Getting from Athens to Alonissos

If you are heading to Alonissos from Athens you are going to the most remote of the Sporades and the one that rewards the extra effort most generously. It sits at the heart of the National Marine Park of Alonissos, the largest protected marine area in Europe, and the waters around it are home to the endangered Mediterranean monk seal. The old Chora was abandoned after an earthquake in 1965 and has been slowly and beautifully restored over the decades since. Patitiri, the port village, is small and unpretentious. The surrounding sea is extraordinarily clear and the island has an atmosphere of genuine calm that is increasingly rare in the Aegean.

Take the ferry

Alonissos is connected to the mainland by ferries from Agios Konstantinos on the central Greek coast and from the port of Mantoudi in northern Evia. Agios Konstantinos is around 2 hours by road from Athens and has year-round conventional ferry connections to Alonissos via Skiathos and Skopelos, with the full crossing taking around 4 to 5 hours. The Mantoudi port is also around 2 hours from Athens via the Chalkida bridge into Evia, with a high-speed ferry to Alonissos taking around 1 hour 5 minutes, operating 4 days a week in summer and less frequently in winter.

Getting there by air

Alonissos has no commercial airport. The nearest airport is Skiathos, which has daily connections from Athens. Flying to Skiathos and then taking the ferry to Alonissos, which takes around 1 hour, gives a total journey time of around 4 to 5 hours and is the most time efficient approach.

Your best option

If you are travelling with a car, drive to Agios Konstantinos and take the ferry to Alonissos. It is around 2 hours to the port with the crossing taking around 4 to 5 hours via Skiathos and Skopelos. If you are travelling without a car, fly to Skiathos and take the ferry across. Give yourself at least three nights on Alonissos. The island opens up slowly and rewards those who stay long enough to get beyond the port.