Getting from Athens to Leros

If you are heading to Leros from Athens you are going to one of the most atmospheric islands in the Dodecanese and one of the most overlooked. Leros has a striking Italian-built capital at Agia Marina, a massive medieval castle above the main town of Platanos and a harbour at Lakki that is one of the strangest and most compelling in Greece, an Art Deco Italian colonial port built in the 1930s on a scale completely out of proportion to the island. The bays around the coastline are sheltered and beautiful. The island has a complicated history as both an Italian colony and a place of exile for political prisoners during the dictatorship years, and that history is woven into the character of the place in ways that make it genuinely interesting to explore.

Take the ferry

The Piraeus to Leros ferry runs several times a week year-round, taking around 9 to 11 hours. The overnight crossing is the practical approach if you want to travel by sea, arriving in the morning with the day ahead. Leros is also connected to Kos, Kalymnos and Patmos in the Dodecanese network for onward connections.

Getting there by air

Leros has its own small airport with daily connections from Athens taking around 50 minutes. This is the fastest and most practical approach for most travellers.

Your best option

Fly from Athens. The daily flight takes around 50 minutes and gets you on the island quickly. Leros Airport is close to the main towns so you are in the centre within minutes of landing. If you want to travel by sea the overnight ferry from Piraeus is a comfortable crossing but flying is the right choice for most people.