Getting from Alonissos to Rethymno

If you are heading to Rethymno from Alonissos you are making your way from the most remote of the Sporades group 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 Alonissos to Rethymno. Rethymno's port receives very limited ferry connections. Getting there by sea means taking the ferry from Alonissos to Volos, driving to Piraeus and boarding the overnight Piraeus to Chania ferry, which takes around 8 to 9 hours, followed by the bus to Rethymno taking around 1 hour. The total journey takes the better part of two days.

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. Alonissos has no airport either. Taking the ferry from Alonissos to Skiathos, flying to Athens and then Athens to Heraklion or Chania, 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 Alonissos to Skiathos, 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, take the ferry from Alonissos to Volos, drive to Piraeus and board the overnight Piraeus to Chania ferry, which takes your vehicle directly to western Crete with Rethymno well placed as your first stop.