Getting from Santorini to Skiathos

Santorini and Skiathos represent two completely different visions of what a Greek island can be. Santorini is volcanic, dramatic, largely bare and built around the caldera view and the sunset. Skiathos is lush, forested and built around beaches, with pine trees running down to the water and a coastline that has around 60 beaches to work through. If you have spent time on Santorini and want to see a different side of Greece entirely, Skiathos is a very good place to go next. The two islands sit at opposite ends of the Aegean and getting between them takes some planning.

Take the ferry

There is no direct ferry from Santorini to Skiathos. The two islands are in entirely different parts of the Greek ferry network and there is no practical connection by sea. Skiathos is served by ferries from Volos and Mantoudi on the mainland, neither of which is reachable directly from Santorini without first going through Athens. The ferry route via Piraeus and Volos would take the better part of a day and involves a long road journey between Athens and Volos. Flying is the only realistic option on this route.

What about flying?

Both Santorini and Skiathos have airports, which makes this a manageable connection by air. There are no direct flights between the two islands. The journey goes Santorini to Athens and then Athens to Skiathos, with total travel time around 4 to 5 hours door to door. 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 via Athens. It is the only practical choice and it works well. Once you land in Skiathos the airport is tiny and you are on island time within minutes. Book ahead for July and August as flights to Skiathos fill up quickly and the approach into the airport over the beach at the end of the runway is one of the better arrivals in Greece.