Greek island hopping: Naxos, Paros and Milos, then Santorini
In most brochures, island hopping means two islands. Mykonos, Santorini, and a ferry in between. The Cyclades are more than 200 islands, most of them uninhabited, and the ones a short ferry ride from each other are where the trip gets good.
Four islands, one ferry at a time
01
Naxos
Naxos is the largest island in the Cyclades and the one that grows its own food: potatoes, cheese, citrus for the local liqueur. The town climbs from the harbor to a Venetian castle, and the Portara, a marble doorway from a temple begun 2,500 years ago, stands on its islet at the edge of the port. Inland, villages like Halki and Apeiranthos sit under Mount Zas, the highest peak in the Cyclades.
02
Paros
Paros is a short crossing away. The marble that became the Venus de Milo was quarried here. Parikia has a church with roots in the 4th century, Naoussa has a small fishing harbor ringed with tables, and Lefkes sits in the hills with views down to the sea.
03
Milos
Milos is volcanic, and it looks like it. Sarakiniko is white rock shaped like a moonscape. Plaka, the hilltop capital, has a Venetian castle and the sunset view. Fishing villages like Klima paint their boathouse doors in primary colors. The statue known as the Venus de Milo was found in a field here in 1820.
04
Santorini
Santorini is the finale. The caldera is the view everyone came for, and after three islands you’ll have the eye for it.
What hopping looks like with us
The ferry times, the tickets, the transfers from port to hotel and back: ours. Your trip manager has the tickets, knows which deck to head for and where the group meets at the port. You roll your bag onto the boat and find a seat by the window. What’s included, down to the port transfers, is written on the trip page before you pay.
The hotels are central and named before you book, so on each island you walk to dinner. Two of the three islands are places most itineraries never reach, so the group often has a village square to itself in the evening.
Getting there and getting around
From Piraeus, the port of Athens, the fast ferry reaches Naxos in about 4 hours; the conventional ferry takes 5 to 6. Naxos to Paros is under an hour. Paros to Milos and Milos to Santorini are each around 2 hours on the fast boats. From Santorini, the flight back to Athens takes about 45 minutes. Exact times and the boats we use are published with each departure.
- Piraeusabout 4 hours by fast ferry, 5 to 6 on the conventional ferry
- Naxosunder an hour
- Parosaround 2 hours on the fast boat
- Milosaround 2 hours on the fast boat
- Santoriniabout 45 minutes, by plane
- Athens
When to go
The full ferry schedule runs from spring to October. July and August bring the meltemi, a dry north wind that cools the heat and sometimes delays the smaller boats. May, June, September and early October have warm sea, open tavernas and fewer people on the ferry decks.
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Julmeltemi
- Augmeltemi
- Sep
- Octearly
- Nov
- Dec
Dark: warm sea, open tavernas and fewer people on the ferry decks.
Who comes
Groups of 16 or fewer, built for people who come on their own, in their 30s, 40s and early 50s. Couples and friends are welcome. If you book alone, you share a twin room with someone of the same sex, or take a single room at the price shown with the trip.
Naxos, Paros & Milos, then Santorini
Three Cycladic islands that most itineraries skip, by ferry, with Santorini for the finale.
Up to 16 people · Built for people who come on their own. Couples and friends are welcome.
Get the dates for this trip
Each island, on its own page: Naxos, Paros, Milos and Santorini. And how a trip works.