Eight islands sit within a 2 hour 20 minute ferry of Mykonos, but only four of them work as a day trip. Delos is 30 to 40 minutes away by excursion boat and is the only one designed to be seen and left the same day. Tinos and Syros are 15 to 30 minutes away with enough sailings to get back. Paros is about 40 minutes and just about works if you take the first boat. Naxos (35 minutes to 1.5 hours), Ios (1 hour 15 to 2 hours 20) and Santorini (2 hours 10 at best) all deserve a night or more. The single mistake that ruins these trips is the port: every scheduled ferry leaves from the New Port at Tourlos, 2 km north of Mykonos Town, while the Delos boats leave from the Old Port in town.
Disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links. If you book through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you, and it never changes which islands or hotels we recommend.
With more than 10 direct flights per day (especially between April and November) from Europe, Mykonos can allow you to visit some less touristy but probably equally beautiful Greek islands.
BEST HOTELS ON ISLANDS NEAR MYKONOS:
- Santorini:San Antonio
- Naxos: Nissaki
- Syros:Wind Tales
- Paros:PAROCKS
- Ios:Hide Out
- Milos:Noma
- Tinos:Infinity View
These are the best islands near Mykonos:
- Santorini (on Google Maps)
- Naxos (on Google Maps)
- Syros (on Google Maps)
- Tinos (on Google Maps)
- Ios (on Google Maps)
- Delos, also spelled Dilos (on Google Maps)
- Milos (on Google Maps)
- Paros (on Google Maps)
The best Greek islands near Mykonos at a glance
Mykonos sits near the middle of the Cyclades, which is why so many routes run through it. What follows is every island in this guide with the numbers that decide your plan. Crossing times are the range across operators on the route; fares are indicative one-way high-season prices and move with demand, season and seat class.
| Island | Fastest crossing | Indicative one-way fare | Day trip? | Best known for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delos | 30–40 min (excursion boat) | ~€25 return boat + €20 site ticket | Yes – it is the only option | The ancient sanctuary of Apollo |
| Tinos | 15–30 min | €10–€19 | Yes | Pilgrimage church, marble villages, food |
| Syros | 15–30 min | €17–€80 | Yes | Neoclassical Ermoupoli, year-round island |
| Paros | ~40 min | €36–€66 | Tight, but possible | Naoussa, beaches, onward connections |
| Naxos | 35–45 min fast, up to 1.5 h conventional | €36–€69 | Not really – stay 2 nights | Long sandy beaches, mountain villages, food |
| Ios | 1 h 15–2 h 20 | €49–€69 | No | Mylopotas beach, nightlife |
| Santorini | 2 h 10 (SeaJets SuperCat Jet) | €75–€90 | No | The caldera, sunsets, wineries |
| Milos | Seasonal, usually via Paros or Naxos | Varies by routing | No | Sarakiniko, boat-access beaches |
Which islands can you actually day trip to from Mykonos?
Four islands work as a day trip from Mykonos: Delos, Tinos, Syros and – at a push – Paros. The arithmetic is simple and unforgiving. Double the crossing time, add an hour of port faff at each end, and see what is left of the day. Anything under about five hours ashore is a boat ride with a coffee at the far end.
| Island | Return crossing time | Realistic hours ashore | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delos | ~70 min | 3–4 h | The site itself is a half day. This is the trip it was built for. |
| Tinos | 30 min–1 h | 7–9 h | Comfortable. Chora, a village or two and a beach. |
| Syros | 30 min–1 h | 7–9 h | Comfortable. Ermoupoli plus one beach. |
| Paros | ~80 min | 5–7 h | Works on the first boat out. Pick Naoussa or the beaches, not both. |
| Naxos | 70 min–3 h | 4–6 h | You will see the port town and little else. |
| Ios | 2.5–4.5 h | 2–4 h | No. Sailings are too few to build a day around. |
| Santorini | 4 h 20 minimum | 3–5 h | No. You would spend more of the day at sea than on Santorini. |
Two practical constraints sit behind those numbers. Sailings cluster in the morning and late afternoon rather than running evenly through the day, so a route with four boats is not the same as one with four convenient boats. And in July and August the return leg is the one that sells out, so book both legs together.
