Getting from Telendos to Ioannina

If you are heading to Ioannina from Telendos you are making your way from a tiny car-free island off the western coast of Kalymnos in the Dodecanese to a city in the mountains of Epirus in northwestern Greece, on the western shore of Lake Pamvotis with the Pindos range behind it and the Vikos Gorge, one of the deepest in the world, an hour away.

Take the ferry

There is no direct ferry from Telendos to Ioannina. Ioannina is an inland city with no sea connection. Getting there means taking the local boat from Telendos to Myrties on Kalymnos, which takes around 5 minutes, and then either flying from Kalymnos to Athens and then Athens to Ioannina, or taking the overnight ferry from Kalymnos port at Pothia to Piraeus and driving northwest to Ioannina, which takes around 6 to 7 hours from Athens via the E65 motorway.

Getting there by air

Ioannina has its own airport with connections from Athens. 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 Ioannina gives a total journey time of around 5 to 6 hours. The airport is just 4 kilometres from the city centre. In Greece, airlines do not operate direct inter island flights.

Your best option

Take the local boat from Telendos to Myrties and fly from Kalymnos to Athens, then fly from Athens to Ioannina. It is the fastest and most practical approach. The KTEL bus from Athens Kifissos terminal to Ioannina runs several times daily and takes around 6 to 7 hours, which is worth considering if you prefer not to fly the second leg. If you are traveling with a car, note that no cars are permitted on Telendos so your vehicle would already be on Kalymnos, from where you can take the overnight ferry to Piraeus and drive northwest via the E65 motorway to Ioannina.