Getting from Chios to Halkidiki

If you are heading to Halkidiki from Chios you are making your way from one of the most overlooked islands in the northeastern Aegean to a three-pronged peninsula southeast of Thessaloniki in northern Greece, with Kassandra in the west for long sandy beaches, Sithonia in the middle for quieter waters and the monastic peninsula of Athos in the east.

Take the ferry

There is no ferry to Halkidiki. It is a mainland peninsula with no island ferry connections. Getting there from Chios means taking the overnight ferry to Piraeus and traveling north to Thessaloniki by road or air, or flying from Chios to Athens and then flying to Thessaloniki. From Thessaloniki a rental car or KTEL bus is needed to reach Halkidiki.

Getting there by air

Halkidiki has no airport. The nearest airport is Thessaloniki, around 60 to 90 kilometres from the various parts of the peninsula. Chios has its own airport with daily connections from Athens. Flying from Chios to Athens and then Athens to Thessaloniki gives a total journey time of around 4 to 5 hours. From Thessaloniki a rental car or KTEL bus is needed to reach Halkidiki. In Greece, airlines do not operate direct inter island flights.

Your best option

Fly from Chios to Athens and then fly to Thessaloniki and rent a car at the airport. Halkidiki is large and spread out enough that a car is essential for getting between beaches, villages and the different peninsulas. If you are traveling with a car, take the overnight ferry from Chios to Piraeus and drive north via the E75 motorway to Thessaloniki and continue to Halkidiki from there.