Getting from Mykonos to Anafi

So you're heading from Mykonos to Anafi. Anafi is about as far off the beaten track as you can get in the Cyclades. It sits at the eastern edge of the island group, just east of Santorini, and sees so few visitors that arriving there feels like stepping into a Greece that most tourists will never find. There is one village, a handful of beaches, a monastery at the top of a dramatic rock formation at the eastern end of the island and almost nothing else. That is not a criticism. For the right kind of traveller it is exactly what they are looking for.

Take the ferry

Anafi is served by ferries through the summer season but the schedule is limited. There is no daily service so you need to plan your dates around the timetable rather than the other way around. The crossing from Mykonos takes around 4 to 5 hours depending on the route and the stops along the way. Check the schedule well in advance, book as soon as you find a crossing that works and build some flexibility into your plans in case of weather delays. Anafi is exposed and small boats do not always run when the wind picks up.

What about flying?

Anafi does not have an airport so flying is not an option on this route. The ferry is your only way in. It is worth knowing that in Greece, airlines do not operate direct inter island flights. Almost all island to island travel goes through Athens.

Your best option

Plan ahead, be flexible and commit to the trip. Anafi is not somewhere you end up by accident. The effort of getting there is part of the experience and the island rewards the people who make it. There are very few places left in the Cyclades that feel this untouched and that is not going to last forever.