Getting from Astypalaia to Arki

If you are heading to Arki from Astypalaia you are making your way from a butterfly-shaped island between the Cyclades and the Dodecanese to one of the smallest inhabited islands in the same group, between Patmos and Lipsi. It has no cars, no proper roads and an atmosphere of complete isolation.

Take the ferry

There is a seasonal direct ferry from Astypalaia to Arki running in summer on the wider Blue Star route that connects Astypalaia with the northern Dodecanese. The service runs a limited number of times per week and takes several hours with stops along the way. Alternatively take the ferry from Astypalaia to Leros or Patmos and then the local ferry to Arki, which runs a few times a week in summer and takes around 1 to 2 hours.

Getting there by air

Arki has no airport. The nearest airports are Leros and Kos. Astypalaia has its own small airport with connections from Athens. Flying from Astypalaia to Athens and then Athens to Leros, followed by the local ferry to Arki, 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 seasonal direct ferry from Astypalaia to Arki when the schedule works for your dates. It keeps the journey within the Dodecanese and avoids Athens entirely. If the timing does not align, fly from Astypalaia to Athens and then fly to Leros and take the local ferry across to Arki. Check the schedule carefully as connections to Arki run only a few times a week in summer. Come entirely self-sufficient as the island has almost no facilities and the isolation is the whole point of being there.