Getting from Antikythera to Halkidiki

If you are heading to Halkidiki from Antikythera you are making your way from one of the most remote islands in Greece to a three-pronged peninsula southeast of Thessaloniki in northern Greece, with Kassandra in the west for long sandy beaches, Sithonia in the middle for quieter waters and the monastic peninsula of Athos in the east.

Take the ferry

There is no ferry to Halkidiki. It is a mainland peninsula with no island ferry connections. Antikythera's ferry connections are limited to Kythira, Piraeus, Kissamos in Crete and occasional ports on the southern Peloponnese. Getting to Halkidiki means taking the ferry from Antikythera to Kythira, flying to Athens and then flying to Thessaloniki, from where Halkidiki is accessible by bus or car.

Getting there by air

Halkidiki has no airport. The nearest airport is Thessaloniki, around 60 to 90 kilometres from the various parts of the peninsula. Antikythera has no airport, only a helipad. Taking the ferry from Antikythera to Kythira, flying to Athens and then Athens to Thessaloniki gives a total journey time of around 6 to 7 hours. From Thessaloniki a rental car or KTEL bus is needed to reach Halkidiki.

Your best option

Take the ferry from Antikythera to Kythira, fly to Athens and then fly to Thessaloniki and rent a car at the airport. Halkidiki is large and spread out enough that a car is essential for getting between beaches, villages and the different peninsulas. If you are traveling with a car, take the overnight ferry from Antikythera to Piraeus and drive north via the E75 motorway to Thessaloniki and continue to Halkidiki from there.