Getting There

Folegandros is reachable only by sea. This is a significant reason why it has retained so much of its charm – it is not reachable by plane, thus not as subject to mass tourism as many other Greek islands. Getting there is all part of the fantastic journey. Give yourself plenty of flex time when planning your travel.

All our tips for traveling to Folegandros are below. Please read through carefully — you will find answers to many of your questions. We cannot act as travel agents. However, reading through our travel and accommodation tips, gathered over the years, is an excellent orientation to begin making your own plans. If you require extra help in planning your trip, we highly recommend speaking with a travel agent in Greece, as they are very familiar with ferry travel schedules, estimated times between airport and port, etc.

ferries

There are two kinds of ferries traveling to Folegandros from Piraeus.

• The slower, traditional ferry boat takes approximately eight hours from Pireaus (the port of Athens) to travel to Folegandros. It is less costly than the hydrofoil. On this ferry, you are able to go out on deck, experiencing your own version of the Odyssey, passing through the islands of the wine-dark Aegean Sea. This boat is the less expensive of the two ferry options.

  • One thing to consider for the slow boat, especially if you’re jet lagged, etc., and it’s the ferry that travels into the night, is opting for a cabin with a sleeping berth. It really helps!

• The faster ferry (hydrofoil) takes approximately 3.5 hours from Pireaus (the port of Athens) to Folegandros. You cannot go out on deck on this ferry, but your travel time is much less. This boat is the more expensive of the two ferry options.

• Please plan on arriving to Folegandros the day BEFORE the workshop begins. We will have our first meeting together for a shared evening dinner on June 24th, the night before our first morning class.

• Plan on departing Folegandros AFTER our last class. Our last class meeting will go into the evening of Friday, June 30th. All participants should plan on attending the entire workshop.

Of course, you can also travel to Folegandros by ferry from other Greek islands. Ferry schedules are confirmed in spring, closer to the time of the workshop, but you can plan tentatively around the times listed at the ferry website here, as they are similar each year. There are several ferry websites, easy to find in a website search of Greek ferries.Check back regularly beginning in late March, early April, to determine your ferry travel plans.

Again, be sure to check ferry schedules and revisit Greek ferry websites as the workshop dates approach, as ferry schedules and fees may shift . You can purchase your ferry tickets in advance, and pick up the actual paper tickets at the ferryboat kiosk or office at the Port of Piraeus.

Consult ferry websites directly for information about purchasing and picking up your ferry tickets:

Direct Ferries for booking 

SeaJets for booking

Plan on arriving in ATHENS with time to travel by ferry boat from PIRAEUS (the port of Athens) to Folegandros. 

Another Travel Option:

If time and travel plans allow, fly to a nearby island and ferry from there (for example, Santorini is a 2-hour ferry ride from Folegandros and has an inter-European, international, airport).

A terrific source for information about travel within Greece is Matt Barrett's website: www.greektravel.com

arriving TO folegandros:  

• Notify your hotel of your arrival time on Folegandros in advance.

• Arrange transport from the Folegandros port to your hotel. Hotels usually send a van to meet their guests at the port. There will also be public buses meeting the ferry. You will need to walk to your hotel from the bus stop if you don't arrange other travel.

• If you are arriving very early in the morning, you must book your hotel for the night before (standard hotel practice).

• Allow sufficient time for travel to and from Folegandros. This way, your voyage to Folegandros can be a pleasurable part of your Greece experience.

• You may wish to rent a vehicle to explore the island. If you do not stay in Chora Village, where the workshop will be held, this may be particularly relevant. Public buses run regularly, but the bus schedule is not as frequent when the island is not in official high season (our workshop ends just high season begins). We have experience with, and can recommend this car rental agency: https://www.evorentacar-folegandros.gr/el/.