Skopelos island of Sporades - Greece. Skopelos island hotels, villas and houses. Accommodation in Skopelos, Sporades islands holidays. Skopelos island hotels and villas, Skopelos island tour

The Sporades Islands can be reached from the UK, most major European cities and the US in several different ways depending on which Greek airport is best serviced by your departure point. Below, we have listed the ways and means to reach Skopelos and Alonissos from each of the four airports which have convenient and direct services to these islands:

Skiathos
The easiest way to get to Skopelos and Alonissos is by charter flight directly to Skiathos. Many European countries have charter flights directly to Skiathos airport with a limited number of “Flight only” seats. Charter flights can usually only be booked for 1, 2 or 3 full weeks (i.e. Friday-Friday). From Skiathos there are several ferry and hydrofoil crossings every day to Skopelos (approx 45 min) and Alonissos (approx 1 hour). Skiathos port is approximately 5 minutes drive from the airport.

Thessaloniki
It is also possible to travel via the 2nd largest city in Greece, Thessaloniki. During the high season there is usually a Flying Catamaran service from Thessaloniki to Skopelos/Alonissos which operates daily (approx. 3 hours and approx. 40 Euro o/w). This service normally runs from mid-June to mid-September. There is also conventional ferry service (6hrs 45 min/approx 35Euros o/w). Thalpos Holidays can arrange a taxi transfer from the Thessaloniki airport to the port (approx 40 min/50 Euros).

Another possibility is to take a private taxi transfer directly from the Thessaloniki airport to the port of Volos (approx 2 hrs and 200E). The driver can pre-purchase the boat tickets from Volos to Skopelos/Alonissos to ensure availability. Of course a bus may also be taken with the National Bus service K.T.E.L. (approx 2:30 hours and 40E).

Volos
From some European countries you can also fly directly into the small airport of New Acheallos near the port city of Volos. By taxi from the airport, you may reach Volos port in approx 20 minutes. There are several crossings a day from Volos to the Skopelos and Alonissos by hydrofoil and high speed ferry which take between 2-3 hours depending on the type of ferry and costs approx. 40 Euro o/w. In addition, Hydroplane service is due to begin from Volos to Skiathos and Skopelos during summer 2010. The flight is approx ½ hour and costs should run approx 60Euro (prices to be confirmed when service begins).

Athens
Another possibility is to travel via Athens to Skopelos and Alonissos. From Athens there are 3 ways of getting to the islands:

Domestic flight with Athens Airways to Skiathos (approx. 30 min/65 Euro) and hydrofoil from Skiathos to Skopelos (approx. 45 min /15 Euro) www.athensairways.com
2. Bus from Athens Centre to Agios Konstantinos (approx. 2:15 hours/15Euro) and then hydrofoil to Skopelos (approx. 2:15 hours/46 Euro) and Alonissos (approx 3:00 hours/49 Euro).
3. Private transfer from Athens airport/city centre - Ag. Konstantinos. You may choose between a taxi or mini-bus transfer depending on the size of your party. The pick-up can be from the airport or city centre and takes you directly to the boat departure port of Agios Konstantinos (taxi: approx. 2 hours/180 Euro for 4 people) (mini-bus: approx 2 hours/available for 10-17 persons). Another advantage to these private transfers is that your boat tickets can be pre-reserved to Skopelos (approx.2:15 hours/46 Euro) or Alonissos (approx. 3 hours/49 Euro).
The prices above are approximate and per person for adults.

Flight Schedules and links from UK cities
FOR SCHEDULES AND FLIGHT DAYS OF AIRLINES SERVICING THE UK - SKIATHOS AND THESSALONIKI -

London LGW
London Lutton
Manchester
Birmingham
Brighton
East Midlands
Newcastle

By phone, we suggest you contact The Charter Flight Center on 0845 045 0153 or Advanced Travel Partners on 0870 720 2003 for flight information.

For flights into Athens we suggest you contact Easy-Jet, British Airways and Olympic Airways for flight availability and prices. Especially Easy-Jet have some good offers.

FLIGHTS FROM THE US:
There are no direct flights from the US to Skiathos, but it is possible to travel via Athens or Thessaloniki. You may use the Greek National Airline http://www.olympicairlines.com/, www.athensairways.com for service Athens/Thessaloniki to Skiathos.
You may also check schedules and fares at http://www.cheapflights.com, http://www.cheaptickets.com
http://www.travelocity.com or any of the other numerous flight providers on the Internet.

