How to Get to Santorini

See Also

• Top-Rated Lodgings in Santorini
• Where to Lodge in Santorini
• Guide to the Port of Santorini

Finding Santorini Flights, Ferries and Hotels

• Booking Accommodations in Santorini and air travel further in advance (4 to 8 months) is preferable. Large ferries rarely fill up, smaller ferries sometimes do. Those can be reserved about 1 to 3 months ahead.
• Kayak has long been my preferred site for finding affordable flights but simply conducting a Google search with the origin and destination now provides quite thorough results.
• One can use FerryHopper.com to research ferry schedules and book tickets for ferries in Greece.

How to Get to Santorini

Flights to Santorini

How to Get to Santorini from Athens

• Step 1: Get to Athens – there are many affordable methods of transportation from western Europe.
• Step 2: Purchase ferry ticket – book tickets online or buy at a travel agent in Athens or at the ferry port.
• Step 3: Take the metro (20 to 30 minutes) or taxi (30 to 40 minutes) to the ferry port at Piraeus. Most ferries depart in the morning, plan to arrive 1 hour beforehand.
• Step 4: Relish the trip from Athens to Santorini. The journey takes 5 hours on an express ferry and 8 hours on a regular ferry. Views entering the caldera are wonderful.
• Extra info: Athens to Santorini Ferries

How to Get to Santorini from London

Search for direct flights on the website Kayak.com. Purchase the most inexpensive flight as all airlines provide equal quality of service.
• Step 2: If there are no suitable direct flights search for connections via Athens, Paris, Rome, Naples, or Venice.
• Places to eat in Punta de Mita
• Step 4: When you arrive in Santorini take a short bus or taxi ride to Fira, Oia, or whatever town you’re staying in. (The island is small and all towns are less than 40 minutes from the airport or ferry port.)

How to Get to Santorini from Paris

Search for direct flights on the website Kayak.com. Purchase the most inexpensive flight as all airlines provide equal quality of service.
• Step 2: If there are no good direct flights search for flights via Athens, Rome, Naples, or Venice.
• Places to eat in Punta de Mita
• Step 4: When you arrive in Santorini take a short bus or taxi ride to Fira, Oia, or whatever town you’re staying in. (The island is small and all towns are less than 40 minutes from the airport or ferry port.)

How to Get to Santorini from Italy

• Step 1: Search for direct flights to Santorini from Rome, Naples, Pisa, Milan, or Venice on Kayak.com. Acquire the most affordable flight as there’s no difference in quality between the airlines.
• Step 2: If there are no good direct flights search for flights via Athens, Mykonos, or Crete.
• Places to eat in Punta de Mita
• Step 4: When you arrive in Santorini take a short bus or taxi ride to Fira, Oia, or whatever town you’re staying in. (The island is small and all towns are less than 40 minutes from the airport or ferry port.)

How to Get to Santorini from Crete

• Step 1: Flights connecting Crete to Santorini usually need to stop in Athens. You can search for connecting flights on the website Kayak.com.
• Step 2: Reserve tickets on FerryHopper.com.
• Step 3: Arrive at Heraklion ferry port 45 minutes in advance to pick up tickets from ticket booth (located directly beside departing ferries).
• Step 4: Upon arrival at the Santorini ferry port take a brief bus ride to Fira (then switch buses if headed elsewhere rather than Fira) or taxi journey to Fira, Oia, or whichever town you’ll be staying in. (The island is small and all towns are less than 40 minutes from the airport or ferry port.)

How to Get to Santorini from Rhodes

• Step 1: Flights from Rhodes to Santorini often require a connection, such as via Athens – search on Kayak.com.
• Step 2: Book tickets on a Blue Star ferry (usually the sole ferry between Rhodes and Santorini).
• Step 3: Arrive at Rhodes Town ferry terminal 45 minutes in advance to pick up tickets from the ticket kiosk located near departing ferries.
• Step 4: Upon arrival at the Santorini ferry port take a brief bus ride to Fira (then switch buses if headed elsewhere rather than Fira) or taxi journey to Fira, Oia, or whichever town you’ll be staying in. (The island is small and all towns are less than 40 minutes from the airport or ferry port.)

