Getting from Donoussa to Elafonisos

If you are heading to Elafonisos from Donoussa you are making your way from one of the Small Cyclades to a small island off the southern Peloponnese coast, on the opposite side of Greece. It has pink-tinged sand beaches that are among the finest in Greece and a setting of extraordinary natural beauty.

Take the ferry

There is no direct ferry from Donoussa to Elafonisos. Elafonisos is accessible only by the short local ferry from Pounta on the southern Peloponnese. Getting there means taking the ferry from Donoussa to Piraeus, which runs around 3 to 6 times a week and takes around 7 to 8 hours, and then driving south through the Peloponnese via Corinth, Tripoli and Sparta to Pounta, where the 10 minute ferry to Elafonisos runs every 30 minutes in summer.

Getting there by air

Elafonisos has no airport. The nearest airport is Athens. Donoussa has no airport. The nearest airport is Naxos. Taking the ferry from Donoussa to Piraeus and then driving south to Pounta gives a total journey time of around 12 to 14 hours. In Greece, airlines do not operate direct inter island flights.

Your best option

Take the ferry from Donoussa to Piraeus and drive south through the Peloponnese to Pounta for the short ferry across to Elafonisos. Having a car is essential as the KTEL bus connection to Pounta is complicated and infrequent. Check the Donoussa to Piraeus departure days before planning as the service runs a limited number of times per week. If you are traveling with a car, the ferry from Donoussa to Piraeus delivers you directly to the port and the drive south to Pounta takes around 4 to 4.5 hours from Athens.