Getting from Syros to Arki

If you are heading to Arki from Syros you are making your way from the capital of the Cyclades to one of the smallest inhabited islands in the Dodecanese, between Patmos and Lipsi in the northern Dodecanese, on the opposite side of the Aegean. It has no cars, no proper roads and an atmosphere of complete isolation.

Take the ferry

There is no direct ferry from Syros to Arki. Getting there means taking the ferry from Syros to Piraeus, which runs up to 6 daily crossings in summer and takes around 2 hours on the fast boat, and then either flying from Athens to Leros and taking the local ferry to Arki via Lipsi, which runs a few times a week in summer and takes around 1 to 2 hours, or boarding the overnight Piraeus to Leros ferry and then taking the local ferry to Arki.

Getting there by air

Arki has no airport. The nearest airports are Leros and Kos. Syros has a small domestic airport with limited connections from Athens. Taking the ferry from Syros to Piraeus, flying from Athens to Leros and then taking the local ferry to Arki gives a total journey time of around 6 to 7 hours. In Greece, airlines do not operate direct inter island flights.

Your best option

Take the ferry from Syros to Piraeus and fly from Athens to Leros, then take the local ferry across to Arki. Check the schedule carefully as connections to Arki run only a few times a week in summer. Come entirely self-sufficient as the island has almost no facilities and the isolation is the whole point of being there. Note that no cars are permitted on Arki itself. If you are traveling with a car, take the ferry from Syros to Piraeus and board the overnight Piraeus to Leros ferry, which takes your vehicle as far as Leros.