Getting from Elafonisos to Ikaria

If you are heading to Ikaria from Elafonisos you are making your way from a small island off the southern Peloponnese coast 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

Elafonisos has no ferry connection to the wider Greek ferry network. The only ferry from Elafonisos is the short 10 minute crossing to Pounta on the southern Peloponnese, which runs every 30 minutes in summer. Getting to Ikaria means taking the ferry from Elafonisos to Pounta, driving north to Athens and either flying to Ikaria or continuing to Piraeus for 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. Elafonisos has no airport. The nearest airport is Athens, around 3.5 to 4 hours by car from Pounta. Taking the ferry from Elafonisos to Pounta, driving north to Athens and flying from Athens to Ikaria takes around 50 minutes on the second leg. Total journey time is around 7 to 8 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 Elafonisos to Pounta, drive north to Athens and fly from Athens to Ikaria. Check the schedule carefully as flights are limited and do not run daily. Having a car is essential for the Pounta to Athens leg as the KTEL bus connection is slow and infrequent. Build flexibility into your plans once you arrive. Ikaria runs on its own schedule and that is entirely the point.