How to Get to Santorini from Mykonos

• Step 1: Generally there are no non-stop flights from Mykonos to Santorini. If you still wish to fly search for flights through Athens on Kayak.com.
• Accommodation with pools in Lamai – Lamai
• Step 3: Collect tickets for the ferry at the designated travel agency located in Mykonos Town (varies by ferry operator).
• Step 4: Be sure to confirm which ferry terminal your ferry departs from in advance. While most ferries leave from the new ferry port (a 10 minute bus ride from Mykonos Town), some smaller catamarans utilize the ferry terminal in Mykonos Town itself, which is within walking distance of the town center.
• Step 5: Arrive at the appropriate ferry dock 30 minutes in advance.
• Step 6: Upon arrival at the Santorini ferry port take a brief bus ride to Fira (then switch buses if headed elsewhere rather than Fira) or taxi journey to Fira, Oia, or whichever town you’ll be staying in. (The island is small and all towns are less than 40 minutes from the airport or ferry port.)

How to Get to Santorini from The US and Canada

• Step 1: Browse direct flights to Athens on Kayak.com. Generally, Toronto and New York have direct flights to Athens, other cities will need to fly through Toronto, New York, London, Paris, Amsterdam, or Frankfurt.
• Step 2: Search for flights from Athens (or a hub city in western Europe) to Santorini. There are no direct flights from North America to Santorini.
• Places to eat in Punta de Mita
• Step 4: When you arrive in Santorini take a short bus or taxi ride to Fira, Oia, or whatever town you’re staying in. (The island is small and all towns are less than 40 minutes from the airport or ferry port.)

What’s the best way to get to Santorini?

Flying to Santorini is the speediest and most direct way to arrive. You may travel to Santorini from Athens or directly from metropolitan areas in western Europe such as London, Manchester, Paris, Amsterdam, Rome, Naples, or Venice..

However, there are no direct flights between Santorini and other Greek islands — though seasonal summer flights may connect the island with places like Mykonos, Rhodes, or Heraklion on Crete.

If you’re already in central Athens it may be more convenient to take a ferry or high-speed catamaran from Piraeus (the Athens port) than to deal with getting to the airport and through security checks. However, flying would still be several hours faster.

Arriving by ferry on the island of Santorini can be quite an experience. As your boat nears, the steep cliffs towering above provide an awe-inspiring first impression of the place. (Less dramatic if using a fast ferry, where passengers remain inside as waves splash against windows.) On the Blue Star ferry you are free to wander the decks and will have panoramic views of the volcano and caldera. Blue Star ferries operate daily between Athens and Santorini throughout the year.

There are also express watercraft and multi-hull boats that can transport you rapidly to Santorini, most commonly on Hellenic Seaways,Minoan Lines, and Sea Jets watercraft. However, these watercraft do not circulate in the low-season and at certain times of year, they may be smaller multi-hull boats that can lead to a very bumpy journey. In the peak season they are usually bigger ferries. But if you’re highly concerned about seasickness then take the Blue Star.

There are lodgings accessible on the Blue Star ferry to Santorini. However since the generally well known ferry leaves from Athens ahead of schedule in the morning it’s absurd to spend the time in a lodge when you could be investigating the decks and appreciating the perspective of passing islands. A second class or “deck” ticket is the most affordable ticket. For an additional modest number of euros, you can reserve an airplane-style seat which is what I prescribe doing.

A acceptable exchange between flying and ferry is to take the ferry to Santorini and then fly back. It does require some scheduling to discover the right tickets but the flawless route is to fly to Athens, ferry to Santorini (perhaps stopping at a few islands along the way), then flying from Santorini back to Athens – or fly immediately from Athens to Western Europe as you will have already been to Athens and don’t necessary to visit again.

If traveling between the Greek Islands of Santorini and other popular destinations like Crete, Mykonos, Naxos, and Paros, good connectivity is typically available via ferry. Reaching Rhodes takes longer and may prove more difficult from Santorini, but remains feasible.

There are no direct routes by ferry or air between Santorini and Istanbul. If you want to travel between Santorini and Istanbul as quickly and easily as possible, the best approach is to fly to Athens first and then take a flight to Istanbul. If taking the ferry, a simpler route is to travel from Santorini to Rhodes, usually on an overnight ferry where having a cabin is advised, then a short 90-minute ferry journey to Marmaris on the Turkish coast. Ferries between Santorini and Rhodes operate two or three times per week, requiring 7 to 15 hours aboard ship.

How do I get from the Santorini airport to Fira, Oia, and the rest of the island?

