Getting from Agios Efstratios to Rethymno

If you are heading to Rethymno from Agios Efstratios you are making your way from a small island in the northern Aegean to the most intimate of Crete's three main cities, with a Venetian old town of narrow lanes, a fortress above the sea and a long sandy beach running east from the town centre.

Take the ferry

There is no direct ferry from Agios Efstratios to Rethymno. Rethymno's port receives very limited ferry connections, primarily a seasonal service from Santorini running a few times a week in summer, and a limited direct service from Piraeus running 2 times a week in peak season. Getting there means taking the ferry from Agios Efstratios to Lemnos, flying to Athens and then either flying to Heraklion or Chania and taking the bus to Rethymno, which takes around 1 to 1.5 hours from either airport.

Getting there by air

Rethymno has no airport. The nearest airports are Heraklion, around 80 kilometres to the east, and Chania, around 60 kilometres to the west. Taking the ferry from Agios Efstratios to Lemnos, flying to Athens and then Athens to either airport, followed by the bus to Rethymno, gives a total journey time of around 6 to 7 hours. In Greece, airlines do not operate direct inter island flights.

Your best option

Take the ferry from Agios Efstratios to Lemnos, fly to Athens and then fly to Heraklion or Chania and take the bus to Rethymno. Chania Airport is slightly closer to Rethymno and the road between them is a good one. If you are traveling with a car, fly to Athens and take the overnight Piraeus to Chania ferry, which takes your vehicle directly to western Crete and leaves Rethymno well placed as your first stop.