Getting from Telendos to Rethymno

If you are heading to Rethymno from Telendos you are making your way from a tiny car-free island off the western coast of Kalymnos in the Dodecanese to the most intimate of Crete's three main cities, with a Venetian old town of narrow lanes, a fortress above the sea and a long sandy beach running east from the town centre.

Take the ferry

There is no direct ferry from Telendos to Rethymno. Rethymno's port receives very limited ferry connections. 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 Heraklion or Chania, followed by the bus to Rethymno taking around 1 hour, or taking the overnight ferry from Kalymnos port at Pothia to Piraeus and then boarding the overnight Piraeus to Chania ferry.

Getting there by air

Rethymno has no airport. The nearest airports are Heraklion, around 80 kilometres to the east, and Chania, around 60 kilometres to the west. 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 Heraklion or Chania, followed by the bus to Rethymno, gives a total journey time of around 6 to 7 hours. Chania Airport is slightly closer to Rethymno and the road between them is a good one. 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 Heraklion or Chania and take the bus to Rethymno. It is the most practical approach. 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 overnight Piraeus to Chania ferry, which takes your vehicle directly to western Crete with Rethymno well placed as your first stop.