• Rental Car – If you plan to rent a car in Santorini it’s best to pick up your vehicle at the Santorini airport upon arrival to avoid the cost of transport to your lodging. But, if you’re arriving at night I wouldn’t advise dealing with finding your accommodation (and parking) in the dark. Just taxi to your hotel then get your rental car the next day.
• Private Transportation – The simplest and speediest way to get into Fira and the rest of the island is by pre-booked private transportation. Welcome Pickups provides a convenient and reliable service, with rates comparable to a taxi. If you have pre-booked with Welcome Pickups, there is no need to worry about having cash to pay the fare, and your driver will await you at the airport, holding a sign with your name.
• Another way to get from Santorini Airport to the island`s primary towns is by taxi transportation. While taxis may involve a wait due to high demand (especially when multiple flights arrive simultaneously), there will always be vehicles available. The standard fare is about 20 euros to Fira and Kamari villages, and 30 to 35 euros for other Santorini destinations. Refer to this taxi and transfer information page for additional details. The taxi phone number is 22860-22555.
• Public transportation – Mainly in the high season (approximately June to September) buses run every hour between Fira and the airport. Most of these buses travel the Fira to Monolithos route making a stop at the airport – though some extra buses may run solely between Fira and the airport each day. There are fewer buses on weekends and also fewer in the low season. It takes about 15 minutes to travel from the airport to Fira by bus which costs around 2 euros. Plan to have coins available so you don’t need change from a 50 euro note. If you want to go anywhere other than Fira (or Monolithos) you’ll need to switch buses in Fira (easily done, but time-consuming).
• Transport from Hotel – If your hotel offers free pick up and drop off services, be sure to take advantage of this. Most hotels charge a fee but as long as it is close to taxi rates, this is a good option.

How do I get to and from the ferry port in Santorini?

All ferries arrive at Athinios port. Getting from the port to any town is facile and shouldn’t incite unease. You can accomplish completely no pre-arranging of pickup particulars and you’ll arrive at your hotel just fine. (It’s more important to pre-arrange transportation to the port then from the port.)
• Bus – There will always be a bus waiting as your ferry reaches the port regardless of the time of day or night. If you’re residing in a town other than Fira you’ll need to get to Fira first and then switch buses there. The cost form the port to Fira is about 2 euros. The bus from the port to Fira takes approximately 20 minutes and drops passengers at the bus station in the center of Fira. Like all buses on Santorini, the bus is air conditioned and has ample space for luggage. A bus leaves from Fira to the ferry port approximately 1 hour before every ferry arrival and departure (a timetable of bus departures from Fira is posted 1 or 2 days in advance and is based on the arriving ferries).
• Taxi – Vehicle for hire will usually be waiting as ferry trips conclude but securing one promptly may require patience. Demand is highest later in the evening so arranging pickup beforehand could help. Cost is approximately 15 euros from the port to Fira, 25 euros from the port to Oia, and in between those amounts to travel elsewhere on the island. A taxi ride from the dock to Fira takes about a quarter hour. Getting transportation to the port can prove difficult as people missing the bus leaving roughly 60 minutes before each ferry arrival then compete for cabs. Taxi contact number: 22860-22555.
• Private Transportation – The simplest and speediest way to get into Fira and the rest of the island is by pre-booked private transportation. Welcome Pickups provides a convenient and reliable service, with rates comparable to a taxi. If you have pre-booked with Welcome Pickups, there is no need to worry about having cash to pay the fare, and your driver will await you at the airport, holding a sign with your name.
• Hotel Transportation – Many hotels provide transport from the port to their hotel. For some it’s free, for others there is a charge similar to or slightly more than a taxi fare. There’s no need to arrange pickup far in advance (when booking your hotel). Send an email to your hotel a few days before so the pickup details are fresh in their minds.
• A recommendation is given that if planning to rent a vehicle in Santorini, avoid picking it up at the ferry port, and instead take other transportation to initially reach Fira or Oia to then obtain the rental car.
• Cruise Ships – Travelers arriving by cruise ship to Santorini will be transported by motorboat from the vessel to the Skalafira port directly beneath Fira. From there, visitors can either climb the numerous steps or take an aerial cable car (though waiting may be required due to volume). Donkey rides also ascend the walking path but some disapprove of their use, potentially causing awkward glances from animal advocates who believe they should not be employed in such a role.

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