Getting from Crete to Koufonisia

If you are heading to Koufonisia from Crete you are going to the most sociable of the Small Cyclades, a tiny island with some of the finest beaches in the Cyclades and a lively summer atmosphere that punches well above its size.

Take the ferry

There is a direct seasonal ferry from Crete to Koufonisia running in summer, departing from Heraklion and stopping at Santorini and Naxos along the way, with the full journey taking around 5 to 6 hours. The route is not year-round and the frequency is limited so check the schedule before planning around it. Outside of the summer season the connection goes via Piraeus or Naxos.

Getting there by air

Koufonisia has no airport. The nearest airport is Naxos, which has daily connections from Athens. Flying from Crete to Athens takes around 50 minutes and then Athens to Naxos takes around 45 minutes, followed by the short ferry to Koufonisia taking around 45 minutes. Total travel time is around 3 to 4 hours.

Your best option

Fly to Naxos via Athens and take the ferry across to Koufonisia. It is the fastest approach and considerably more practical than the long seasonal ferry from Heraklion. If the direct summer ferry timing works with your dates it is worth taking for the experience.