Getting from Tilos to Halkidiki

If you are heading to Halkidiki from Tilos you are making your way from a volcanic island in the Dodecanese to a three-pronged peninsula southeast of Thessaloniki in northern Greece, with Kassandra in the west for long sandy beaches, Sithonia in the middle for quieter waters and the monastic peninsula of Athos in the east.

Take the ferry

There is no ferry to Halkidiki. It is a mainland peninsula with no island ferry connections. Getting there means taking the ferry from Tilos to Rhodes, which takes around 1 hour 10 minutes to 2 hours 45 minutes and runs 4 to 7 days per week, and then flying from Rhodes to Athens and then Athens to Thessaloniki, continuing to Halkidiki from there. The drive from Thessaloniki to Halkidiki takes around 1 to 1.5 hours.

Getting there by air

Halkidiki has no airport. The nearest airport is Thessaloniki, around 60 to 90 kilometres from the various parts of the peninsula. Tilos has no airport. The nearest airport is Rhodes. Taking the ferry from Tilos to Rhodes, flying from Rhodes to Athens and then Athens to Thessaloniki, followed by a rental car or KTEL bus to Halkidiki, gives a total journey time of around 6 to 7 hours. In Greece, airlines do not operate direct inter island flights.

Your best option

Take the ferry from Tilos to Rhodes and fly from Rhodes to Athens, then fly from Athens to Thessaloniki and rent a car at the airport. Halkidiki is large and spread out enough that a car is essential for getting between beaches, villages and the different peninsulas. Check the Tilos to Rhodes schedule before booking as departure days and times vary by season.