Getting from Arki to Paxos

If you are heading to Paxos from Arki you are making your way from one of the smallest inhabited islands in the Dodecanese to a small island in the Ionian Sea, on the opposite side of Greece. It has ancient olive groves, turquoise coves and a Venetian harbour at Gaios that is one of the most charming in Greece.

Take the ferry

There are no scheduled ferries from Arki to Paxos. The two islands are on opposite sides of Greece with no sea connection between them. 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 Paxos means taking the ferry from Arki to Leros, flying to Athens and then either flying to Corfu and taking the ferry from Corfu to Paxos, which takes around 1 hour 30 minutes, or flying to Preveza and connecting via Igoumenitsa for the daily car ferry to Paxos.

Getting there by air

Paxos has no airport. The nearest airport is Corfu. Arki has no airport either. Taking the local ferry from Arki to Leros, flying to Athens and then Athens to Corfu, followed by the ferry from Corfu to Paxos, 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 local ferry from Arki to Leros, fly to Athens and then fly to Corfu and take the ferry across to Paxos. 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 northwest to Igoumenitsa for the daily car ferry to Paxos from there, as the Corfu to Paxos ferry does not carry vehicles.