Getting from Arki to Ithaca

If you are heading to Ithaca from Arki you are making your way from one of the smallest inhabited islands in the Dodecanese to an island in the Ionian Sea, on the opposite side of Greece. It is the legendary home of Odysseus with a deep central bay at Vathy that is one of the most beautiful natural harbours in the Ionian.

Take the ferry

There is no direct ferry from Arki to Ithaca. No Aegean island is connected by sea to any Ionian island. Arki is connected to Patmos, Leros, Lipsi, Kalymnos and occasionally Rhodes and Samos, with services running a limited number of times per week. Getting to Ithaca means taking the ferry from Arki to Leros, flying to Athens and then either flying to Kefalonia and taking the short ferry from Sami to Ithaca, which takes around 20 to 30 minutes, or driving to Astakos for the direct ferry to Ithaca, which takes around 2 to 2.5 hours.

Getting there by air

Ithaca has no airport. The nearest airport is Kefalonia. Arki has no airport either. Taking the local ferry from Arki to Leros, flying to Athens and then Athens to Kefalonia, followed by the short ferry from Sami to Ithaca, gives a total journey time of around 5 to 6 hours. In Greece, airlines do not operate direct inter island flights.

Your best option

Take the local ferry from Arki to Leros, fly to Athens and then fly to Kefalonia and take the short ferry across to Ithaca from Sami. It is the most practical approach. Check the ferry schedule from Arki carefully before booking your flights as services run only a limited number of times per week. If you are traveling with a car, take the ferry from Arki through the Dodecanese network to Piraeus and drive to Astakos or Patras for the ferry across to Ithaca.