Andros Ferries

The port: Gavrio

Gavrio is the ferry port of Andros, a working harbour on the island's northwest coast sheltered by low hills. All scheduled car and passenger ferries from the mainland dock here. The village of Gavrio has basic facilities — a few tavernas, car-hire offices and a small supermarket — but most visitors head directly inland or east to Andros Town (Hora) and Batsi.

Fast connections from Rafina

Andros is served not from Piraeus but from Rafina, a smaller port on the east coast of Attica about 30 minutes from Athens International Airport. This makes Andros one of the most convenient Cyclades islands to reach directly from a flight. Fast Ferries and SeaJets both run high-speed services on the route, covering the crossing in approximately 2 hours. Rafina is notably less hectic than Piraeus and easier to navigate for first-time visitors.

Gateway to the northern Cyclades

Andros sits at the northern tip of the Cyclades chain, and many ferries continue from Gavrio south to Tinos and Mykonos, making it a natural entry point for a northern Cyclades island-hopping trip. The same vessels that serve Andros typically continue down the chain, so you can board at Rafina and travel through to Mykonos on a single ticket if needed.

Exploring Andros

Despite being one of the closer Cyclades islands to Athens, Andros is less crowded than Mykonos or Santorini and has a more understated character — prosperous, green, with neoclassical merchant-era architecture in Hora and good hiking trails across the island's mountain interior. A hire car from Gavrio allows you to reach the beaches on the east coast and the villages in the hills efficiently.