Many people do an island hopping during their trip in Greece. Ferry trip is a good option to visit the islands.

1. ATHENS PORTS

Athens has 3 ports. “Piraeus”, “Rafina” and “Lavrion”

- PIRAEUS PORT, Location: Southwest of Athens center. Busiest port near Athens. Piraeus is the biggest port in Greece. Most ferries, all cruise ships, nearly all ships for Crete and all ferries and dolphins to Saronic islands use this one. It is the one nearest Athens center, with the metro line working from early morning till midnight, and many bus lines, along with direct bus and suburban rail link, (from the old Pelopnnese station), to Athens airport. When to choose this port: If you are traveling without car starting from Athens downtown. If you travel to Crete island, Cycladic islands, Eastern Aegean islands, Saronic islands. Trip duration to Athens downtown: 30 mins by metro Trip duration to Athens airport: around 70 mins by metro / subway,  55 minutes by suburban rail.

- RAFINA PORT, Location: It is located on the coast Northeast of Athens. Second port of Athens. A choice if travelling to the northern Cycladic islands near Athens. Choose this one: If you are going to Andros and maybe Tinos, Mykonos, it’s a better option providing shorter ferry times and is closer to Athens airport, if you are landing in Athens and leaving the same day. Trip duration to Athens downtown: 45 mins by car / bus ( depend. on traffic ) Trip duration to Athens airport: 15 – 20 mis by taxi / bus

- LAVRION PORT,Location: Southeastern of Athens. Most remote, serving limited routes but offering shortest times to Cycladic islands if you travel along with your own car. Athens downtown: 65 mins by car.

2. PREBOOKING FERRIES, TO BOOK OR NOT TO BOOK, THAT IS THE QUESTION!

Prebooking ferries is not ALWAYS a "must do". Most ships have free tickets even last minute. So, many people just buy ferry tickets upon their arrival. NEVERTHELESS, this doesn't apply for:

- local short trips from Athens to Aegina, Hydra or other Saronic islands, especially on holidays, Friday evenings ( outbound from Athens ) and Sunday evenings ( inbound to Athens). Best thing to do if getting a side trip like this and buying your departure ticket is buying your return ticket too in the same time.

- Hellenic Seaways inter island cat trip like Santorini - Mykonos - Crete which is a summer itinerary mainly most foreign tourists prefer.

- In general all routes between July 25th and August 18th, since it is peak season with the majority of locals leaving for vacation in the same time.

- In general all routes between December 20th to December 26th since it's Christmas.

Most ferry or cat companies in Greece, announce their itinerary on a 2 month basis. So, it is possible that during end of April, you visit an official site to book a trip in for August and bump on a message of "no seats availability" or "no itineraries on the specific date". Keeping in mind that ferry travelling is something really common here, you can book tickets only appx. one and half month before, so wait a little more.

You can always preorder ticket on these time windows and collect it in a local affiliate agency. This is the best way to do it, ESPECIALLY when travelling with a family or on honeymoon, or travelling on a high preference route or on a high season. On the other hand, you can always book and buy tickets in Greece. Not last minute but I'd say upon your arrival, but do keep in mind that some routes tend to full up.

3. OK, I 'LL BOOK! WHAT NOW? 

A general ferries database, not specifically referring to a certain company, is actually the one being handled by the company that provides net core structure for most of ferry companies here in Greece. You can always check availability and routes there, especially useful if your route is on one often path, served by multiple companies. So, instead of wandering around all official sites, searching for routes, visit:

http://www.openseas.gr/OPENSEAS/index...

to have a glance of all available routes and organize your island hopping. Keep in mind that this is - at least at the time - a general database that ONLY gives you routes info like all available routes on all companies and contact info to proceed to further steps. It is not a booking system. So, check all available routes, taking some notes and then go to other sites to proceed to booking.

a. Official companies sites

b. Local agencies that have Internet booking option

Booking through an official company site has always has some advantages: Booking directly by the source, having all on time definite routes, possibility of bying your ticket by any of the numerous affiliate agencies in Greece. When you book from an official site, you can collect your ticket by your order ID, in numerous affiliate agencies in Greece.

So, put date and route and you 'll have available seats!

3. FERRY, HIGH SPEED FERRY, CAT, DOLPHIN??, WHAT ARE THEY? WHICH SHOULD I PICK??

If you cannot choose the type of vessel, here some help info, while not all types are available on all routes:

-FERRIES

These are the slowest vessel. Provides the longest trip time but definitely the most "purist" one.Simple conventional ferries are the cheapest option. They have deck space in open air or semi enclosed decks. Indoor bars and airplane seats indoors, many of them have 2 - 4 bed cabins for night trips.

Especially on day trips ferries are a relaxing way to travel between the islands, with all the fantastic sea views and the sea breeze someone can get from the decks. Of course all these apply mainly for summer day trips. There is nothing worse than a slow ferry on a cold winter night :) 

When to choose it: If you are on a budget, don't care about " I don't want to spare any valuable time on trips", want unobstructed sea views and relaxing trip, go for it.

- HIGH SPEED FERRIES

High speed ferries are big vessels which resemble more to a cruise ship rather than a slow ferry. Quick, comfortable, newly built are the best overall option of sea travel in Greece.   Most often a little more expensive than a slow ferry, do the job quickly and efficiently.

When to choose it: If you like a comfortable, smooth, efficient service on a big vessel, along with sea views, go for it or if you travel in the winter.  

 There is also a new breed of High Speed Ferry. These are smaller than the conventional HSF and have internal only, aircraft type seating. Examples of these  are the new NEL vessels which operate in the Cyclades and to Rethymno in Crete.

- HI-SPEED CATAMARANS

Catamarans ( Cat's ) are double hulled vessels that carry about 150 - 500 passengers in airplane style seats, achieving highest possible speed. This is the quickest way of doing a route, sometimes in only half of the time other vessels provide. Nowadays there are cat's doing the Athens - Crete trip in just a 4 1/2 hrs, while some yrs ago you had to do a 12 - 14 hrs night trip. So they are without doubt quick, however they are not on every route.

On the other hand, cat's may provide shortest trip time, but there are the second ( after flying dolphins )  that may suffer a weather delay or cancellation. Weather cancellation is something that happens 2 - 3 times per yr, mostly during November - March. This is a sea trips banning measure issued by state authorities when extreme winds are on, that may last anything between 6 hrs - 36 hrs. This is the main reason cat's are not in service during winter.

Cat trips are the most expensive. Don't have any deck space but only airplane seat space.

- FLYING DOLPHINS ( HYDROFOILS ) 

Imagine a small arrow like vessel, which when reaching a certain velocity, lifts up from the sea and gets inclined, going quickly to its destination. These are "flying dolphins". This is a small vessel, carrying about 100 - 150 passengers, doing short interisland trips, lasting about 20 mins - 90 mins. They have airplane seats. They are bumpy, sometimes a little noisy but do take you in near island destinations really quickly. Flying Dolphins are the first to suffer a weather delay or cancellation. They are used on popular busy routes like Piraeus - Saronic islands, North Sporades and the Dodecanese islands.

When to choose it: When you do want a short and quick inter island trip and of course when it's the only available means.