Getting from Crete to Ikaria

If you are heading to Ikaria from Crete you are going to one of the world's Blue Zones, a mountainous and forested island in the northeastern Aegean where people live measurably longer than almost anywhere else on earth and the local explanation tends to involve sleeping late, eating well and ignoring schedules.

Take the ferry

There is no direct ferry from Crete to Ikaria. The connection goes via Piraeus, with the ferry from Piraeus to Ikaria taking around 6 to 8 hours. Getting to Piraeus from Crete means taking the overnight ferry from Heraklion, making the total journey by sea the better part of two days. Flying is the only practical option for most travellers.

Getting there by air

Both Crete and Ikaria have airports. Flying from Crete to Athens takes around 50 minutes and then Athens to Ikaria takes around 50 minutes, giving a total journey time of around 3 to 4 hours. In Greece, airlines do not operate direct inter island flights.

Your best option

Fly to Ikaria via Athens. It is the only realistic approach and the connection is straightforward. Build flexibility into your plans once you arrive. Ikaria runs on its own schedule and that is entirely the point.