Getting from Thassos to Rethymno

If you are heading to Rethymno from Thassos you are making your way from the northernmost island in Greece 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 Thassos to Rethymno. Rethymno's port receives very limited ferry connections. 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 Heraklion or Chania, followed by the bus to Rethymno taking around 1 hour, or driving to Piraeus for the overnight Piraeus to Chania ferry and then taking the bus to Rethymno.

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. Thassos has no airport. The nearest airport is Kavala. Taking the ferry from Thassos to Kavala, flying from Kavala 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 ferry from Thassos to Kavala and fly from Kavala 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, take the ferry from Thassos to Kavala and drive to Piraeus for the overnight Piraeus to Chania ferry, which takes your vehicle directly to western Crete with Rethymno well placed as your first stop.