Which island is closest to Mykonos?
Delos is the closest island to Mykonos, roughly 2 km off the west coast, and Rineia lies about 1 km beyond Delos. Neither is inhabited. Rineia is the larger of the two at around 14 square kilometres with 43 km of coastline, and although nobody lives there, Mykonian farmers still graze animals on it and boat trips run to its beaches in summer. The closest inhabited island is Tinos, 15 to 30 minutes away by ferry, with Syros next at a similar crossing time on a longer sea distance.
This distinction matters more than it sounds. Searches for the closest island to Mykonos usually mean “where can I get to easily”, and the honest answer is that proximity on a map and convenience on a timetable are different things. Syros is further away than Delos by a wide margin and far easier to visit, because it has a real port and year-round sailings.
Mykonos has two ferry ports, and the wrong one will cost you the boat
Every scheduled inter-island ferry leaves from the New Port at Tourlos, about 2 km north of Mykonos Town; the Old Port in town is for Delos excursion boats and small craft. Blue Star, SeaJets, Fast Ferries and Golden Star all use the New Port, as do the boats to Piraeus and Rafina. If your ticket says Santorini, Paros, Naxos, Ios, Crete or Athens, you want Tourlos.
Getting there from Chora takes a local bus, a taxi or the sea bus, and in high season the road is slow. Ferryhopper advises arriving at the departure port at least an hour early in July and August, and more if you are taking a vehicle. Buy through Ferryhopper or any operator site; the booking flow will tell you whether your ticket is a phone-ready QR code or one of the few that still needs collecting at a desk.
Where to Stay in Mykonos
Best Things to Do in Mykonos
Best Greek Islands near Santorini
Best Greek Islands Near Athens
Where to Stay in Paros
I highly recommend you stay at least one night on all of these islands (apart from Delos, which is uninhabited) because a day trip will always be tiring with all the ferry trips you may have to take. Greek island hopping is possible, but you must consider the costs and the times, as the ferry schedules will dictate your plans.
Two routes that look easy on a map and are not
Unfortunately, it is nearly impossible to visit the islands on the western side of Greece, like Corfu, Zante (Zakynthos), or Kefalonia (these are located in the Ionian Sea between Italy and Greece), as there are no direct connection flights or ferries. You must always go through Athens (and possibly take a bus to other ports on the west side of Greece).
Also, I DO NOT recommend visiting Crete or Rhodes from Mykonos. It is 100% doable, but Crete and Rhodes are very big islands, and you need to dedicate at least a week to each one.
A day trip or two to three nights is not worth it because you would spend too much money seeing only 5% of these amazing big Greek islands. Ferry timetables are not fixed yearly, so times and schedules might change. The Ferryhopper website provides you with an updated schedule.
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Santorini – 2 hours 10 minutes at best, and worth more than a day
You have probably already heard a lot about Santorini. If you are considering visiting Mykonos, chances are you are also considering visiting Santorini. For many reasons, Santorini (along with Mykonos) is probably the most famous Greek island.
Read Also: How To Get From Athens to Santorini
Incredible views, mesmerising sunsets (and sunrises), 5-star hotels, beautiful volcanic beaches, artisanal local wineries, and one of the most romantic places on earth. A million things can make you believe Santorini is one of the most beautiful places you have ever seen, but make no mistake: Santorini is a very touristic place.
If you visit Mykonos in July or August (which I don’t recommend anyway), Santorini will likely feel extremely overcrowded, very touristic, and super expensive. Yes, there are still places in Santorini that are not spoiled by overtourism, but they are probably not worth a visit.
So, if you visit in July or August, I suggest you skip Santorini and try another Greek island. But you can visit Santorini any other month and have a great time!
Bear in mind that Santorini is a very diverse place compared to Mykonos, and there are many different things to do. My advice in general is to spend at least 5 days in Santorini (and more days than you will spend in Mykonos…)
How To Get From Mykonos to Santorini
The fastest boat from Mykonos to Santorini is the SeaJets SuperCat Jet at about 2 hours 10 minutes; most crossings take 2 to 3.5 hours, and one-way fares sit around €75 to €90. Golden Star Ferries and SeaJets run up to eight sailings a day from March to November. The Ferryhopper website has timetables and prices for ferries.
