Getting from Astypalaia to Halkidiki

If you are heading to Halkidiki from Astypalaia you are making your way from a butterfly-shaped island between the Cyclades and the Dodecanese to a three-pronged peninsula southeast of Thessaloniki in northern Greece, with Kassandra in the west for long sandy beaches, Sithonia in the middle for quieter waters and the monastic peninsula of Athos in the east.

Take the ferry

There is no ferry to Halkidiki. It is a mainland peninsula with no island ferry connections. Getting there from Astypalaia means taking the ferry to Piraeus and traveling by road or air north to Thessaloniki, from where Halkidiki is accessible by bus or car. Alternatively fly from Astypalaia to Athens and then fly to Thessaloniki.

Getting there by air

Halkidiki has no airport. The nearest airport is Thessaloniki, around 60 to 90 kilometres from the various parts of the peninsula. Astypalaia has its own small airport with connections from Athens and Thessaloniki via Sky Express. Flying from Astypalaia to Thessaloniki directly, or via Athens, gives a total journey time of around 4 to 5 hours. From Thessaloniki a rental car or KTEL bus is needed to reach Halkidiki. In Greece, airlines do not operate direct inter island flights.

Your best option

Fly from Astypalaia to Thessaloniki directly on the Sky Express service or via Athens, then rent a car at the airport. Halkidiki is large and spread out enough that a car is essential for getting between beaches, villages and the different peninsulas. If you are traveling with a car, take the ferry from Astypalaia to Piraeus and drive north via the E75 motorway to Thessaloniki and continue to Halkidiki from there.