Getting from Elafonisos to Kythira

If you are heading to Kythira from Elafonisos you are making your way from a small island off the southern Peloponnese coast to an island at the southern tip of the Peloponnese, between the Aegean and the Ionian seas, remarkably close in geographic terms. It has stone villages, deep gorges, a Venetian castle above Chora and a coastline of turquoise coves.

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 Kythira means taking the ferry from Elafonisos to Pounta and then driving south to Neapoli, which takes around 20 to 30 minutes, and boarding the ferry from Neapoli to Kythira, which takes around 1 hour and runs daily in summer. This is one of the most natural and direct connections from Elafonisos given the geographic proximity of the two islands at the southern tip of the Peloponnese.

Getting there by air

Kythira has its own small airport with daily 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 and driving south to Neapoli for the ferry to Kythira gives a total journey time of around 1.5 to 2 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 south to Neapoli for the ferry across to Kythira. At around 1.5 to 2 hours total it is one of the most natural and effortless connections from Elafonisos and avoids Athens entirely. Having a car makes this route straightforward and the ferry from Neapoli takes your vehicle directly to Kythira.