Getting from Antikythera to Monemvasia

If you are heading to Monemvasia from Antikythera you are making your way from one of the most remote islands in Greece to a medieval fortress town on the southeastern Peloponnese coast, relatively close in geographic terms. It is built entirely on a massive rock connected to the mainland by a single causeway with Byzantine churches and narrow lanes that have changed little in centuries.

Take the ferry

There is no direct ferry from Antikythera to Monemvasia. Antikythera's ferry connections are limited to Kythira, Piraeus, Kissamos in Crete and occasional ports on the southern Peloponnese. Monemvasia is accessible only by road. Getting there means taking the ferry from Antikythera to Kythira and then flying to Athens and driving south through the Peloponnese to Monemvasia, which takes around 4 to 4.5 hours from Athens via Corinth, Tripoli and Sparta. Alternatively, take the ferry from Antikythera to Neapoli on the southern Peloponnese and drive to Monemvasia from there, which takes around 1 to 1.5 hours.

Getting there by air

Monemvasia has no airport. The nearest airport is Athens. Antikythera has no airport, only a helipad. Taking the ferry from Antikythera to Kythira, flying to Athens and then driving or taking the KTEL bus to Monemvasia gives a total journey time of around 7 to 8 hours. In Greece, airlines do not operate direct inter island flights.

Your best option

Take the ferry from Antikythera to Kythira, fly to Athens and drive south to Monemvasia. Alternatively, if the seasonal ferry to Neapoli is running for your dates, take it and drive the short distance to Monemvasia from there. Monemvasia rewards at least two nights. The town reveals itself slowly once the day visitors leave in the evening and the streets inside the walls become entirely your own.