We breifly visited Samos, Syros and Santorini(Thira) while transiting through the Greek Islands from Turkey to Venice. Ferries through the mediterranean are a much better way of experiencing a region than flying (and cheaper!)

We left Izmir on the west coast of Turkey on 11th June for the port of Kusadasi near the ancient city of Efes. From there we caught a little local ferry across to Samos (2 hours). We had planned to go to Paros the next day but due to rough weather this ferry was cancelled and we transferred across to the only other boat in the port. This took us to Syros (via Iraklia). We arrived into Syros after a harrowing passage at 1 am. We only had paid for deck seats (plastic hard and outside) but the sea was rough and the night air cool. Spray was coming from the bough all the way to the back of the boat and we were getting wet. We moved inside, but all we could find was a passage way where we could lie down for some sleep. I started feeling a little ill as the sea was tossing this large ferry about. I imagined the sea was breathing, and when I began to breath with it I quickly fell asleep until the hron blew signalling that we were reaching Syros. A little old lady calling herself mama, herded a group of backbackers from the port gate toward her guesthouse. We tagged along through the cobbled winding lanes and found a bed for the night.

Still trying to get to Paros, we boarded a ferry the next morning without even taking the opportunity to look around (we were exhausted). Before we reached Paros, the ferry stopped off at the port of Naxos (via Mykanos) and we decided to disembark. We hired a scooter and explored from east to west, and north to south. After 3 days in Naxos we took the direct ferry to Santorini (2 hours).

Although we hadn't planned to go, Santorini was closeby and many people exhuded praise for this island - saying it was the nicest of all. It was a difficult place to enjoy after the calm of Naxos so we looked around briefly and caught the ferry the next day to Paros.

On the way, the ferry stopped in at Ios and once again we were lured from the boat by what we saw. We stayed on Ios for 2 weeks and on 30th June boarded the ferry to Piraeus (Athens Port). After all that, we never did set foot on Paros.