Getting from Antikythera to Rethymno

If you are heading to Rethymno from Antikythera you are making your way from one of the most remote islands in Greece 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 a direct ferry from Antikythera to Kissamos in western Crete running year-round, taking around 2 hours. From Kissamos the bus to Rethymno takes around 1.5 to 2 hours, making this one of the most practical connections from Antikythera to Rethymno without going through Athens. The service runs several times a week so check the schedule carefully and build your travel dates around the available departures.

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. Antikythera has no airport, only a helipad. Taking the ferry from Antikythera to Kythira, 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 direct ferry from Antikythera to Kissamos and then take the bus east to Rethymno. It avoids Athens entirely and is the most natural and practical connection from the island to Rethymno. If the ferry timing does not work, take the ferry from Antikythera to Kythira, fly to Athens and then fly to Chania and take the bus to Rethymno, which is slightly closer than Heraklion.