Kythnos Santorini (Thira) Ferry

Kythnos Guide

Located in the western Cyclades group of islands, the Greek island of Kythnos lies between the islands of Kea and Serifos and is around 100 km from the port of Piraeus. The small island, with a land area of around 100 sq. km and a coastline of 100 km, has about 100 beaches although many of them are inaccessible by road. The main villages on the island are called Messaria or Kythnos (known as Chora to the locals) and Dryopis or Dryopida (known as Chorio to the locals). Both villages are characterised by steep, winding streets, often stepped, which are often too narrow for cars. The architectural styles of both villages are slightly different from each. Both are pretty but Chora's houses are mainly flat-roofed, typical of the Cyclades, while Chorio's houses tend to have sloping roofs. An interesting attraction in Chora is its large Greek Orthodox Church.

The island can be reached by ferry from Piraeus and Lavrio. The crossing from Piraeus takes around 3 hours by conventional ferry and 1 hour by high speed ferry. The crossing from Lavrio takes roughly 2 hours. Kythnos is also connected by ferry to the islands of Serifos, Sifnos, Milos, Santorini, Sikinos, Folegandros and Kea.

Santorini (Thira) Guide

The Greek island of Santorini is one of the Cyclades group of islands that lies in the south Aegean Sea. The island has very much been shaped by its volcanic past which has created a rather unusual landscape in places. A popular site on the island is the water filled 'Caldera' crater and is surrounded by a wall of colourful cliffs which are packed full of charming houses. The island is also known for its lovely beaches, its busy port, its archaeological finds and the wonderful sunsets which are best viewed from the village of Oia, on the island's northernmost tip.

The island's beaches are distinctive in that they are mainly made up of dark volcanic sands, which can get very hot during the summer, and therefore a sun lounger or towel are an essential piece of kit. The best beaches tend to be located around the eastern coastline and always popular is the stretch found at Perissa. However, a little to the south is Perivolos Beach which is also lovely as is Red Beach which is close to ancient Akrotiri, where the red cliffs are hard to miss.