FLIGHTS FROM SCANDINAVIA:
Contacts for charter flights directly to Skiathos are My Travel, Apollo Reiser and Star Tours. For flights to Athens and Thessaloniki please contact your local travel agent for availability and prices.

BOAT SERVICE TO THE ISLANDS BY HYDROFOIL, CATAMARAN AND FAST FERRY:
Boat schedules from all major ports in Greece including all major companies can be found at http://www.forth-crs.gr/grs/. At this site you may also make reservations and purchase tickets. The main boat ticket office in Athens which services the Sporades Islands is ALKYON TRAVEL. It is located in the center of Athens at 97 Acadamias, PLATEIA KANNIGKOS (Kannigkos Square), Tel/ 0030-210-419-9000. The agency provides a bus service from the center of Athens to the port of Ag. Konstantinos in conjunction with tickets for the Hydrofoils, Catamarans and Fast Ferries at a minimal additional cost to the boat ticket. The bus departs from the Alkyon Travel office at Plateia Kannigkos. Tickets may be pre-reserved with Alkyon Travel and purchased up to ½ hour prior to the bus departure time. (*since the bus is run in conjunction with the boat schedules, no boat will depart to the islands prior to the bus arrival into Ag. Konstantinos).

From the airport, the easiest way to get to Alkyon Travel is either by taxi directly to the office, or by the Metro to Omonia Station. From Omonia it is a short walk to Plateia Kannigkos.

TRANSPORTATION FROM ATHENS AIRPORT TO ATHENS CENTER:
The new Athens International Airport is situated 27Klm from Athens city center and has transportation services 24 hours per day to the city center. The airport is serviced by taxi, public bus and the new and modern metro. Below, please find information regarding each mode of transport to the center:

Taxi: The airport is accessible by taxi on a 24-hour basis. When leaving the airport, please make use of the taxi queue next to Door 3 of the Arrivals Level. Unfortunately there are no official published taxi fares from the airport into the city, but expect to pay approx 20-30Euros for the 30 minute ride. According to the Greek Legislation, taxi drivers should provide upon request, a receipt for the amount paid for transportation services. The receipt should also indicate the taxi registration number and the driver's name.

Public Bus: Six public bus routes serve exclusively the airport, connecting the greater area of Athens and Pireaus with the airport. Public busses run to and from the areas of Kifissia, Ethniki Amina, Syntagma Square, the Dafni Metro Station and the port of Pireas. The tickets are 2.90 Euro and you may buy tickets from the bus driver, at any metro station or public transport ticket outlets.

Metro: The Athens Airport Metro is on line 3 and departs every half hour. The journey time to Syntagma Square is 27 minutes and to Pireaus is 60 minutes. Tickets are 6 Euro one way.

Suburban Rail: Athens International Airport is connected via the Suburban Rail to Larissis Station (Athens Central Railway Station). From here you may reach not only Athens city center, but also Greece's railway network servicing the rest of the country.

Car rentals: Six car rental companies currently operate at Athens International Airport with
offices located at the Arrivals level. The car rental area is within walking distance from the Main Terminal Building, located at the northern side of the building.

Please see http://www.aia.gr/EN/ for further information.

HOW TO TRAVEL TO CORFU/LEFKADA/PAXOS

CORFU
CorfuAirport: Flying to Corfu for most Europeans is an easy flight lasting less than 3 hours. Corfu's International airport (Kapodistrias) is located on the edge of Corfu (Kerkyra) town, and is modern and compact. During the summer months (May to October) there are regular charter flights from most European countries to Corfu. Domestic flights (from Athens) operate all year round.

CorfuPort: Corfu's port is at the edge of Corfu (Kerkyra) town. Corfu port is also a popular stop for visiting cruise ships. It is also possible to travel to Corfu from Igoumenitsa on the Greek mainland and from Brindisi and Bari in Italy. Ferries from these regions operate frequently during the spring, summer and autumn period. Check with the individual operators for fares and schedule.
Corfu by Car: Some visitors drive to Greece as the regular ferries from Italy and the Greek mainland to Corfu make the trip easy to plan. The roads of Corfu are generally in good condition, even if unavoidably steep and twisting in some locations. Ferry timetables from both Italy and from within Greece can be found at www.openseas.gr, www.greekferries.gr and www.hellenicseaways.gr.

