Thinking about a bike trip to Crete next year. Much hassle?

[Bonzo]

Our youngest is getting married in Crete next August and rather than copping an easyjet package or such like, I'm wondering if I should consider taking the 1200RS down as I'm not a fan of sitting in airport departure lounges for hours on end (though I know I'd be doing similar in ferry terminals)

Any thoughts on routes, feasability and potential hassles? Can start from any of the UK ports.

It's just a passing thought and I may end up going with everyone else after all, but thought I'd ask the great wise travelling sages of UKGSER.

 

[oblertone]

We travelled Plymouth - Santander - Barcelona - Civitiavecchia (Rome) - Salerno; which included two overnight ferry trips, you could easily cross Italy and catch a third ferry to Crete

NB: All ferries were booked online before departure, as was the accommodation for first night in Spain and a flat in Salerno. All very painless

 

[OnHellas]

I’ve not been across since 2015 I think but the ferries from Ancona or Brindisi in Italy to Patras in Greece were always pretty good, albeit not always in time.
Clean, modern and comfortable.


From Patras to Crete would be another ferry ride but I have no experience of that.

Of course you could get the ferry from Italy to Igoumenitsa and ride to Patras. Or ride through Croatia, Albania etc etc.

 

[OnHellas]

I don’t think that there is a ferry running from Italy to Crete direct ?

 

[Deleted account 250722001]

You've got to get past the Greeks first!
Ancona to Igoumenitsa- O/N (sleep on top deck under cover but outside- toilet and hot shower there too) then ride across Greece to Athens and grab a ferry to:
Heraklion / Chania / Kissamos / Sitia

 

[Steve398]

I’ve not been across since 2015 I think but the ferries from Ancona or Brindisi in Italy to Patras in Greece were always pretty good, albeit not always in time.
Clean, modern and comfortable.


From Patras to Crete would be another ferry ride but I have no experience of that.

Of course you could get the ferry from Italy to Igoumenitsa and ride to Patras. Or ride through Croatia, Albania etc etc.

We went across in June this year from Ancona to Igoumenitsa, but the ferry went on to Patras which would make things more simple. Timings were changed with little notice to a later departure on the return journey by 5 hours, which made our leisurely 4 hour run to Milan a bit of a thrash arriving at the hotel at 8pm.
That said, the ferry was clean, food pretty good and not too pricey.
We booked as soon as the timetable was published in January and got 20% off.