Internet
Yes
Calls
No
SMS
No
4G
Yes
Works only on unlocked eSIM-supported devices — check your phone compatibility before purchase
Most packages do not include calls or SMS
Choose one of three methods:
Scan QR code
Install via 'Quick Install' button
Manual setup through phone settings
Use the package within 3 months from purchase
Local (one country), Regional (multiple countries), Global (many countries)
📞 Unlimited calls and SMS across Europe 🌍 International calls: 30 minutes worldwide + 200 SMS
The Cyclades are not one place but a scatter of islands linked by ferries, and almost every day of the route involves a port, a ticket and a timetable. You need internet to check the sailing on the day, find the right quay, arrange a transfer and warn your host about a delay. An eSIM is installed at home, so in Athens or on the first island all that is left is to switch data on.
You can buy an eSIM for the Cyclades online right on this page from 9 500 ₸: choose a data plan, pay by card and get the QR code within minutes. An eSIM is a digital SIM card — it installs on your phone with no plastic card and no visit to a phone shop.
The eSIM connects to local mobile networks, so you have data wherever they have coverage — Santorini and Mykonos and the rest of the country.
Roaming in the Cyclades with a Kazakh carrier is usually far more expensive, and roaming data runs out fast. With a Funsim eSIM you pay a fixed price for a data package and keep your home SIM in the phone for calls and bank SMS — roaming on it can stay off.
If your phone does not support eSIM, you can buy a regular physical SIM card with data for the Cyclades at a Funsim point of sale: at Almaty and Shymkent airports, or at our offices in Almaty — 130/1 Abay St and 1 Pozharsky St. Handy if you remember about the internet right before departure.
One Greece profile works on all the islands of the archipelago: when you change from Paros to Naxos or from Milos to Santorini there is nothing to reconfigure. Greece plans are listed above, and if you go on to Crete, Rhodes or the mainland the same profile keeps working until the package or its validity runs out. Check coverage and terms on the page of the plan you choose.
Your main SIM stays in the phone for calls and bank SMS, while mobile data goes through the eSIM. Most plans have no voice minutes or SMS, so it is easier to message your hotel, transfer driver or apartment host on WhatsApp or Telegram. When half your day is spent travelling between islands, that is far simpler than looking for an operator shop.
| Criterion | eSIM Funsim | Roaming | Local SIM |
|---|---|---|---|
| When to set up | At home, before the flight | Usually on arrival | In Athens or on an island, in a shop |
| What you do in Greece | Switch data on for the eSIM | Check your operator's terms | Find a shop and swap SIMs |
| Cost of data | Fixed package, see plans above | Usually much more expensive | Depends on the operator's tariff |
| Several islands on one trip | One profile for all of Greece | Depends on operator terms | You need time to buy it at the start |
| Your main number | Stays for calls and banking | Stays active | Usually a second SIM or a swap |
Signal is best in the ports and main villages, and less predictable on remote beaches, in coves and on the smaller islands. These are the places and stages of the route where you will use the internet most.
Most Cyclades trips start in Athens: you have to get from the airport to Piraeus, Rafina or Lavrio on time, and the quays inside a port differ. You need internet for maps, taxis, the ferry ticket and a check that the sailing has not been changed. It helps to have a connection already in the arrivals hall, especially if your plane lands early in the morning.
The island stretches along the caldera, and the main points are separated by winding roads: Fira, Imerovigli, Oia, Akrotiri and the beaches in the south-east. Internet is useful for taxis and transfers, a sunset table booking and checking whether boats to the volcanic islet of Nea Kameni are running. In the evening hours the network in the villages on the caldera rim is busy.
Besides Chora, Mykonos has many beaches on the south coast, such as Platis Gialos and Paradise, and it is worth planning in advance how you will get back from there in the evening. Boats to Delos, an ancient archaeological site, leave from the port of Mykonos, and it is best to check the timetable on the day. In summer a strong wind often blows, which affects both boats and ferries.
The largest of the Cyclades: the port town of Chora with the Portara gate, long sandy beaches such as Agios Prokopios and Plaka, and mountain roads inland. Many people rent a car, and then you need a map, navigation and a way to contact the rental company. If you leave the main road for the mountains, download an offline map, because signal in mountain villages can be weaker.
Parikia is the main port of Paros and a handy hub for changing islands: ferries to neighbouring islands and short crossings to Antiparos leave from here. Naoussa is known for its evening bars and tavernas, and beaches are reached by bus, rented scooter or boat. You need internet for timetables, tickets and table bookings, and on remote beaches it is better to save the map in advance.
A volcanic island with the port of Adamas, the village of Plaka and the white cliffs of Sarakiniko that look like a lunar landscape. The caves and coves of Kleftiko are usually visited on a boat trip, so check the departure on the day: weather can change plans. At sea, signal along the coast is uneven, so do not leave important messages until later.
Syros is the administrative centre of the Cyclades, and its port Ermoupoli often becomes a changing point between islands. It is a convenient place to adjust your route: check the timetable, find a place for the next night or pick a different island if a sailing did not fit. The town is compact, and getting around is easy to plan with your phone map.
Small and more secluded islands with infrequent sailings, limited accommodation and a modest choice of shops. Signal in rural areas and on trails can be weaker, and Wi-Fi at your lodging is not always stable. On Amorgos the walk to the Hozoviotissa monastery on the cliff is popular: download the map and leave a time reserve for the way back.
A few services are enough for island hopping: for ferries, navigation, weather and talking to your hosts.
A service for finding ferry sailings and buying e-tickets across Greece. It is handy for comparing options between neighbouring islands and keeping the ticket on your phone. Still check the departure time on the day of travel.
Helps you find the port, quay, hotel and beach and plan a route by car or on foot. Before mountain roads and small islands, download an offline map of the island.
Shows wind and wave conditions. In the Cyclades wind noticeably affects sailings and boat trips, so the app is useful on the departure day and when planning a spare day.
A taxi-hailing service used in Athens. Suitable for trips between the city centre, the airport and the port. On the islands taxis are more often booked by phone or through your lodging, so ask in advance.
Useful for the Greek alphabet: signs, timetables and menus in small tavernas sometimes appear in Greek only. Download Greek for offline use and translate with the camera.
This is how you arrange things with hosts, transfer drivers and boat-trip organisers. Most plans have no voice calls, so calling through a messenger is the easiest option.
Booking and messaging with hosts. Save the confirmation and address before heading to the port: on some islands you need to know how to reach your lodging from the quay, and a map helps with that.
Check that your phone supports eSIM and is not locked to a carrier. You can see this in the settings or on the manufacturer's website.
Choose a Greece plan above and pay by card on the site, no passport is needed. If your route includes other European countries, look at the regional plans.
Install the eSIM at home by QR code, the Quick install button or manually while Wi-Fi is available. That way you will not be looking for internet at Athens airport.
After landing, choose the eSIM as your mobile data line and switch data roaming on for that line.
Keep your main SIM for calls and bank SMS, but turn off mobile data on it. If the package runs out, buy extra data on the site, and check the hotspot terms on the plan page.
Before changing to a new island, save your booking, your host's contact and an offline map of the island on your phone while you still have a reliable signal in the departure port.