ROUTES AND OPERATORS ARE AS FOLLOWS:
Agoudomis Lines: Brindisi to Corfu
Blue Star Ferries: Venice - Ancona - Brindisi - Corfu
Fragline Ferries: Brindisi to Corfu
Minoan Lines: Venice - Ancona - Igoumenitsa - Corfu
Ventouris Ferries: Bari to Corfu

LEFKADA
Lefkada is an island and thus one would imagine that getting to Lefkada would not be that easy. On the contrary, Lefkada is so close to the Greek mainland that is only separated by a small bridge. This makes driving to Lefkada an option, not only for people arriving from Greece, but also from Italy, Bulgaria, Romania etc. Lefkada does not have its own airport but Preveza Airport on the mainland is just a 15min drive to Lefkada town. Charter flights run regularly from the U.K. to Prevesa Airport with the most popular flight day being Sunday. Domestic flights from Athens are available as well and operate year round.

Lefkada by air or car:
It only takes 15 minutes to drive from Preveza airport to Lefkada Town. There is a floating bridge that connects the Greek mainland (just South of Preveza) to the island of Lefkada. Approximate distances from the airport to the main resorts on Lefkada are: Agios Ioannis – 20 minutes; Tsoukalades – 25 minutes; Nidri – 35 minutes; Nikiana – 25 minutes; Sivota – 25 minutes; Vassiliki – 1 hour; Agios Nikitas – 45 minutes.

Lefkada by sea plane:
In 2004, Air Sea Lines began operating a new sea-plane service between Corfu and Lefkada. This is a quick and efficient way to travel to Lefkada – but please keep in mind that there are strict luggage limitations. The service operates up to four times a day between Corfu Town and the port of Lefkada Town. Contact Air Sea Lines at +30 26610- 99316 for full details of fares and schedule or visit their website at www.airsealines.com .

PAXOS
Since Paxos has no airport, a slightly longer journey is involved in reaching the island. The upswing to this is that Paxos has thankfully evaded mass-market tourism and remains a peaceful and unspoiled island.
Visitors to Paxos must fly into Corfu and transfer to the ferry port for crossings via conventional ferry boat, hydrofoil (approx 1 hour journey) or water taxi (please note that crossing times are dependent on ferries and prevailing weather conditions). In the event that your flight arrives to Corfu after the last ferry crossing to Paxos, Thalpos Holidays will be pleased to help make arrangements on your behalf. We recommend though booking an early flight from home in order to avoid an overnight in Corfu if possible. Ferry timetables from Corfu can be found at www.openseas.gr (Paxos is listed as Paxoi)

Paxos by sea plane:
In 2004, Air Sea Lines began operating a new sea-plane service between Corfu and Paxos. This is a quick and efficient way to travel to Paxos – but please keep in mind that there are strict luggage limitations. The service operates up to three times a day between Corfu Town and the port of Gaios on Paxos. It is a superb way to travel, with strict safety precautions and very comfortable. You will also see the most amazing views of both Corfu and Paxos - a fantastic experience and a wonderful way to start your holiday. Contact Air Sea Lines at +30 26610 99316 for full details of fares and schedule or visit their website at www.airsealines.com.

Paxos by car ferry from the mainland:
There is a direct car ferry service to Paxos operating from Igoumenitsa on the Greek mainland. Please telephone +30 26650 21527 for full schedule and fare details.

Paxos by water taxi:
It is possible to travel from Corfu to Paxos via water taxi. The water taxi takes up to 12 passengers, leaving Corfu either at the Town's old port (Cafe Yialli) or 'Skala', near to the Corfu Palace, and arriving in Paxos, either Gaios, Lakka or Loggos, one hour or so later. The following two companies run the sea taxi service:
Lakka Express" - Based in Lakka. Contact Andreas on +30 6977623033 (mobile)
"Paxos Express" - Based in Gaios. Contact Nikos on +30 6932232072 (mobile)

THALPOS HOLIDAYS - Skopelos island, Greece

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