if you do not want to go through downtown Athens, and you could stay close to Rafina or at the airport hotel, prior to taking a long flight back home.

More information here on Athens accommodation options

See lots of Q&A long itineraries here from other visitors and make your own plans for Greek island hopping.

Mykonos

Island Hopping from Crete - our tips for itineraries include day by day suggestions and accommodation ideas. This 10 day itinerary includes Crete and Mykonos and the experience of sleeping in Mykonos Chora, the old town of Mykonos. Wake up with the bay sparkling at your window and stroll just a few metres for coffee at Little Venice. Now that is the way to experience Mykonos!

I am in heaven in Little Venice, Mykonos

Syros - a lesser known Cycladic Island

Greek holiday makers and those familiar with the Cyclades already know about Syros, but international visitors have not yet discovered her beauties, which makes the visit even more special.

The capital, Ermoupolis, (pictured above) was once the capital of Greece, and retains the spendour of a wealthy and prosperous past, with exquisite neoclassical architecture and marble streets.

Take a ferry from Mykonos to Syros in less than a day, and then return to Athens Airport via Rafina Port, making your Crete to Cycladic island-hopping smooth and easy.

The impressive marble square and Town Hall in Ermoupolis, Syros

I learned Greek on Syros island, enjoying the food, beaches and culture after classes! This was an ideal way to get to know Syros, meet wonderful people and improve my language skills.

Santorini

Santorini's famous architecture and view over the caldera - this is Mystique Hotel in Oia

Santorini is famous for many reasons, and deservedly so. The views from height at the edge of the caldera are magnificent. The atmosphere is indescribable, the light is the stuff of poetry, and the bright white symmetry of the architecture stunning.

As Santorini is so accessible from Crete, we suggest it can be easily included in your Greek island-hopping plans. Just be aware that it gets really, really crowded in summer. There are two ways to deal with this, book waaay ahead, or travel in spring. May and June are perfect months to travel Greece. Sparkling blue seas, more space, time to relax. The shoulder season of autumn - that is - September and October - is also a good time to visit to avoid excessive crowds.