Getting from Elafonisos to Kea

If you are heading to Kea from Elafonisos you are making your way from a small island off the southern Peloponnese coast to the closest Cycladic island to Athens, on the opposite side of Greece. It has good beaches, a quiet Chora and an ancient stone lion carved into the hillside that is one of the more unusual monuments in the Cyclades.

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. Kea is served exclusively from Lavrio on the southeastern Attica coast, around 30 minutes from Athens Airport. Getting there means taking the ferry from Elafonisos to Pounta, driving north to Athens and then taking a taxi to Lavrio for the ferry to Kea, which takes around 1 hour and runs up to 7 times daily in summer.

Getting there by air

Kea has no airport. The nearest airport is Athens International, around 30 kilometres from Lavrio. Elafonisos has no airport. Taking the ferry from Elafonisos to Pounta, driving north to Athens and then taking a taxi to Lavrio for the ferry to Kea gives a total journey time of around 6 to 7 hours. 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 take a taxi to Lavrio for the ferry across to Kea. The proximity of Lavrio to Athens Airport makes it one of the most convenient island connections from the airport in Greece. Having a car is essential for the Pounta to Athens leg as the KTEL bus connection is slow and infrequent. If you are traveling with a car, drive to Lavrio for the ferry across to Kea.