Getting from Santorini to Aegina

Aegina is the closest of the Saronic islands to Athens and one of the most visited islands in Greece, though most of those visitors are Athenians rather than international tourists. It is a proper working island with a handsome harbour town, the remarkably preserved Temple of Aphaia on a pine-covered hill above the sea, and pistachio groves that produce some of the finest pistachios in Greece. The pace is relaxed, the food is good and the island gives you a genuine sense of Greek island life without the infrastructure built around international tourism.

Take the ferry

There is no direct ferry from Santorini to Aegina. The connection goes via Piraeus. Take the ferry from Santorini to Piraeus, which takes around 5 to 8 hours depending on the vessel, and then connect onto one of the many Saronic ferries from Piraeus to Aegina. The Piraeus to Aegina crossing is one of the most frequent ferry routes in Greece with over 20 daily departures and a journey time of around 40 minutes to 1.5 hours depending on the vessel. Flying to Athens and taking the Saronic ferry is faster overall.

What about flying?

Aegina has no airport. The nearest airport is Athens. Flying from Santorini to Athens and then taking the short Saronic ferry from Piraeus to Aegina gives a total journey time of around 3 to 4 hours. It is worth knowing that in Greece, airlines do not operate direct inter island flights. Almost all island to island travel goes through Athens.

Your best option

Fly to Athens and take the Saronic ferry from Piraeus. With over 20 daily crossings the connection is one of the most effortless in Greece and you rarely need to book in advance except on summer weekends when Athenians head out in numbers.