There is also a direct flight (more expensive) from Mykonos to Santorini. The flight is about 20 minutes long, but it’s unavailable every year, so please check well in advance.
I do not recommend taking the flight from Mykonos to Santorini. You will spend too much time at the airport, and by the time you have checked in, flown and cleared the airport at the other end, the ferry passengers are already in Santorini.
Read Also the Detailed Guide: How To Get From Santorini to Mykonos
Best Hotels in Santorini
Santorini is not short of hotels with caldera views and serious service, which is a large part of why rooms there cost what they do.
Read Also: Best Hotels of Santorini
Be careful, though, because most hotels are NOT open from November to April, so always check first. Here is my list of the best places to stay in Santorini (spoiler alert: w-o-w!):
Grace Hotel
Grace is the best hotel in Santorini. It has one of the most impressive swimming pools in the world and offers 5-star service at Imerovigli.
Katikies Hotel
This is the best hotel in Oia with the most amazing views of the famous sunsets and unparalleled service.
Andronis Suites
Andronis has the best spa on the island with beautifully designed private suites and an amazing restaurant in Oia.
If you cannot find a room in one of the most famous hotels of the island, try to avoid the famous views and head over to the beachfront areas where things are more normal (Perissa, Perivolos, Kamari). Prices are lower, and you won’t miss much as you can always visit the famous cliff volcano view areas anytime. Read Also: Where To Stay In Santorini
Naxos – 35 minutes to 1.5 hours, depending on the boat
Naxos is the largest island in the Cyclades and one of the largest Greek islands overall. It’s my favorite and is very easy to reach from Mykonos!
Apart from Naxos’ cute capital town (where the ferries stop), there is another cute small village up on the mainland of Naxos called “Apeiranthos” (here it is on Google Maps). Naxos has amazing long sandy beaches (like Agia Anna beach), making it a great destination for foodies and families with kids.
Don’t leave the island if you don’t try the amazing Naxos gruyere yellow cheese called Graviera Naxou. Naxos offers fantastic opportunities for watersports as well: waterskiing, kitesurfing, windsurfing, as its beaches are ideal with the strong winds of the Greek islands:
Naxos is very well organised, with B&Bs and hotels. I suggest a two- to three-day stay on the island because there is so much to see and do.
How To Get From Mykonos To Naxos
Naxos is roughly 35 to 45 minutes from Mykonos on a high-speed ferry and up to about 1.5 hours on a conventional one, so which boat you book matters more than the route does. Fares run from about €36 to €69 one way, with Fast Ferries, Golden Star Ferries and SeaJets all serving it. You no longer have to collect a paper ticket from the big operators. SeaJets, Blue Star, Fast Ferries and Golden Star issue QR-coded e-tickets you can show on a phone; a handful of small local operators still want a printed ticket, and the booking site tells you which applies before you pay. Save the QR code to your phone before you leave the hotel, because signal at the port is unreliable. For timetables and prices, visit the Ferryhopper website (or just check the timetables). There is no flight between Naxos and Mykonos as it doesn’t make sense; the islands are close.
Best Hotels in Naxos
Naxos is quite a big island with lots of options for accommodation. As with every location outside of Santorini and Mykonos, DO NOT expect the luxury and services you will find in those other two Greek islands. But the following hotels in Naxos are very good and are highly rated everywhere online:
Belogna Ikons (Naxos)
One of the highest rated hotels of Naxos is located in a quiet area close to Vivlos beach and the main town of Naxos.
Sea & Olives Villas (Naxos)
This hotel is inside a massive olive tree grove and offers private swimming pools. It’s also within walking distance of the famous Plakas beach.
Naxian Utopia Luxury Villas (Naxos)
Stunning villas with Cycladic architecture, private swimming pools, and amazing views of the Aegean Sea. They are also very close to the famous Agios Prokopios beach!
