Getting from Arki to Ikaria

If you are heading to Ikaria from Arki you are making your way from one of the smallest inhabited islands in the Dodecanese to one of the world's Blue Zones, a mountainous island in the eastern Aegean relatively close in regional terms, where people live measurably longer than almost anywhere else on earth and the local explanation tends to involve sleeping late, eating well and ignoring schedules.

Take the ferry

There is a seasonal direct ferry from Arki to Ikaria running in summer via the Dodekanisos Seaways network, which also connects to Samos and the eastern Aegean. The service runs a limited number of times per week. Alternatively, take the ferry from Arki to Samos and then connect to Ikaria by local ferry, which keeps the journey within the eastern Aegean without going through Athens. Ikaria has two ports, Agios Kirikos in the south and Evdilos in the north, so check which port your ferry arrives at before booking accommodation as the mountain road between them takes well over an hour.

Getting there by air

Ikaria has its own small airport with connections from Athens running around 3 times a week. Arki has no airport either. Taking the local ferry from Arki to Leros, flying to Athens and then Athens to Ikaria takes around 50 minutes on the second leg. Total journey time is around 5 to 6 hours. Check the schedule carefully as flights are limited. In Greece, airlines do not operate direct inter island flights.

Your best option

Take the ferry from Arki to Samos and connect to Ikaria by local ferry, avoiding Athens entirely. It is the most natural connection given the geographic proximity of the two islands in the eastern Aegean. If you prefer to fly, take the ferry from Arki to Leros and fly to Ikaria via Athens. Check the ferry schedule from Arki carefully before planning as services run only a limited number of times per week.