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Ferries are generally the most authentic and inexpensive way to visit Greece: they are comfortable and fast if flying makes you uneasy, and fun if you enjoy opportunities to meet people. Many visitors who prefer having use of their own car on holiday each year drive down to Italy and then (from Ancona, Bari, Brindisi, Trieste or Venezia – we recommend Ancona and Venezia) take overnight ferries across to Patras. With well-organized, speedy, sleek, new ships that have comfortable air-conditioned cabins, good restaurants, cinemas, TV lounges and discos (and great panoramas) journeys are extremely pleasant and stable. 1st-class cabins have a fridge and TV, and on some routes they cost almost as much as flying, but – if you consider that you are essentially on a luxurious floating hotel – it's well worth the cost on overnight trips. 2nd-class offers smaller cabins, which you sometimes have to share with strangers, but these too all have private bathrooms. Tourist-class slumber seats are situated in a private lounge. Beverages and snacks are available on-board, and restaurants serve breakfast, lunch and dinner, but at slightly expensive prices, so you may want to bring along your own drinks and food. There are dozens of ferrylines, each with its own schedule serving numerous ports, and you can book tickets through travel agents, but it's best to buy them directly from the shipping company or its agents as these usually offer better prices and have surplus tickets when others have exhausted their allotment. Remember that summer schedules are the fullest, so your best bet is to reserve a ticket ahead of time.
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