Ampelos Resort (Naxos)
Beautifully decorated rooms are very close to the famous Plaka beach. Here, you will find the friendliest guests on the island!
Nissaki Beach Hotel (Naxos)
You’ll receive celebrity-like treatment and 5-star luxury in (possibly) the best hotel on Naxos. There’s an amazing Greek breakfast, too!
If you are island-hopping, you must stay more than 1 night in Naxos because the island is pretty big (one of the biggest islands in Greece) and you need to rent a car or a scooter to move around as the distances are not short. Also, make sure you visit the amazing mountain village of Apeiranthos and DO NOT LEAVE THE ISLAND if you don’t eat at one of the best restaurants in Greece: Axiotissa(here it is on Google Maps).
Syros – 15 to 30 minutes, and open all year
Syros is another Greek Island in the Cyclades, in the Aegean Sea. The largest towns are Ermoupoli,Ano Syros, and Vari.
Ermoupoli is the capital of the island, and Syros is the administrative capital of the Cyclades and the South Aegean Region as a whole. It has always been a significant port town; during the 19th century, it was even more significant than Piraeus port in Athens.
You should visit the Syros Town Hall, a magnificent building with beautiful tiles, marble, and decorations, especially on the inside. Nearby, you will also find cafes, shops, restaurants, etc.
In Syros, you can find many sandy beaches, cocktail bars, nightclubs, and tavernas with fresh fish! Syros is great for families and is one of the most relaxing Greek islands, even in August (there are no tourist crowds there…).
How To Get From Mykonos to Syros
Syros sits 15 to 30 minutes from Mykonos, which makes it one of only two islands here you can visit properly and sleep back in Mykonos. If you would rather stay over, I suggest you stay at least two days, spending one day in Ermoupoli and Ano Syros (amazing views and picturesque alleys) and the second day on the beach.
Fares run from roughly €17 to €80 one way; the spread between a deck seat on a conventional boat and a business seat on a catamaran is far wider than the handful of minutes it saves. Book through the Ferryhopper website, which lists every operator on the route.
Travel agencies in Mykonos Town can book your tickets and tell you the timetables of the available ferries when you are there. Still, my proposal is always to check and book online through Ferryhopper.
It’s very simple: you pop in at a travel agent in Mykonos Town (there are hundreds, you won’t miss them), you ask for the timetables for the ferries to Syros, and that’s it. Alternatively, you can book everything online on the Ferryhopper website.
Best Hotels in Syros
Some excellent recent additions to Syros’ Hotels scene lately make it an extremely attractive destination. Here are the best of them:
Wind Tales (Syros)
Located in the medieval town of Ano Syra, it offers some beautiful terraces and balconies with stunning sea views of the town and the Aegean Sea.
Esperance 1 (Syros)
This is the most elegant and stylish hotel in Ermoupoli, the capital of Syros and the administrative capital of the Cyclades and the wider South Aegean Region. It offers an excellent breakfast and top-notch service.
Apollonos Seafront Apartments (Syros)
This is an amazing villa located on the seafront in Ermoupoli. It has incredible sea views and excellent spaces for more than six people.
You must visit Agathopes Beach, about a 20-minute drive from Ermoupoli. You can rent umbrellas and sunbeds (much cheaper than in Mykonos…) and enjoy the crystal blue-green water! This place is very popular, and it gets quite busy in the early afternoon, so make sure that you arrive in the morning, and you will enjoy the sandy beach.
Tinos – 15 to 30 minutes, the closest inhabited island
Tinos Island is a very interesting to visit due to its picturesque villages, beautiful beaches, and amazing food! Tinos is famous among Greeks for the Church of Panagia Evangelistria, also transliterated Evagelistria (the Blessed Virgin Mary).
People come from all over the country to fulfil their vows and seek comfort. Tinos is the most important Orthodox centre of worship in Greece and, at the same time, an important Catholic centre.
