From Mykonos to Santorini via Ferry

No wonder Santorini is featured in travel ads. It is spectacular and photos do not do it justice. Located in the Cyclades, Santorini is also known as Thera which is sometimes spelled Thira. Greek locations seem to all have multiple names and/or spellings.

Since Santorini is a little over an hour away from Mykonos by ferry, travel by sea seemed like an adventurous alternative to flying. Arriving at the port with hundreds of other travelers was way more adventure than we bargained for. We had already printed our boardings passes, our Passenger Locator Forms, and a lengthy document asking every including your father's first name. Many of the other passengers did not have boarding passes and the ticket office was closed. No one knew what dock we were leaving from. The ferry instructions told passengers to arrive at the port an hour before leaving, which made sense if they were going to check all of our documents. About 15 minutes before we were supposed to leave, the ticket office still hadn't opened and people were getting frantic about getting their boarding passes. The office finally opened and two minutes before we were supposed to depart, an enormous ferry arrived, a gigantic ramp was lowered, cars, motorcycles, and dozens of people came down the ramp and someone shouted at those of us on the dock and told us to hurry up and board. We entered a cavernous basement where we were instructed to drop our bags and board in the midst of complete chaos. With much anxiety, we did as we were told. We were sure we would never see our luggage again.


It would be negligent not to mention that we went in September, 2021 and Covid 19 was still a major issue. Although we had to carry vaccine cards and fill out all that paperwork, no one checked any paperwork before we boarded the ferry. There was no social distancing on the dock or as we boarded and disembarked. You did have to wear a mask on board, however. The ferry was the only time throughout our Greek trip I felt somewhat at risk.

The trip itself was an easy ride on a comfortable, very large ferry with a few quick stops at the islands of Naxos and Ios. The seats were large and comfortable. There was a coffee bar on board and, although we ran about a half hour late, the trip was a comfortable, scenic alternative to flying. If we knew what to expect, it would have been much less stressful. We were amazed to find our luggage with minimal searching and quickly disembarked

Our hotel had provided us with transportation. We found our driver and had a quick look around the Athinios Port. A moment of despair ensued. The port was tacky and was at the bottom of a straight drop. I'd been warned Santorini was hilly, but as I stared straight up a cliff, I feared for what I had gotten myself into.

We arrived at our villa Soil of Sun in Megalochori on the southwest side of the island and were greeted by our concierge Evelyn.


She showed us our villa, our private pool, our rooms, and presented us with a bottle of wine. Later, she gave us an orientation to the island and made recommendations for activities, beaches, restaurants and even made suggestions about what to eat. From the minute we arrived to the minute we reluctantly left, our stay in Santorini was the magical experience travel dreams are made of. Nothing is better than your first time in a destination. Especially one that exceeds your expectations.