Getting from Alexandroupoli to Ios

If you are heading to Ios from Alexandroupoli you are making your way from the far northeastern corner of Greece to an island in the southern Cyclades, on the opposite side of the country. It has some of the finest beaches in the Cyclades on its south coast and a Chora above the port that comes alive in the evening.

Take the ferry

There is no direct ferry from Alexandroupoli to Ios. Alexandroupoli's ferry connections are limited to Samothrace, Lemnos, Agios Efstratios and Lavrio. Getting to Ios by sea means flying to Athens first and then taking the Piraeus to Ios ferry, which runs multiple times daily in summer and takes around 4 to 8 hours depending on the vessel.

Getting there by air

Ios has no airport. The nearest airport is Santorini. Flying from Alexandroupoli to Athens and then Athens to Santorini, followed by the short ferry from Santorini to Ios taking around 35 minutes, gives a total journey time of around 5 to 6 hours.

Your best option

Fly from Alexandroupoli to Athens and then fly to Santorini and take the short ferry across to Ios. It is the most practical approach. If you are traveling with a car, drive from Alexandroupoli to Piraeus and board the conventional Piraeus to Ios ferry, which takes your vehicle directly to the island.