Getting from Santorini to Psara

Psara sits off the northwestern coast of Chios in the Northern Aegean, a small rocky island of a few hundred permanent residents and one of the most moving histories in Greece. In 1824 the Ottoman fleet descended on the island and destroyed it almost entirely, killing or enslaving most of the population. The island never recovered its former numbers and that history still sits quietly beneath everything. The single village is built around the port, the beaches are uncrowded and the water is clear. People who make it to Psara are almost exclusively Greek, which tells you everything about how far it sits from the international tourist circuit.

Take the ferry

There is no direct ferry from Santorini to Psara. The island is accessible via Chios, with a daily local ferry from Chios main port taking around 3 hours and a sea taxi from the village of Lagkada on the northeastern Chios coast taking around 20 minutes. Getting to Chios from Santorini means going through Athens first. The Blue Star Ferries route from Piraeus serves Chios but the total journey from Santorini by sea takes the better part of a day.

What about flying?

Psara has no airport. The nearest airport is Chios, which has daily connections from Athens. The journey from Santorini goes Santorini to Athens and then Athens to Chios, followed by the local ferry or sea taxi across to Psara. Total travel time is around 5 to 6 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 Chios via Athens and take the local ferry or sea taxi across to Psara. Check the daily ferry schedule from Chios before booking your flights and plan your Chios arrival around the afternoon departure. Give yourself at least two nights on Psara and bring everything you need with you.