Getting from Donoussa to Ikaria

If you are heading to Ikaria from Donoussa you are making your way from one of the Small Cyclades to one of the world's Blue Zones, a mountainous island in the eastern 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 Donoussa to Ikaria. 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 boarding the Piraeus to Ikaria ferry, which runs around 3 times a week and takes around 7 to 11 hours. Ikaria has two ports, Agios Kirikos in the south and Evdilos in the north, so check which port your ferry arrives at before booking accommodation as the mountain road between them takes well over an hour.

Getting there by air

Ikaria has its own small airport with connections from Athens running around 3 times a week. Donoussa has no airport. The nearest airport is Naxos. Taking the ferry from Donoussa to Piraeus and flying from Athens to Ikaria takes around 50 minutes on the second leg. Total journey time is around 12 to 14 hours. Check the schedule carefully as flights are limited. In Greece, airlines do not operate direct inter island flights.

Your best option

Take the ferry from Donoussa to Piraeus and fly from Athens to Ikaria. Check the Donoussa to Piraeus departure days before planning as the service runs a limited number of times per week. Check the Athens to Ikaria schedule carefully as flights are limited and do not run daily. Build flexibility into your plans once you arrive. Ikaria runs on its own schedule and that is entirely the point.