Getting from Telendos to Ikaria

If you are heading to Ikaria from Telendos you are making your way from a tiny car-free island off the western coast of Kalymnos in the Dodecanese to one of the world's Blue Zones, a mountainous island in the eastern Aegean where people live measurably longer than almost anywhere else on earth and the local explanation tends to involve sleeping late, eating well and ignoring schedules.

Take the ferry

There is a ferry connection from Telendos to Ikaria via the Dodecanese Seaways network. Getting there means taking the local boat from Telendos to Myrties on Kalymnos, which takes around 5 minutes, and then making your way to Kalymnos port at Pothia for the Dodekanisos Seaways ferry northeast to Ikaria, which calls at Fournoi along the way and runs several times a week. This keeps the journey within the broader Aegean network and avoids Athens entirely. Ikaria has two ports, Agios Kirikos in the south and Evdilos in the north, so check which port your ferry arrives at before booking accommodation as the mountain road between them takes well over an hour.

Getting there by air

Ikaria has its own small airport with connections from Athens running around 3 times a week. Telendos has no airport. The nearest airports are Kalymnos and Kos. Taking the local boat from Telendos to Myrties, flying from Kalymnos to Athens and then Athens to Ikaria takes around 50 minutes on the second leg. Total journey time is around 5 to 6 hours. Check the schedule carefully as flights are limited. In Greece, airlines do not operate direct inter island flights.

Your best option

Take the local boat from Telendos to Myrties and make your way to Kalymnos port at Pothia for the Dodekanisos Seaways ferry northeast to Ikaria. It avoids Athens entirely and keeps the journey within the Aegean network. Check the schedule carefully before booking as departure days vary by season. Build flexibility into your plans once you arrive. Ikaria runs on its own schedule and that is entirely the point. If you prefer to fly, take the local boat to Myrties and fly from Kalymnos to Athens then Athens to Ikaria.