Getting from Santorini to Crete

If you are heading to Crete from Santorini you are making one of the great moves in Greek island travel. Crete is not just the largest island in Greece but a place large enough and varied enough to be a destination in its own right rather than a stop on an island-hopping circuit. The north coast has the cities, the history and the main beaches. The south coast is wilder and harder to reach, with deep gorges cutting through the White Mountains down to the Libyan Sea. The east is remote and archaeological. The west around Chania has some of the most beautiful countryside in Greece. You could spend a month and still not cover it properly.

Take the ferry

The ferry connection between Santorini and Crete is one of the best in the Aegean. Ferries run year-round from Santorini to Heraklion, Crete's main port, with up to 3 daily crossings in summer. The fastest Seajets high-speed catamarans cover the distance in around 1 hour 35 minutes. Blue Star conventional ferries take around 3 to 4 hours but are more stable and comfortable in rough weather. There is also a seasonal ferry to Rethymno, running twice a week from May to October and taking around 2 hours, which is useful if you are heading to western Crete and want to avoid the drive from Heraklion. There is no direct ferry to Chania. Book ahead in July and August as this is one of the most popular ferry routes in Greece.

What about flying?

Both Santorini and Crete have airports, with Heraklion and Chania both served from Athens. For this particular route the ferry is almost always the better option as the direct crossing is shorter than the total time involved in flying via Athens. It is worth knowing that in Greece, airlines do not operate direct inter island flights.

Your best option

Take the ferry to Heraklion. At under 2 hours on the fast boat it is one of the most straightforward connections in the Aegean and you arrive directly into the heart of Crete. If you are heading to Chania or the west of the island, check whether the Rethymno sailing works for your dates before defaulting to Heraklion.