Getting from Athens to Telendos

If you are heading to Telendos from Athens you are going somewhere that very few people outside Greece have heard of, and that is entirely to its credit. Telendos is a tiny car-free island sitting just 800 metres off the western coast of Kalymnos, separated from it by a narrow channel that takes around 5 minutes to cross by local boat. The island has a single waterfront village of tavernas and small guesthouses, some of the finest rock climbing in the Dodecanese on the limestone cliffs above it and a pace of life so slow it borders on suspended animation. The view back across to Kalymnos from the waterfront in the evening, with the lights coming on and the water between them going still, is one of the quieter pleasures of the eastern Aegean.

Take the ferry

There are no scheduled ferries from Athens to Telendos. The island is accessible only by local boat from Myrties on the western coast of Kalymnos, with the crossing taking around 5 minutes and boats running throughout the day. Getting to Kalymnos from Athens means either flying or taking the long Piraeus to Dodecanese ferry.

Getting there by air

Telendos has no airport. The nearest airports are Kalymnos and Kos, both of which have connections from Athens. Flying to Kalymnos directly takes around 1 hour from Athens, after which a taxi or bus to Myrties takes around 20 minutes and the boat to Telendos takes 5 minutes. Total travel time is around 3 to 4 hours.

Your best option

Fly to Kalymnos via Athens and make your way to Myrties for the local boat across. The boats run regularly throughout the day and you do not need to book in advance. Give yourself at least two nights on Telendos. The island is small enough to walk around in an hour and tranquil enough to make you want to stay considerably longer.