Getting from Rhodes to Kea

If you are heading to Kea from Rhodes you are making your way to the closest Cycladic island to Athens, to the northwest. 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

There is no direct ferry from Rhodes to Kea. The island is served primarily from Lavrio on the Attica coast. Getting there means taking the overnight ferry from Rhodes to Piraeus and then travelling to Lavrio, around 35 kilometres from Piraeus, for the short ferry to Kea taking around 40 minutes to 1 hour.

Getting there by air

Kea has no airport. The nearest airport is Athens. Flying from Rhodes to Athens takes around 1 hour and then a taxi or bus to Lavrio takes around 30 to 40 minutes from the airport, followed by the short ferry to Kea. Total travel time is around 3 to 4 hours. In Greece, airlines do not operate direct inter island flights.

Your best option

Fly to Athens and take the ferry from Lavrio to Kea. The proximity of Lavrio to Athens Airport makes it a straightforward connection without crossing the city to Piraeus. If you are travelling with a car, the overnight ferry from Rhodes to Piraeus is the practical choice, then drive to Lavrio and take the ferry across to Kea.