Getting from Athens to Antikythera

If you are heading to Antikythera from Athens you are going to one of the most isolated islands in Greece and one of the most extraordinary. Antikythera sits in the strait between Kythira and Crete, a tiny island of around 30 to 40 permanent residents known to the world for two remarkable archaeological discoveries. The Antikythera Mechanism, a 2,000-year-old bronze analog computer recovered from a shipwreck in 1900, is now considered the most sophisticated device to survive from antiquity. The Antikythera Youth, a spectacular bronze statue from the same wreck, is in the National Archaeological Museum in Athens. The island itself is rugged, almost entirely uncultivated and one of the most important breeding grounds for Eleonora's falcons in the Mediterranean.

Take the ferry

There is no direct ferry from Athens to Antikythera. The island is served by a ferry running from Piraeus through Kythira to Antikythera and on to Kissamos in Crete, with the crossing from Piraeus taking around 7 to 8 hours to Kythira and a further 1 hour 30 minutes to Antikythera. The service runs only a few times per week so timing is critical and building your dates around the departure schedule is essential.

Getting there by air

Antikythera has no airport, only a helipad. The nearest airports are Kythira and Athens. The fastest overall route is to fly from Athens to Kythira, taking around 50 minutes, and then take the short ferry from Kythira to Antikythera, which takes around 1 hour 30 minutes. Total travel time via Kythira is around 3 to 4 hours.

Your best option

Fly to Kythira and take the ferry across to Antikythera. It is considerably faster than the full Piraeus crossing and the Kythira to Antikythera connection is the most practical approach. Check the ferry schedule before booking your flights as it runs only a few times per week. Bring everything you need. The island has almost no facilities and that is rather the point of going.