Marco How to choose ferryboats in Greece. Of course airplane is a must to move faster around the world, but slow vehicles give me the feeling of the travel. I sit down and I observe the landscape changing step by step. I like to feel the wind and the natural elements. Travel by ferryboat is the easier way to move in Greece between islands, cheap and everywhere.
I think that one of my favorite way to travel is by boat. Go slowly on the sea, feeling the wind and the sun on my face. In Greece ferryboat are like buses and they connect every island. Daily connection is not everywhere and you must pay attention to the weather. When the sea is strong some ferries doesn’t work. Be sure to have always an alternative plan and don’t organize every second, be flexible.
How to check ferryboats timetables
There are different ways to know about ferryboats timetables. The fist is the traditional way, pre internet: go to the port or to some agencies and ask to the workers. There are hundreds of different offices, you will recognize them close to the port. Every place sell different company and you have to know in which island you want to go. Every office has the same price and you can choose based on the affiliation they have.
Websites: search engine or officials.
I checked the timetables on a particular website, it is great and it gives you the opportunity to check which company goes to which island. It is easy to use and you can plan your trip on multiple ports, this is the link: letsferry.gr
Every company has different discounts program and you can check on their official website. This is the list of websites, maybe I forgot someone, please let me know:
- Blue Star Ferries: bluestarferries.com
- Fast ferries: fastferries.com.gr
- Hellenic Seaways : hellenicseaways.gr
- Minoan Lines: minoan.gr
- Anek Lines: anek.gr
- Golden Lines Ferries: goldenstarferries.gr
- Sea Jets: seajets.gr
- Aegean Speed Lines: aegeanspeedlines.gr
- Saronic Ferrries: saronicferries.gr
- Aegean Flying Dolphins: aegeanflyingdolphins.gr
- Dodekanisos Seaways: 12ne.gr
- Ventouris Ferries: fastferries.com.gr
- Levante Ferries: levanteferries.com
- Kefalonian Lines: kefalonianlines.com
- Zante Ferries: zanteferries.gr
- Grimaldi Lines: grimaldi-lines.com
- Anes Ferries: anes.gr
- Small Cyclades Lines: smallcycladeslines.gr
You can always buy ticket online but remember to take your boarding pass at the office, close to the arbour is really easy to find the spots. Follow the instructions you received by e-mail. You have to looking for the logo of the company and go inside the agency with your confirmation email. They will give you a ticket to be able to board. It is a free of charge service.
How to check weather conditions: sea and wind
I like a couple of website I used to check the strength of wind and the waves, is not important if it’s rainy or not, but how much big are waves. Fast ferryboats doesn’t go if the waves are too high. Remember, this is a forecast, not a certain thing, but you can have a general idea about what it will happen on the sea.
Wind finder: windfinder.com
Windy: windy.com
It’s good to check weather also if you want to buy a private trip with small boats, two or three days in advance is a perfect way to decide if and when to buy.
Slow down and feel the trip
Slow down, give time to your mind to be aware of what is happening. Feel the changing of humidity, temperature and smells of the environment. When I travel I like to bring with me my camera, a notebook and a book. On the ferries you can spend 2 or 10 hours, so organize your time and feel the time. I love of course to take pictures and to write something about my thoughts. For me traveling time is perfect to read. On the ferries you can go on the upper deck and most of the time is quiet place. Have your seat, choose your table or put yourself in front of the fence. In one word enjoy. To travel is never only to go from point to point, but is part of our lives, it’s time, something can ever come back.
