Getting from Astypalaia to Elafonisos

If you are heading to Elafonisos from Astypalaia you are making your way from a butterfly-shaped island between the Cyclades and the Dodecanese to a small island off the southern Peloponnese coast, on the opposite side of Greece. It has pink-tinged sand beaches that are among the finest in Greece and a setting of extraordinary natural beauty.

Take the ferry

There is no direct ferry from Astypalaia to Elafonisos. Elafonisos is accessible only by the short local ferry from Pounta on the southern Peloponnese. Getting there means taking the ferry from Astypalaia to Piraeus, which runs around 5 times a week and takes around 8 to 12 hours, and then driving south through the Peloponnese via Corinth, Tripoli and Sparta to Pounta, where the 10 minute ferry to Elafonisos runs every 30 minutes in summer.

Getting there by air

Elafonisos has no airport. The nearest airport is Athens. Astypalaia has its own small airport with connections from Athens. Flying from Astypalaia to Athens and then driving south to Pounta gives a total journey time of around 7 to 8 hours. In Greece, airlines do not operate direct inter island flights.

Your best option

Fly from Astypalaia to Athens and drive south to Pounta for the short ferry across to Elafonisos. Having a car is essential as the KTEL bus connection to Pounta is complicated and infrequent. If you are traveling with a car, take the ferry from Astypalaia to Piraeus and drive south through the Peloponnese to Pounta.