Santorini is the destination, but it is also the perfect base. Four islands are within two hours by ferry, and each one ...

Santorini is the destination, but it is also the perfect base. Four islands are within two hours by ferry, and each one offers something Santorini itself cannot. Thirassia is just 20 minutes across the caldera from Ammoudi Bay or Athinios Port, the quieter twin with a clifftop chora and almost no cars. Nea Kameni is 30 minutes out, with an active volcanic crater and sulphurous hot springs that run milky turquoise-green. Anafi is 1.5 hours from Athinios Port, one of the least-visited islands in the Cyclades, anchored by a monastery on a 460 m rock. Ios is just under two hours away by high-speed ferry, with marble-paved alleys and a hilltop chora that runs on a completely different rhythm. All four ferry times are verified against published schedules. November sailings are noted where frequency drops, because the off-season matters here. Save this for your Santorini trip and tag the person you are taking with you.