You should visit some of Tinos’s scenic villages (Pyrgos, Volax, Arnados, Kalloni, and Ysternia). Tinos also has beautiful beaches likeKolympithra, Agios Fokas, Kionia, and Agios Sostis. I recommend staying for two days and visiting the Church of Panagia Evagelistria, the village of Arnados, the oldest town in Tinos, with the most beautiful alleys, terraces with flowers, and old traditional cafes.
How To Get From Mykonos to Tinos
Tinos is 15 to 30 minutes by ferry from Mykonos, with one-way fares of roughly €10 to €19 and sailings right through the day – the cheapest and shortest hop on this page. If you are in Mykonos, you can visit any travel agency, and they can give you the latest timetable (it changes every few months). Alternatively, you can check the times and book on theFerryhopper website.
Best Hotels in Tinos
Tinos Sky View Villa (Tinos)
A beautiful villa with a private swimming pool that can sleep up to 6 people.
Big Blue (Tinos)
A simple but elegant hotel that offers beautiful panoramic views of the sea and yummy Greek breakfasts.
Aeolis Tinos Suites (Tinos)
Possibly the best hotel on Tinos island with a beautiful swimming pool and excellent service.
CHECK PRICES
Though the famous Mary church in Tinos is one of the highlights of the island, I do not recommend visiting the island on the 15th of August because this is when people from all over Greece go to Tinos to celebrate the Virgin Mary. Avoid the week of the 15th of August in general, and you should be okay with Tinos.
Ios – 1 hour 15 to 2 hours 20, so stay the night
Ios is a unique and underrated island, but visiting while you are in Mykonos (or Santorini) is worth it. Back in the 90s and 00s, it was a crazy party island. It got a bad reputation for some inexplicable reason, but I never understood why.
It’s an island with incredible beauty, and its golden sandy beaches are some of the best in Greece. Seriously… Though I have to say that the island is mainly more appealing to younger ages (up to 30 years old probably), this shouldn’t stop you from visiting Ios and exploring its fantastic beauty. Ios is very well organised, with B&Bs and hotels, and I’d suggest a 2-3 day stay on the island if you decide to visit it.
How To Get From Mykonos To Ios
Ios is 1 hour 15 minutes to 2 hours 20 minutes from Mykonos on high-speed vessels only, run by SeaJets, Fast Ferries and Golden Star (check ferry timetables and prices on the Ferryhopper website). Expect roughly €49 to €69 one way, with up to seven sailings a week between April and October. That is a real fare on a real crossing, which is why Ios belongs in the overnight column rather than the day-trip one.
Best Hotels in Ios
Ios has some really good hotels. While not to the level of luxury and services that you would find in Santorini or Mykonos, the Ios hotels are awe-inspiring.
These are the Top Hotels in Ios:
Ios Palace (Ios)
It’s a beautiful resort with a massive swimming pool next to the famous Mylopotas beach in Ios. It offers great services and a Margarita Bar serving Europe’s longest list of margaritas!
Liostasi Hotel & Suites (Ios)
Designed to overlook the town of Ios, Liostasi offers world-class services and amenities, including the island’s biggest swimming pool.
Levantes Ios Boutique Hotel (Ios)
A truly unique boutique hotel, 10 minutes from the famous sandy Mylopotas beach. Some of the rooms offer their private swimming pool overlooking the beach!
Island House Hotel (Ios)
This is a value-for-money option for Mylopotas Beach, as you get a lot for what you pay! It has a massive swimming pool and clean, decent rooms.
Though not the party island of the 90s and 00s, Ios still has some of Greece’s best beach bars/clubs (along with Mykonos, obviously…). The best one is the famous Far Out Beach Club at Mylopotas in Ios, which also has the great Far Out Camping Ios. Also, remember that Ios would feel like Italy in August, as it is one of the most popular destinations for Italians!
Delos – 30 to 40 minutes, and the one true day trip
Delos, also written Dilos, is uninhabited – nobody has lived there permanently for centuries – and the boat trip out to it is one of Mykonos’s best things to do. It used to be one of Greece’s most famous and important mythological, historical, and archaeological sites. It was the sacred island of the Cyclades, the mythological birthplace of Apollo and Artemis, and the whole archipelago is named for the islands that circle it. Today this uninhabited island has no houses and no hotels: just ancient Greek ruins, some guards, a museum, and a lot of very relaxed cats.
