Greece Travel Forum

The small print with Auto Europe simply says permission needed prior - any thoughts on trying to island hop with a car - are there reliably car ferries available on my intended route between Mykonos, Naxos, Santorini and Crete? and if yes, expensive?

or a real pain and better to just pick one up here and there on the islands? One complete rental would at least help with not having to commit to dates along the way and the price is not to bad for 10 days with pick up in Thessaloniki and drop off in Crete!

Thank you for any suggestions and advice.

NEver heard of anybody undertaking the hassle of booking a RENTAL car on a ferry!! Advance bookings, paperwork eek. Much easier to pick up one "here and there" on the islands. YOu don't have to "commit to dates along the way". If you can drive a stick shift you can pick up a car any time on the islands named. And you may find you don't need a car as much as you think. For instance, in Santorini you may not want a car at all. And in Naxos, the bus service is so excellent that out of a stay of 4 days, you might only want a car for 1 day in order to zoom around the island..

Anyway if you have only 10 days and you plan to start in Thessaloniki and end in Crete you wont see anything anyway; you will spend all your time checkng in and out of hotels, waiting for ferries, sitting on ferries, getting off ferries, renting cars returning cars etc.

I cannot understand your itinerary. It sounds as if you are required to fly in to Thessaloniki and fly out of Crete. This must be some kind of air-ticket bargain. I cannot think of any other reason WHY someone would voluntarily set up a circuit like that given only 10 days!! Pleae explain rationale. Also, you do not give ANY dates at all... and it's a far different thing to attempt something like this in June or September or in the crazy time of mid July thru August.

Do you REALLY want advice? If so, my advise -- drop 2 islands. Fly from Thessaloniki to Santorini. Spend 2 days, see the famous Caldera view, leave. Then Ferry to Crete... Rent car and drive to lovely Chania, mountain villages of the Amari valley, delicious beaches like Falassarna and Elafonissi, take a NON-touristy gorge-walk like Imbros, visit Phaistos, Loutro, Frangokastello, Mon Preveli... the magical land of (mainly Western)Crete. Here is a stunning website (noncommmercial, NO advertising) that shows you why Crete deserves this time -- http://www.cretetravel.com/

I lovelovelove Naxos but if u only have 10 days and must end in Crete, this is the way to go. (Please do respond and explain your destinations rationale).

I just gave you the above answer based on that 10 day insanity, then I read your immediately prvious posting, and it sounds even more ambitious! This is obviously your first trip to Greece. Cool it!! You are from the UK, you can go back all the time for a fraction of what it costs us North Americans. Don't bite off more than you can chew... you will get terrible self-induced indigestion.

Ten Days = Athens & 2 islands or 1 day athens, fly to 1 island, ferry to Crete, fly back to London. Forget about Meteora & Delphi unless you have 3 extra days.

There are reliable car ferries, but island hopping with a car will be a nightmare rather than a relaxing travel! Ticket booking, getting early in the queue, trying to park in crowded places you do not know yet, traffic bans and one-ways... Forget it! (and high cost also). You can carry a car by ferry from the mainland to limited, rather big islands, like Crete, Rhodes, Lesvos, Chios, Thasos, Samothraki, Limnos, Corfu, Kefallonia, Zakynthos, but only if you are going to stay there for long.
Just pick one up here and there, as you say. In many islands renting a bike is more convenient, you are more flexible. Distances are very short in most islands and roads very narrow.
You say, "the price is not too bad for 10 days with pick up in Thessaloniki and drop off in Crete!". Are you sure that the charge for "returning the car to its origin" is included in the price you got? They have to pay a driver and gas and ferry and charge also for the days of return travel (at least they say so).

I agree with the above tips!
What is your price for 10 day car (one way rental) that will seat on the ferry for most of the time?
Car rental in Crete is about 140 EUro/ 7 days with all the insurance you can get. I don't know any other place in the world that rent cars so chaply.
As for Santorini, you don't need a car. You can see one end of the island from other. All you need is 2 euro for bus or couple more for a taxi. Many travelers also like the idea of renting moped (scooter) on Santorini, as the island is so small and so moped-friendly.
Getting in and out of the ferry is already pain in the###, however getting in and out, your car is all together another story.
Also in Greece you can always find a ferry ticket for 2 people, but sometimes you may have to wait few days to get a ticket for a car.

You don't need to book your car on Crete much in advance. You can just call 1 day before (from Santorini) and they will be happy to wait for you at the ferry terminal with your car keys.
I have posted some car rental companies on my Crete page.