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About Denny
Expertise
Greece on a budget, The Islands, Mainland, Athens and its burbs. For the basics on getting around...maybe I can help...I go there yearly and you can`t be as cheap as me .

Experience
Worked & lived in Athens area for 5 years. (78-83 Was AFRS Radio Announcer (Denny West)at the time. Last visit: Mar/Sep 2005. Last time in Europe, June 2008 (Spain & Germany).

Organizations
Janesville Library (I have a card)

Publications
Stars & Stripes

Education/Credentials
I have a BS degree from UTSA, guess that means I can expound on just about anything ?

Awards and Honors
USAF Broadcasting's 'Thomas Jefferson Award'

Past/Present Clients
I am NOT a travel salesperson.

You are here: Experts > Cultures > Greece for Visitors > Greece > ferry from Athens to Istanbul

Greece - ferry from Athens to Istanbul

Expert: Denny - 10/27/2009

Question
Hi.In Mar2010 i will visit to Athens for 7 days. Then, I plan to go to Istanbul.I have two questions as follows.Please answer me.thanks in advance.
1) What is the nearest Islands to Athens which are attractive for the tourists?
2) In order to go to Istanbul from athens by " SEA" what shall i do? Which way is the best and shortest way?

Answer
Yiasou Afshin, thanks for the question,

In March it is not quite Beach time or tourist time.
You have 4-islands to choose from. Nearest is AEGINA,
just about an hour away on the ferry. And on a sunny
early spring day it can quite a beautiful and bracing trip.
= the sparkling waters, the coastline view of Athens and
docking at AEGINA at a price of around 8-euro each way, make it
an affordable and pleasant trip. Aegina is known for its pistachios
and the town is a nice place for strolling, dining and shopping.
There are a lot of churches and some temple sites, Notably Agios Nektarios
& Paliohora, Temple of Aphaia.
AEGINA has it all and is probably the best of the 4 to go to for a day.

HYDRA is the ultra 'chic' place of poets/wrtiers and honeymooners.
It is hilly, had NO cars/mopeds etc so except for a couple of garbage
trucks it is pretty quiet. There are Donkeys. However, getting around
is NOT that easy. If you are an artist or like ART HYDRA does have
noted artists living there that have their art on display and are usually
working on somethng.

SPETSIS is not a bad place to visit ... about on a par with AEGINA but
considerably farther to go to get there.

Poros is two islands in one, separated by a short causeway.
Temple of Poseidon, the Zoodochos Pigis Monastery with its 'life giving'
spring waters and an Archaeological Museum are the sites to visit and it
does have a Virtual "fight club" (computer game)that you can visit and
join in IF you are into that. Oh yes, POROS is Lemon Tree island but NOT
in March. I would mention POROS beaches which are very nice but even late
in March it is too early for much action there.

www.athensguide.com/practicalinfo is a great site for checking up on
what is going OUT of PIRAEUS (Athens port) toward TURKEY via the ferry.

MYTILINI would be the closest northern island direct from Piraeus. It
usually departs at 1900 (but make sure using that 'Athens guide' site above).
About a 12-hour trip & 35-euro. You can then take another ferry across
to TURKEY at AYVALIK and then BUS into Istanbul. Ferry goes nearly every
evening.

There use to be direct ferrys to Istanbul but I cannot find any in March.

Have a great trip
Calh taxeidi
Denny

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