Getting from Thassos to Ikaria

If you are heading to Ikaria from Thassos you are making your way from the northernmost island in Greece 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 no direct ferry from Thassos to Ikaria. Getting there means taking the ferry from Thassos to Kavala, which runs almost hourly in summer and takes around 1 hour 30 minutes, and then either flying from Kavala to Athens and then Athens to Ikaria, or driving to Piraeus for the Piraeus to Ikaria ferry, which runs around 3 times a week and takes around 7 to 11 hours. 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. Thassos has no airport. The nearest airport is Kavala. Taking the ferry from Thassos to Kavala and flying from Kavala to Athens and then Athens to Ikaria gives a total journey time of 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 ferry from Thassos to Kavala and fly from Kavala to Athens, then fly from Athens to Ikaria. Check the schedule carefully as flights are limited and do not run daily. Build flexibility into your plans once you arrive. Ikaria runs on its own schedule and that is entirely the point. If you are traveling with a car, take the ferry from Thassos to Kavala and drive to Piraeus for the Piraeus to Ikaria ferry, which takes your vehicle and arrives in the morning.