Getting from Elafonisos to Kavala

If you are heading to Kavala from Elafonisos you are making your way from a small island off the southern Peloponnese coast to a port city in northern Greece on the Macedonian coast, with a Byzantine castle above the harbour, a Roman aqueduct running through the upper town and the archaeological site of Philippi just 15 kilometres inland.

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 Kavala means taking the ferry from Elafonisos to Pounta and then driving north to Athens and flying to Kavala, or continuing to drive northeast via the E75 motorway to Kavala, which takes around 8 to 9 hours from Pounta.

Getting there by air

Kavala has its own airport with connections from Athens. 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 Kavala takes around 1 hour on the second leg. Total journey time is around 7 to 8 hours. Kavala Airport is around 30 kilometres from the city so factor in a taxi on arrival. 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 Kavala. It is the fastest and most practical approach. Having a car is essential for the Pounta to Athens leg as the KTEL bus connection is slow and infrequent. If you are planning to visit Thassos from Kavala, ferries to the island run almost hourly in summer. If you are traveling with a car, take the ferry from Elafonisos to Pounta and drive northeast via Athens and the E75 motorway to Kavala.