Getting from Athens to Pserimos

If you are heading to Pserimos from Athens you are going somewhere that very few visitors to Greece ever reach. Pserimos is a tiny island wedged between Kos and Kalymnos in the Dodecanese, small enough to walk around in a couple of hours and quiet enough that most of its visitors arrive on day trips from Kos and leave again by late afternoon. The permanent population is a few dozen people. There is a single sandy beach in front of the main village, a handful of tavernas, a church and almost nothing else. By early evening the island belongs to the few people staying overnight and it transforms completely.

Take the ferry

There is no direct ferry from Athens to Pserimos. The island is accessible only by local boat from Kalymnos, which takes around 30 minutes, or as a day trip excursion from Kos. Getting to either island from Athens means flying or taking the long Piraeus to Dodecanese overnight ferry.

Getting there by air

Pserimos has no airport. The nearest airports are Kos and Kalymnos, both of which have connections from Athens. Flying to Kos takes around 1 hour and from Kos a day excursion boat or local transfer to Pserimos takes around 30 to 45 minutes. Total travel time via Kos is around 3 to 4 hours.

Your best option

Fly to Kos and take the local boat or excursion to Pserimos. If you want to stay overnight rather than day trip, the local ferry from Kalymnos is the more reliable connection and takes around 30 minutes. Check local schedules on arrival in Kos or Kalymnos as the Pserimos service is not bookable online in the same way as the main ferry routes.