I highly recommend that you take some organised tours to Delos Island so that you understand what you are looking for, as it is not always obvious…
Delos costs €20 to enter (€10 reduced) and the boat is a separate ticket of roughly €25 return. The Greek Ministry of Culture states this plainly on the site listing: the entrance ticket does not include the boat fare from Mykonos. Two purchases, two queues, and neither one covers the other.
| Detail | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Site entry | €20 full, €10 reduced (Greek Ministry of Culture) |
| Boat fare | ~€25 return from the Old Port |
| Crossing | 30–40 minutes each way |
| Boat season | Roughly early May to the end of October |
| Summer opening | 08:00–20:00 |
| November | 08:00–16:00 |
| 1 December – 31 March | Closed. Visits only by prior written request |
| Free admission days | 18 April, 18 May, and the last weekend of September |
| On the island | A museum and a small cafe. No hotels, no village, no shops |
Two things follow from that table that most guides leave out. First, Delos is genuinely unreachable for a third of the year – if you are in Mykonos between December and March, this trip is not available at any price. Second, there is nowhere to buy lunch beyond a single cafe and no shade to speak of on a site that is essentially an open hillside of marble. Bring water, a hat and sun cover, and treat the return boat time as fixed, because there is no later one and nowhere to sleep.
How To Get From Mykonos To Delos
Though you can certainly find the boats that can take you to Delos at the old port of Mykonos, I highly recommend you take an organised tour like the following 2, which are very well rated:
or
Paros and Antiparos – about 40 minutes, and the best onward hub
Paros is about 40 minutes from Mykonos with daily sailings from March to November and one-way fares of roughly €36 to €66. It earns its place here twice over: as a day trip that just about works if you take the first boat out, and as the connection point for almost everywhere else in the Cyclades. If your plan involves more than two islands, Paros is usually the hinge.
Naoussa, the fishing harbour turned restaurant quarter on the north coast, is the obvious target for a short visit, and Parikia is where the ferries dock. Trying to do both in one day means seeing neither properly. Antiparos sits a short hop across the channel from Pounta on Paros’ west coast and has no direct ferry from Mykonos, so it is an add-on to a Paros stay rather than a day trip in its own right – which is precisely why it stays quiet while Paros fills up.
Milos – further than it looks, and worth the detour
Milos has no reliable direct ferry from Mykonos; the usual routing is via Paros or Naxos. That is the whole reason it belongs at the bottom of the table rather than the top. It sits in the western Cyclades while Mykonos sits in the centre, and the connection depends on the season and the operator.
It is on this list because people keep asking, and because Sarakiniko – the white volcanic rock shelf on the north coast – is unlike anything else in the Cyclades. Several of the island’s best beaches are reachable only by boat. Plan Milos as its own three or four nights on an island-hopping route, not as an excursion from Mykonos.
Island hopping from Mykonos: how to plan the route
The cheapest way to island hop from Mykonos is to move in one direction and never double back. Ferry fares here are per leg and high-speed crossings are not cheap, so a route that zigzags costs real money for nothing. Three routes cover most of what people actually want.
| Route | Nights | Why it works |
|---|---|---|
| Mykonos → Tinos → Syros | 2 + 2 + 2 | The short-crossing loop. Nothing over 30 minutes, all three linked year-round, and the least ferry time of any route here. |
| Mykonos → Paros → Naxos → Santorini | 2 + 3 + 3 + 3 | The classic Cyclades line. Every leg runs south, every leg is under two hours, and it ends at an airport with plenty of flights. |
| Mykonos → Naxos → Ios → Santorini | 2 + 3 + 2 + 3 | The same southward line with a beach and nightlife stop swapped in for Paros. |
Two rules save the most grief. Book the return leg of anything time-critical at the same time as the outbound, because in August it is the return that sells out. And leave a buffer day before any flight home: the Aegean wind cancels high-speed catamarans more often than conventional ferries, and a cancelled sailing on the last day is the one that costs you a plane ticket.
