MARTIN'S TRAVEL TIPS:
CLICK HERE for the "How To Get There" info from the Aegialis Hotel’s website.
We will be able to check into the hotel on Sunday, September 8th at 3pm so plan to arrive on Amorgos that day. The retreat ends on Sunday, September 15th and check out is around noon so make your post-retreat plans accordingly.
If you are traveling from the USA west coast to Athens, there are no direct flights. To fly to Athens you will need to connect stateside in Chicago, Atlanta, Boston, Philadelphia or NYC. You can also get to Athens on connecting flights from the west coast via major European cities.
Athens is a wonderful city and I highly recommend a few days there if you are inclined or have time. Stay in the central area, Plaka, and you'll be surrounded by cafes, bars, shops, history, The Acropolis ( AMAZING ), cool hotels, etc. It's very clean and safe. I like to stay at Ergon House and it was perfect - the free breakfast is incredible - and the rooftop bar has an amazing view of the Acropolis.
The only way to get to Amorgos is on a ferry/boat. You can take a 6-8hr ferry from the Athens port, Piraeus, which is massive and very busy. I find that the ports on the islands are easier to navigate.
Or you can fly to one of the nearby islands and take a shorter ferry from Santorini, Mykonos, Naxos, Paros and other surrounding ding islands. Santorini and Mykonos have international airports so you can fly to these islands from some major European cities. Naxos and Paros have domestic airports so you can fly to these islands from Athens.
There are the high speed ferries on smaller boats and the slower ferries on the much larger boats from the neighboring islands. The high speed ferry from Santorini, or Naxos to Amorgos is about 1hr 20min and from Mykonos is about 2hr 10min. The larger slower boats are more like 3-4hrs.
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I have made this trip several times and this is usually my plan: I fly to London and spend a couple nights. Then I fly from London to Santorini, spend the night and catch the boat the next morning. Fewer flights, fewer chances for snafoos and lost luggage, etc. I also pad my travel so in case there are delays, especially with the ferries, there is ample time to accommodate.
On Santorini, I spend the night at the Cultural House Hotel in the village of Pyrgos. It’s very charming village, has nice affordable places to stay, lots of cafes and restaurants, nice areas for walking, great views and it is ½ way between the AIR port and the FERRY port. I advise asking your hotel to arrange for a driver to meet you at the airport. Sometimes the taxi situation at the Santorini airport can be messy.
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I highly suggest padding your travel with at least one day on each end to allow for unexpected snaffoos. And TRAVEL INSURANCE is always a good thing to have!
NOTE: Boat is the only way to get to Amorgos so buy your ferry tickets well in advance. There are several sites where you can buy tickets. There are two ports on Amorgos - high speed ferries arrive in Katapola and regular ferries arrive in Aegiali - it doesn't matter which port you arrive in.
I’ll need your ferry information as soon as you have it so I can arrange for you to be picked up at your arrival port on Amorgos.
