Getting from Astypalaia to Kythira

If you are heading to Kythira from Astypalaia you are making your way from a butterfly-shaped island between the Cyclades and the Dodecanese 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 Astypalaia to Kythira. 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 either boarding the Piraeus to Kythira ferry, which runs several times a week and takes around 6 to 6.5 hours to the port of Diakofti, or flying to Athens and driving to Neapoli on the southern Peloponnese for the shorter crossing to Kythira, which takes around 1 hour and runs daily in summer.

Getting there by air

Kythira has its own small airport with daily connections from Athens. Astypalaia has its own small airport with connections from Athens. Flying from Astypalaia to Athens and then Athens to Kythira takes under 1 hour on the second leg. Total journey time is around 4 to 5 hours. In Greece, airlines do not operate direct inter island flights.

Your best option

Fly from Astypalaia to Athens and then fly to Kythira. It is the fastest and most practical approach. If you are traveling with a car, take the ferry from Astypalaia to Piraeus and drive to Neapoli for the short ferry across to Kythira, which avoids the longer Piraeus crossing entirely.