Getting from Santorini to Alonissos

Alonissos is the most remote of the three main Sporades and the one that rewards the extra effort most generously. It sits at the heart of the National Marine Park of Alonissos, the largest protected marine area in Europe, and the waters around it are home to the endangered Mediterranean monk seal. The old Chora was abandoned after an earthquake in 1965 and has been slowly and beautifully restored over the decades since, attracting artists and people who want somewhere that still feels genuinely untouched. Patitiri, the port village, is small and unpretentious. The surrounding sea is extraordinarily clear. People who find Alonissos tend to keep coming back.

Take the ferry

There is no direct ferry from Santorini to Alonissos. The two islands are in completely different parts of Greece and the ferry networks do not connect them directly. Alonissos is served by ferries from Volos on the mainland, which take around 3 to 5 hours, and from Mantoudi in Evia, around 2 hours away, with Seajets running a new high-speed service from Mantoudi in summer 2026. You can also reach Alonissos from Skiathos and Skopelos if you are already in the Sporades. Getting from Santorini to any of these departure points requires going through Athens first.

What about flying?

Alonissos has no commercial airport. The nearest airport is Skiathos, which has domestic connections from Athens. The journey from Santorini goes Santorini to Athens and then Athens to Skiathos, followed by the ferry to Alonissos which takes around 1 hour 5 minutes. Total travel time is around 4 to 5 hours. 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 Skiathos via Athens and take the ferry across to Alonissos. It is the most time efficient approach. Give yourself at least three nights on Alonissos. The island opens up slowly and rewards those who stay long enough to get beyond the port.