Getting from Arki to Rethymno

If you are heading to Rethymno from Arki you are making your way from one of the smallest inhabited islands in the Dodecanese 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 no direct ferry from Arki to Rethymno. Arki is connected to Patmos, Leros, Lipsi, Kalymnos and occasionally Rhodes and Samos, with services running a limited number of times per week. Rethymno's port receives very limited ferry connections. Getting to Rethymno means taking the ferry from Arki to Leros, flying to Athens and then flying to Heraklion or Chania, followed by the bus to Rethymno taking around 1 hour from either airport.

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. Arki has no airport either. Taking the local ferry from Arki to Leros, 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 local ferry from Arki to Leros, fly to Athens and then fly to Heraklion or Chania and take the bus to Rethymno. Chania Airport is slightly closer to Rethymno and the road between them is a good one. 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 board the overnight Piraeus to Chania ferry, which takes your vehicle directly to western Crete with Rethymno well placed as your first stop.