Planning a trip to Siros
Visitor Information
The Hoteliers Association of Siros operates an information booth at the pier in summer; it's open daily from 9am to 10pm. There is a phone, but it is never answered; you'll have to go there. Note that the list of hotels they offer includes only hotels registered with their service. www.syros.com.gr is also useful.
Fast Facts
Several banks on the harbor have ATMs. The Ermoupolis hospital (tel. 22810/86-666) is the largest in the Cyclades; it's just outside town to the west near Plateia Iroon. For free luggage storage, ask at Teamwork Holidays (tel. 22810/83-400). The police (tel. 22810/82-610) are on the south side of Miaoulis Square. The port authority (tel. 22810/88-888 or 22810/82-690) is on the long pier at the far end of the harbor, beyond Hotel Hermes. The post office (tel. 22810/82-596) is between Miaoulis Square and the harbor, on Protopapadaki; it's open Monday through Friday from 7:30am to 2pm. The telephone office (OTE) is on the east side of Miaoulis Square (tel. 22810/87-399); it's open Monday through Friday from 7:30am to 3pm. You can get online in the main square, Plateia Miaoulis, at the Internet facility, on the ground floor of the Town Hall, or at Bizanas, a nearby Internet cafe on Plateia Miaoulis; Multirama, at 54 Ethnikis Antistasis, the main drag along the harbor, also has Internet facilities.
Getting There
By Plane
The website of Athens International Airport, www.aia.gr, is a useful resource for domestic airline schedules. Olympic Air (tel. 810/114-4444 or 210/966-6666, official Greek phone numbers that are rarely answered; www.olympicair.com) offers daily flights between Athens and Siros, which also gets European charters. Aegean Airlines (tel. 810/112-0000; www.aegeanair.com) also plans to start service between Athens and Siros. Buses from the airport to nearby Ermoupolis run frequently (4€); a taxi costs about 10€. A bus from the airport meets most flights; the schedule is posted at the bus stop, beside the airport entrance. A taxi to Fira costs about 13€.
By Boat
The websites www.gtp.gr and www.openseas.gr are useful resources for ferry schedules. Ferries connect Siros at least once daily with Piraeus, Naxos, Mykonos, Paros, Tinos, and Santorini. The ferries connect once or twice weekly with Folegandros, Sifnos, Iraklion, Samos, and Thessaloniki (12-15 hr.). There is service in summer from Rafina. Boats are notoriously late and/or early; your travel or ticket agent will give you an estimate of times involved in the following journeys. Remember: You'll find numerous ferry-ticket offices on the harborfront: Alpha Syros (tel. 22810/81-185), opposite the ferry pier, and its sister company, Teamwork Holidays (tel. 22810/83-400; www.teamwork.gr), sell tickets for all the ferries (and also handle plane tickets and hotel reservations). Ferry information can be verified with the Ermoupolis port authority (tel. 22810/88-888 or 22810/82-690).
Getting Around
By Bus
The bus stop in Ermoupolis is at the pier, where the schedule is posted. Buses circle the southern half of Siros hourly in summer (but never on Sun) between 8am and midnight. There is minimal bus service to the northern part of the island. Teamwork Holidays (tel. 22810/83-400; www.teamwork.gr) offers an excellent value bus tour of the island for 20€ on high-season Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. Starting at 9am, it tours Ermoupoli, and then heads out on the island for a visit to some southern villages, lunch (a la carte), and a swim, then returns to town around 4:30pm. Teamwork also can arrange a day tour of Ermoupolis for 10€ and rents cars (insurance included) from 35€.
By Car & Moped
In addition to Teamwork Holidays , Gaviotis Travel (tel. 22810/86-664; info@gaviotis.gr), with two offices on the harbor, has mopeds and cars, and can provide ferry and plane tickets. A small car will cost from 35€ per day, including insurance. A 50cc scooter rents from 15€ per day.
By Taxi
The taxi stand is on the main square, Plateia Miaoulis (tel. 2810/86-222).
