Getting from Crete to Kythnos

If you are heading to Kythnos from Crete you are going to one of the most overlooked islands in the western Cyclades, an island of over 60 beaches, a medieval village at Driopida that hardly anyone outside Greece knows about and a double-sided strip of sand at Kolona that is one of the finest beaches in the Cyclades.

Take the ferry

There is no direct ferry from Crete to Kythnos. The island is served primarily from Lavrio and Piraeus on the Attica coast. Getting to either port from Crete means flying to Athens first. The seasonal direct ferry from Crete to Lavrio, running April to October and taking around 5 to 6 hours, is worth considering if you are heading to Kythnos as Lavrio is the closest port to the island.

Getting there by air

Kythnos has no airport. The nearest airport is Athens. Flying from Crete to Athens takes around 50 minutes and then a taxi or bus to Lavrio takes around 30 to 40 minutes from the airport, followed by the short ferry to Kythnos taking around 1 hour 10 minutes. Total travel time is around 3 to 4 hours.

Your best option

Fly to Athens and take the ferry from Lavrio to Kythnos. The proximity of Lavrio to Athens Airport makes it a straightforward connection without crossing the city to Piraeus. If the seasonal direct ferry from Crete to Lavrio is running for your dates it is worth taking as it saves the Athens connection entirely.