Getting from Alonissos to Crete

If you are heading to Crete from Alonissos you are making your way from the most remote of the Sporades group to the largest island in Greece, with ancient Minoan sites, mountain gorges, excellent food and a coastline that stretches for hundreds of kilometres.

Take the ferry

There is no direct ferry from Alonissos to Crete. Getting there by sea means taking the ferry from Alonissos to Volos or Mantoudi, driving to Piraeus and boarding the overnight Piraeus to Crete ferry, which departs around 9pm and arrives in Heraklion or Chania in the early morning after around 8 to 9 hours. It is comfortable with cabins available but the total journey takes the better part of two days.

Getting there by air

Both Heraklion and Chania have airports with daily connections from Athens and Thessaloniki. Alonissos has no airport. Taking the ferry from Alonissos to Skiathos and flying to Crete via Thessaloniki avoids Athens entirely in summer when direct services operate. Flying via Athens gives a total journey time of around 5 to 6 hours. In Greece, airlines do not operate direct inter island flights.

Your best option

Take the ferry from Alonissos to Skiathos and fly to Crete via Athens or Thessaloniki. It is the fastest and most practical approach. Choose Heraklion for central and eastern Crete, Chania for the west. If you are traveling with a car, take the ferry from Alonissos to Volos, drive to Piraeus and board the overnight Piraeus to Crete ferry, which takes your vehicle directly to the island.