Getting from Tinos to Rethymno

If you are heading to Rethymno from Tinos you are making your way from the most venerated pilgrimage island in the Cyclades 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 Tinos to Rethymno. Rethymno's port receives very limited ferry connections. Getting there by sea means taking the ferry from Tinos to Piraeus, which runs daily and takes around 2.5 to 4.5 hours, and then boarding the overnight Piraeus to Chania ferry, followed by the bus to Rethymno taking around 1 hour. Plan your Tinos departure carefully to allow enough time to reach Piraeus for the evening sailing.

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. Tinos has no airport. The nearest airport is Mykonos. Taking the short ferry from Tinos to Mykonos, flying from Mykonos 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 short ferry from Tinos to Mykonos and fly from Mykonos 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 Tinos 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.