Getting from Astakos to Kythira

If you are heading to Kythira from Astakos you are making your way from a port town on the western coast of central Greece to an island at the southern tip of the Peloponnese, between the Aegean and the Ionian seas. It has stone villages, deep gorges, a Venetian castle above Chora and a coastline of turquoise coves.

Take the ferry

There is no direct ferry from Astakos to Kythira. Astakos ferry connections are limited to Kefalonia and Ithaca. Getting to Kythira means driving south from Astakos to Neapoli on the southern Peloponnese, which takes around 4.5 to 5 hours via Patras and Tripoli, and then taking the short ferry from Neapoli to Kythira, which takes around 1 hour and runs daily in summer. Alternatively drive to Athens and fly to Kythira.

Getting there by air

Kythira has its own small airport with daily connections from Athens. Astakos has no airport either. Driving from Astakos to Athens and flying to Kythira gives a total journey time of around 5 to 6 hours. The drive south to Neapoli for the ferry is a practical alternative that avoids Athens entirely. In Greece, airlines do not operate direct inter island flights.

Your best option

Drive from Astakos south to Neapoli and take the short ferry across to Kythira. It avoids Athens entirely and is the most practical road approach. At around 1 hour the Neapoli to Kythira crossing is short and runs daily in summer. If you are traveling with a car the ferry from Neapoli takes your vehicle directly to Kythira, which avoids the longer Piraeus crossing entirely.