The Greek islands are all accessible by ship, ensuring that residents are not isolated. Most are reached mainly by ferries, but there is also the possibility of using hydrofoils or fast catamarans.
To book tickets online, visit this site.
For vacations organized entirely by sea, the most famous islands are reachable by cruise ships as indicated in the article “Greek Islands by Cruise: Recommended Itineraries and Ports of Call.” When strong winds blow (such as the classic Meltemi), it’s good to know that only the largest ships venture out to sea. In summary, besides cruise ships, Greek islands are mainly reached by ferries (which carry all types of vehicles), hydrofoils (for passengers only), and catamarans (sometimes for cars and motorcycles).
The main navigation companies are: Blue Star Ferries, Anek-Superfast, Minoan Lines-Grimaldi Euromed, Hellenic Seaways, Golden Star Ferries, Sea Jets, Zante Ferries, Aegean Speed Lines, Red Star Ferries, Venturis Ferries, European Seaways, Liberty Lines, and NEL Lines. You can check ticket prices or book a ferry on this site.
Regarding ferries between Italy and Greece, onboard services are generally of high quality with a rich offering. Services on internal routes, especially short ones, are more limited. For camper travelers, remember that some ferry companies operating from Adriatic ports (especially Anek Lines) offer the possibility of making the crossing directly aboard your vehicle parked on an open deck of the ship: the so-called “camping on board.” This is quite convenient since electrical power is provided (keeping food well-preserved in the fridge), and you can sleep in your own bed.
The main ferry routes from Adriatic ports to the Greek islands include: Brindisi-Kefalonia, Venice-Corfu, Ancona-Corfu, Bari-Corfu, Brindisi-Corfu, Otranto-Corfu, Brindisi-Paxos, Otranto-Paxos, Bari-Zante, Brindisi-Zante, as discussed in the article “Greek Islands Easily Accessible by Sea or Air.”
To book ferry tickets, visit this site.
In Greece, the main departure ports on the mainland for the various islands are: Piraeus (for most islands), Patras (only for Italy), Igoumenitsa (for Corfu), Rafina (for the Cyclades), Thessaloniki (for Lesbos, Limnos, and Chios), Lavrio (for Kea and Kithnos), Killini (for Zante, Kefalonia, and Ithaca), Volos (for the Sporades), Agios Konstantinos (for the Sporades), Kavala (for Syros, Mykonos, and the North Aegean), Alexandroupoli (for Samothrace and the North Aegean), Ermioni (for Poros, Spetses, and Hydra), Gythio (for Crete, Kythira, and Antikithira), and Neapolis (for Kythira, Antikithira, and Elafonisos). You can book ferries to reach the Greek islands from this site.
For further information about the islands accessible from Piraeus, refer to the article “Greek Islands Accessible from Athens by Plane or from Piraeus by Ship.” Similarly, for those accessible from the port of Thessaloniki, the article is “Greek Islands Accessible by Ship from Thessaloniki.”
Finally, it’s worth mentioning the famous "sea metros," much loved by the Greeks: the Skopelitis Express, which travels among the Small Cyclades, and the boats of Dodekanisos Seaways, which connect all the islands of the Dodecanese.
For the most avid travelers, remember that there is the option of purchasing the Eurail Greek Island Pass, which allows you to make 5 ferry trips within a month among 53 Greek islands at a reduced cost.
