Getting from Alonissos to Heraklion

If you are heading to Heraklion from Alonissos you are making your way from the most remote of the Sporades group to the capital of Crete, with the Palace of Knossos just 5 kilometres from the city centre and one of the finest archaeological museums in Greece.

Take the ferry

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

Getting there by air

Heraklion has an international airport with daily connections from Athens and Thessaloniki. Alonissos has no airport. Taking the ferry from Alonissos to Skiathos and flying to Heraklion 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 Heraklion via Athens or Thessaloniki. It is the fastest and most practical approach. If you are traveling with a car, take the ferry from Alonissos to Volos, drive to Piraeus and board the overnight Piraeus to Heraklion ferry, which takes your vehicle directly to Crete and arrives in the morning ready to go.