Folegandros is the island people fall for quietly: a clifftop Chora of small squares, a steep, dramatic coastline and an unhurried pace. Leaving is the hard part, and for most visitors that means this long ferry north to Piraeus, the port of Athens.
It is a proper journey rather than a hop. Folegandros sits in the south-western Cyclades, and the ships that serve it call at other islands on the way, so even the fastest Seajets boat takes around four and a half hours, and the conventional Fast Ferries ships six to seven and a half. Plan the day around it, with food, water and something to read.
Only two operators serve this direction. Fast Ferries sails on three to five days a week throughout the year, while Seajets adds high-speed departures from about March to November, often on most days of the week in spring and autumn but less often in the height of summer, according to Ferryhopper's table of last year's data. Not every day has a boat, especially in winter.
Because of the long crossing and limited frequency, avoid planning a flight from Athens on the same day as your ferry unless it is a late one and you are on the fast boat. Book your return early for July and August, and fix your last night on Folegandros around the ferry that suits you.
