Getting from Mykonos to Arki

Some places in Greece require a certain kind of traveller and Arki is one of them. It is one of the smallest permanently inhabited islands in the country, sitting between Patmos and Lipsi in the northern Dodecanese with a population that can be counted in dozens. There is no hotel, no shop in the conventional sense and no real infrastructure for tourism. What there is is a taverna or two run by local families, exceptional swimming in clear water off rocky shores and a silence that is absolute. People who go to Arki are not looking for anything to do. They are looking for somewhere to be.

Take the ferry

There is no direct ferry between Mykonos and Arki. The connection goes via Piraeus and the total journey by sea is long, around 12 to 14 hours depending on the service. Arki is served by small local ferries that run as part of the northern Dodecanese route and connections are infrequent. The timetable needs to drive your planning rather than the other way around. Check schedules carefully, build flexibility into your trip and be prepared for the possibility that weather affects sailings to an island this small and exposed.

What about flying?

Arki does not have an airport so flying directly to the island is not an option. The nearest airports are Kos and Leros, both of which have ferry connections into the northern Dodecanese. Flying to either via Athens and then working your way to Arki by local ferry is the most practical approach. 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

Fly to Leros or Kos via Athens and find the local ferry connection to Arki from there. Patmos is the closest larger island and often the jumping off point for the smaller islands in this part of the Dodecanese. Plan carefully, stay flexible and go with no expectations beyond the simplest version of a Greek island. Arki will deliver that without question.