Getting from Astypalaia to Kea

If you are heading to Kea from Astypalaia you are making your way from a butterfly-shaped island between the Cyclades and the Dodecanese to the closest Cycladic island to Athens, on the western side of the Aegean. It has good beaches, a quiet Chora and an ancient stone lion carved into the hillside that is one of the more unusual monuments in the Cyclades.

Take the ferry

There is no direct ferry from Astypalaia to Kea. Kea is served exclusively from Lavrio on the southeastern Attica coast, around 30 minutes from Athens Airport. 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 traveling to Lavrio for the ferry to Kea, which takes around 1 hour and runs up to 7 times daily in summer. Alternatively fly from Astypalaia to Athens and take a taxi to Lavrio for the ferry.

Getting there by air

Kea has no airport. The nearest airport is Athens International, around 30 kilometres from Lavrio. Astypalaia has its own small airport with connections from Athens. Flying from Astypalaia to Athens and then taking a taxi to Lavrio for the ferry to Kea gives a total journey time of around 4 to 5 hours. In Greece, airlines do not operate direct inter island flights.

Your best option

Fly from Astypalaia to Athens and take a taxi to Lavrio for the ferry across to Kea. The proximity of Lavrio to Athens Airport makes it one of the most convenient island connections from the airport in Greece. If you are traveling with a car, take the ferry from Astypalaia to Piraeus and drive to Lavrio for the ferry across to Kea.