GETTING THERE & AROUND

Crete, Corfu, Mykonos, Rhodes, Santorini and Skiathos have regular direct flights from the UK in summer. Airlines serving some or all of these islands include British Airways, EasyJet, Ryanair and TUI. All islands, with the exception of the few that lack airports (such as Agistri, Elafonisos, Hydra, Ios, and Spetses), are linked to Athens by regular flights on Aegean Airlines and its affiliate Olympic Airlines, as well as other Greek carriers such as Sky Airlines. All islands have regular ferry services in high season (July and August) and some, such as Mykonos and Santorini, are ferry hubs with routes that serve many other islands.

The boat networks in the Ionian and Aegean Seas have myriad routes and operators, so consult openseas.gr or ferries.gr. Ferries from Athens leave from the port of Pireaus.

The Cyclades has the largest ferry network and is the easiest region to island-hop in. Book via ferryhopper.com or individual ferry companies.

Average flight time: 4h

WHEN TO GO

The best time to visit is May to September; average temperatures in August are around 30C but it can get much hotter. In April and October, some businesses operate shorter hours or close completely. Some ferry services only run in summer.

MORE INFO visitgreece.gr

HOW TO DO IT

Greek island specialists include Olympic Holidays and Sunvil, while for active itineraries, try Much Better Adventures. Responsible Travel has a number of sailing trips. sunvil.co.uk olympicholidays.com muchbetteradventures.com responsibletravel.com