When to go, and how many days in Mykonos you need
May, June, September and early October are the best time to visit the islands close to Mykonos. The ferry network is at close to full strength, the sea is warm, and the crossings are far less likely to be sold out than in peak season. July and August bring the strongest winds of the year as well as the crowds, and it is the wind rather than the crowds that cancels boats.
For a trip built around Mykonos plus one nearby island, four or five days in Mykonos itself is plenty – two or three for the town, the beaches and Delos, then the rest for wherever you go next. If you want quieter traditional villages rather than beach clubs, Tinos and Syros deliver that within a short ferry ride, and both stay open outside the season when much of the Cyclades shuts down. Syros in particular is a working island with a year-round population, which is why it is the most reliable alternative to Mykonos in April or November.
One planning note worth building into any island hopping trip: check the ferry route you need actually runs in your month before you book flights. Several of the connections here are seasonal, and the schedules for the following summer are usually published in the spring.
Which island should you pick?
The eight islands worth your time from Mykonos are Delos, Tinos, Syros, Paros, Naxos, Ios, Santorini and Milos. If you have time for only one island, let it be Santorini, as it’s worth it, unless it’s July or August, when it will be super crowded.
If you want a more relaxing and quiet one- to two-day trip (especially with family and kids), visit Naxos or Ios. The only island I suggest doing a day trip from Mykonos is Delos. I highly recommend staying at least one night on all the rest of the islands to enjoy your visit more.
Islands near Mykonos: frequently asked questions
What is the closest island to Mykonos?
The closest island to Mykonos is Delos, an uninhabited archaeological site about 2 km off the west coast and a 30 to 40 minute boat ride from the Old Port. Rineia lies roughly 1 km beyond Delos and is also uninhabited. The closest inhabited island is Tinos, 15 to 30 minutes away by ferry, with Syros a similar crossing time.
Can you do a day trip to Santorini from Mykonos?
We do not recommend it. The fastest boat is about 2 hours 10 minutes each way and most crossings take longer, so you would spend at least four and a half hours at sea for three to five hours ashore, at a fare of roughly 75 to 90 euros each way. Santorini needs three to five days to see properly.
Which islands are easiest to reach from Mykonos by ferry?
Because Mykonos sits in the central Cyclades it has direct connections in every direction. The easiest are Tinos and Syros at 15 to 30 minutes, Paros at about 40 minutes, and Naxos at 35 to 45 minutes on a high-speed ferry. Remember that all of these leave from the New Port at Tourlos, not the Old Port in town.
Is it easy to island hop from Mykonos to Crete or Rhodes?
No, it is not easy for a short trip. While ferries exist, Crete and Rhodes are massive islands located much further south. A ferry from Mykonos to Crete (Heraklion) takes about 5 hours. You should only attempt this if you plan to spend at least a full week exploring Crete.
Can I travel from Mykonos to Corfu or Zakynthos?
There are no direct ferries or flights between Mykonos (in the Aegean Sea) and western islands like Corfu, Zakynthos, or Kefalonia (in the Ionian Sea). To travel between them, you must fly or take a ferry back to Athens, and then take a separate flight or bus/ferry combination to the west coast.
How we checked this page
Crossing times, operators and fare ranges were re-checked in August 2026 against operator-aggregated route data and cross-referenced across more than one booking platform, because single aggregators disagree with each other on this route group. Delos ticket prices, opening hours and the winter closure come from the Greek Ministry of Culture site listing for Delos rather than from resellers. The two-port distinction and the high-season arrival advice come from published port guidance.
Last updated: 12 August 2026. This update added a crossing-time and fare table for all eight islands, a day-trip feasibility section, the New Port and Old Port distinction, verified Delos ticket prices and opening hours including the December to March closure, new sections on Paros, Antiparos and Milos, and three island-hopping routes. It also corrected the ferry durations and fares for Naxos, Syros, Ios and Santorini, and removed an out-of-date claim that Greek law requires collecting a paper ferry ticket at the port.
Ferry schedules and fares in Greece change between seasons and are re-published each spring. Confirm your exact sailing with the operator or on Ferryhopper before you travel.
