Getting from Telendos to Naxos

If you are heading to Naxos from Telendos you are making your way from a tiny car-free island off the western coast of Kalymnos in the Dodecanese to the largest island in the Cyclades, on the opposite side of the Aegean. It has a medieval Venetian town above the port, long sandy beaches on the west coast and a mountainous interior of marble villages.

Take the ferry

There is no direct ferry from Telendos to Naxos. 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 Naxos, or taking the overnight ferry from Kalymnos port at Pothia to Piraeus and boarding the Piraeus to Naxos ferry, which runs up to 7 daily departures in summer and takes around 3.5 to 5.5 hours.

Getting there by air

Naxos has its own small 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 Naxos takes around 40 to 45 minutes on the second leg. Total journey time is around 5 to 6 hours. 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 Naxos. It is the fastest and most practical approach. The arrival by sea with the Portara temple doorframe visible from the water is one of the great Cycladic arrivals, so if time allows the Piraeus to Naxos ferry is a rewarding alternative after flying to Athens. 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 board the conventional ferry which takes your vehicle directly to Naxos Town port.