Getting from Athens to Psara

If you are heading to Psara from Athens you are going to one of the most historically significant and least visited islands in Greece. Psara sits off the northwestern coast of Chios in the Northern Aegean, a small rocky island of a few hundred permanent residents. In 1824 the Ottoman fleet descended on the island and destroyed it almost entirely, killing or enslaving most of the population. The island never recovered its former numbers and that history sits quietly beneath everything. The single village is built around the port, the beaches are uncrowded and the water is clear. People who make it to Psara are almost exclusively Greek.

Take the ferry

There is no direct ferry from Athens to Psara. The island is accessible via Chios, with a daily local ferry from Chios main port taking around 3 hours and a sea taxi from the village of Lagkada on the northeastern Chios coast taking around 20 minutes. Getting to Chios from Athens means taking the ferry from Piraeus, which runs several times a week and takes around 8 to 10 hours.

Getting there by air

Psara has no airport. The nearest airport is Chios, which has daily connections from Athens taking around 50 minutes. From Chios Airport a taxi to the port takes around 10 minutes and the local ferry to Psara takes around 3 hours. Total travel time via Chios is around 5 to 6 hours.

Your best option

Fly to Chios and take the local ferry across to Psara. Check the daily ferry schedule from Chios before booking your flights and plan your Chios arrival around the morning departure. Give yourself at least two nights on Psara and bring everything you need with you.