Athens Islands Day Trip Review
1 day, 3 Islands, 14 hours. Sounds like a tagline for the next Hollywood action movie. But no, just my Athens Islands Day Trip. The 3 Island day cruise stops by Aegina, Hydra and Poros before returning to Athen’s port Piraeus. In this blog I’ll break down the 3-island cruise itinerary and whether I (honestly) felt it was worth it.
Usually when taking day trips, I avoid organised tours and opt instead for a DIY version by public transport. (Actually, I wrote a whole blog about The Pros & Cons of organised Tours here!) But on this occasion, I opted to take the tour, and I have mixed feelings about it.
So here is my totally unbias review of the Athens Islands day trip to Hydra, Aegina and Poros.
I didn’t expect to see beyond Athens on my three day Greece trip. However, after multiple recommendations from locals, I opted for a 3-island day cruise. I researched how I could do the trip by myself, using the fast ferries and water taxis. However, based on advice that schedules can be unreliable, I decided to spend a little more money and be safe in the knowledge that I wouldn’t be stranded on a Greek island. (Although I can think of worse travel problems).
There are multiple companies selling tickets for a 3 island Athens day cruise, but honestly once I saw the size of the boat and how many people were on it, I have a hunch that everyone ends up on the same ship anyway.
Nevertheless, I booked through a recommended tour agency GreeceTourhub.com. I would recommend them for anyone looking to do a similar trip. Their customer service was on point when I couldn’t find my email confirmation the night before.
3-Island Day Cruise: Highlights & Low-lights
I promised an honest review, so I want to do just that. Before I breakdown the full itinerary of the 3-island Athens day tour, I want to share some initial thoughts. My highlights and lowlights of the day cruise.
The journeys between each island were quite long (around 1.5 hours each) which left time at each island quite limited. However, it’s a good way to get a taste for Greek islands if you only have one day to spare in Athens. In hindsight, on every island there were multiple companies offering boat tickets, so I could’ve done it DIY fairly easily. If I’m back in Athens again, this will definitely be my approach.
Highlights
- Door to door transportation
- Lunch included
- 3 Islands (although 1 stop was so short I’d say it was 2.5)
- Sundeck (the speed ferries are fully enclosed)
- No risk of public ferry strikes or cancellations.
Lowlights
- Not very long on each island (1.5 hours max)
- Travel times between each island are 1.5-2 hours.
- 14 hour day for 4 hours of islands.
- More Expensive ( €112 vs approx €50-60 for DIY)
Athens Islands Day Trip Itinerary
7 AM – 10 AM: Hotel Pickup & Cruise to Aegina
The day trip started very similar to any group tour that you’ve done before. With a classic hotel pick up. The large coach arrived within about 10 minutes of the arrange to pick up time. Which for tours of the size is pretty impressive.
As I was staying in an Airbnb, I opted for a pick up from a hotel nearby. Depending on your location, pickups were between 6:45 and 7:30.
We arrived at the port just before 8 am and the cruise ship left the dock around 8:10 am.
10 AM – 11:30 AM: Island of Aegina
We arrived at the Island of Aegina around 10 AM and had about an hour and a half to explore. I was pleasantly surprised by how few people and cars were on the streets, despite a large cruise ship of tourists arriving on the island.
The Hydraiki Cruise Company offered three additional packages, however I was out of cash, and also wanted some alone time. For anyone interested, the three trips were
- A speedboat to Moni island for swimming and snorkelling.
- A panoramic tour from a rooftop bus
- A classical tour taking you across the island to various archaeological sites.
I opted to explore it on foot and loved walking around, soaking up the quiet, typical Greek Island vibes. I wandered through the town with no real direction or purpose, snapping photos of fun doorways and cars. My walk finished up on the small beach by the port.
If you’re not interested in seeing the town, I recommend taking the 10 minute walk straight to Aegina’s beach for some swimming and sunbathing. The water wasn’t as clear as in Hydra (the next island), or if you would get if you paid the €34 for the snorkelling tour. But it’s perfect for a refreshing dip and to wake you up from that early morning start.
I split my time half-and-half between wandering around the town of Aegina, and lying on the beach.
11:30 AM – 1:45 PM Lunch & Cruise to Hydra
As soon as you board the boat in Aegina, the complimentary lunch buffet is served. (I say complimentary, but it’s definitely factored into the €112 ticket for the day!)
The buffet had a range of options for vegetarians. (The Greeks love cheese so I’m not sure about vegan choices!) I had an excellent plate of salads, feta cheese, bread, pasta and rice. If you’re a meat or fish eater, there were also several hot dishes to enjoy.
I ate quickly to get back to the top deck and enjoy the sunshine for the journey to the Hydra. Note that drinks are not included in the lunch package.
Top Tip; Water on the ferry costs three times as much as any shop on the islands. So be sure to bring some with you, and restock on snacks and drinks when ever you’re on land.
1:45 PM – 3:15 PM Hydra
The cruise to Hydra felt long, given that I finished lunch before we left the dock. But on arrival, it was all worth it. Welcome to Greece’s car-free paradise.
On arrival, I was very much in need of an ice cream, and water. Luckily, there are some delicious ice cream shops right on the harbour, poised for the next load of cruise passengers to arrive.
Beyond the harbour, Hydra has a lot to offer. There is a cute town centre with quiet cobbled streets to explore. Surrounded by the most gorgeous aqua blue clear waters for swimming.
My one complaint with Hydra is that the tour gave nowhere nearly enough time. 1.5 hours to see the town & enjoy a swim is a tight schedule. I ended up only swimming for a few moments and then sprinting back to the cruise ship.
If I could have a do over, I would take a ferry from Athens to Hydra and stay for the full day.
3:15 PM – 5:10 PM Cruise to Poros
Another 1 hour 15 minutes of sailing, before arriving on the third and final island of Poros. This was the shortest stop yet. The guidebook stated it would be a 55 minute stop, which is already very fast. However, we only had 35 minutes before the ship set sail back to Athens.
Naturally, with just over half an hour, there isn’t much you can see. But the climb to the clock tower seemed to be the go-to choice for most passenger. And all things considered, the view was really beautiful.
5:10 PM – 7:30 PM Cruise to Athens
The sail back to Athens took approximately 2 hours 20 minutes, which was longer than expected after such a short stopover in Poros. The ship did have on-board entertainment with traditional greek music and dancing, although I opted to stay on the top deck and enjoy the sunshine instead of going to the downstairs room.
7:30 PM – 8:30 PM Hotel Transfer
On arriving back at the dock, there were a number of buses waiting to take passengers back to their hotel. The process was arranged efficiently, grouping travellers by hotel location, which decreases the annoying impact of so many stops on the way home. (How is it that no matter where are you staying or what are you take your hotel is never the first drop-off?!)
I eventually arrived back at my Airbnb 13.5 hours after I’d left in the morning. A rather long day for 4 hours of islands, but an interesting and aesthetically pleasing one nonetheless.
Overall, I really enjoyed my Athens Island day trip and the opportunity to get a glimpse at the islands that make Greece envied worldwide. Just next time, perhaps I’ll pick one and really get to know it better.
