Getting from Elafonisos to Kalamata

If you are heading to Kalamata from Elafonisos you are making your way from a small island off the southern Peloponnese coast to the capital of Messenia in the southern Peloponnese, relatively close in geographic terms given both sit in the same part of southern Greece. It has a renovated waterfront, good food and easy access to the Mani peninsula and the Byzantine ruins of Mystras.

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 Kalamata means taking the ferry from Elafonisos to Pounta and then driving west through the southern Peloponnese to Kalamata, which takes around 1.5 to 2 hours via Neapoli, Molaoi and Sparta. This avoids Athens entirely and is the most direct road connection between the two.

Getting there by air

Kalamata has an international airport with connections from Athens. Elafonisos has no airport. The nearest airport is Athens, around 3.5 to 4 hours by car from Pounta, though Kalamata Airport is considerably closer at around 2 to 2.5 hours from Pounta. Taking the ferry from Elafonisos to Pounta and driving west to Kalamata gives a total journey time of around 2 to 2.5 hours and avoids Athens entirely. In Greece, airlines do not operate direct inter island flights.

Your best option

Take the ferry from Elafonisos to Pounta and drive west through the southern Peloponnese to Kalamata. At around 1.5 to 2 hours it is the most direct and natural approach and avoids Athens entirely. Having a car makes this one of the easiest connections from Elafonisos given the geographic proximity of the two within the southern Peloponnese.