In the heart of the Small Cyclades, Koufonisia is a diminutive island of clear waters, hidden beaches, and unhurried charm. Days slip by swimming, walking, and lingering over long, simple meals by the sea - at times, it’s very close to perfection.

Unlike its well-known neighbours, Koufonisia doesn't have an airport; everyone arrives on the island by ferry. However, it’s well-connected to several major transport hubs in Greece as well as neighbouring islands with daily departures.

The route you’ll take depends on whether you’re focussed on Koufonisia as a standalone destination or weaving it into your Greek island-hopping odyssey. However, budget will also come into play due to ticket prices ranging from very affordable to surprisingly expensive.

In this short explainer, written after our own visit, we’ve shared all the essential information to help you understand the transport connections and choose the best option for your own trip to Koufonisia.

How to Get to Koufonisia

· Fly in via Athens, Santorini, or Mykonos
· Ferry connections with Piraeus and Greek islands
· High-speed or slower, cheaper ferries available
· One-way ticket from €7 to €95
· From Athens / 4-8 hours
· From Santorini / 2 hours
· From Mykonos / 90 mins to 5 hours
· From Naxos / 45 mins to 3 hours - or this popular day trip
· 1-3 hours from other Small Cyclades islands
· Look + book tickets on FerryHopper and Direct Ferries
· Plan with our Koufounisa travel guide

Flights To The Greek Islands?

There are no direct flights to Koufonisia, so you’ll need to fly to another Greek hub - Athens, Santorini or Mykonos - and then take a ferry.

However, due to flight + ferry schedules, you may need to spend a night there before arriving and after departing Koufonisia.

For slow or flexible travellers hoping to spend most of their time in Koufonisia, rather than island-hopping, the advantages will outweigh the inconvenience of ‘losing a day’; those extra nights also offer the chance to sample another Greek destination en route or on your way home.

Of course, you can also go more casual and combine a few nights enjoying the first and last destinations in their own right, with Koufonisia the meat in the holiday sandwich.

From Athens to Koufonisia

There are lots of affordable, convenient direct flights to Athens International Airport (here on Google Maps), and it’s then 4-8 hours by ferry to Koufonisia from the Greek capital.

From the airport, you’ll need to travel onward to Piraeus (maps) - Athens' main port and the departure point for most Cycladic ferries.

A taxi ride will take about an hour, whilst there’s also 24-hour express bus that runs directly from the airport to Piraeus port (60-90 minutes). However, you can also do the journey by metro in about the same time (sometimes the quickest if traffic’s bad).

In the summer season there will be at least one daily ferry from Piraeus to Koufonisia, with tickets ranging from €50-85 one-way. The price will always be higher for the high-speed ferries, and they’re also more likely to sell out on peak travel dates. Your options are:

Blue Star | The cheapest and slowest boat, offering a comfortable and stable journey. Travel time is around about 8 hours, but there aren’t crossings every day.

Seajets & Hellenic Seaways | Quicker and more expensive, their daily departures usually leave at a more convenient time in the morning and do the journey in 4-5 hours. More susceptible to delays or a bumpier ride in rough weather.

Find all ferry schedules and prices here or on Direct Ferries

Travel Tip // If arriving late into Athens, consider spending a night near Piraeus port to catch an early morning ferry feeling refreshed.

Santorini & Mykonos to Koufonisia

Koufonisia is well-connected by ferry to Mykonos and Santorini, two major tourist destinations in the Cyclades which serve as the main gateways to the smaller, lesser-visited islands.

Flying into one of the two over Athens means you avoid the big city, save time overall, and opens up your options for an island-hopping adventure in Greece. On this particular trip we were focussed on the Small Cyclades cluster rather than the bigger, busier islands, but it would be perfectly understandable if you also wanted to spend time on one or more of them.

Crucially, the fact that you can conveniently fly in/out of both means you can consider booking a one-way flight to Santorini, and then your flight home from Mykonos (or whichever combination suits your travel style, plans, and budget).

Travel times and typical prices are:

Santorini to Koufonisia | The daily Seajets boat does it just under two hours, but is expensive at around €95 per person. Those on a budget should plan around the much less frequent Small Cyclades Line ferry that does the crossing in five hours and costs a lot less. Note that Santorini is listed as ‘Thira’ on various booking platforms.

Mykonos to Koufonisia | Up to two departures per day in summer with Seajets, and a travel time of 90 minutes to 5 hours depending on the vessel. Tickets also costs around €95.

Keep in mind that while flights to Santorini or Mykonos might be cheaper than Athens, the onward ferry could cost more or require an expensive overnight stay. It’s worth playing about and comparing different route combinations before you book - use Skyscanner to compare flight prices and dates

Also, these flight routes may reduce significantly or not operate before May and after October.

Tickets | As there are four or five ferry companies serve Koufonisia and the Greek Islands, we recommend looking & booking via FerryHopper and Direct Ferries. We used both websites on trip last summer and, as they list all the departures and routes, they offer a quicker and easier way to compare prices, schedules, and boat type than visiting each of the individual ferry company websites.

If you’re flexible on dates and/or on a budget, make sure to activate the ‘show alternative date & routes’ button on Direct Ferries.

Travel Tip // Whilst it is possible to take a domestic flight from Athens to Mykonos, Santorini or Naxos, we don’t recommend that as a practical, enjoyable, or sensible route. We stayed in this affordable apartment by the ferry terminal in Mykonos on our way out to the smaller islands.

The Other Greek Islands to Koufonisia

The reality is that many of you will be visiting several Greek islands on a single trip, and Koufonisia may be the second, third, or fourth stop on your island-hopping itinerary.

It’s a glorious, slow, and meaningful way to travel, and we fully recommend it!

Koufonisia is well-integrated into the ferry network, and you can easily reach it from a variety of nearby islands:

· Naxos is a major ferry hub and really popular destination, so is likely on your radar already. It also offers the most frequent and best value ferry connections to Koufonisia (from just €7 up to €30/€50). Crossing time varies a lot depending on the company you opt for, taking as little as 45 minutes with a high-speed to 2.5 hours with the slower boats.

We should also throw in that those with less time may wish to consider this very highly-rated swimming and BBQ day trip boat from Naxos.

· As mentioned, Koufonisia is part of the ‘Small Cyclades’ - a cluster of tiny islands southeast of Naxos - with Schinoussa, Donoussa, and Iraklia; these formed the focus of our own trip.

The Express Skopelitis ferry connects all of them with Naxos and Amorgos via its very affordable ‘Small Cyclades Line’, and we actually travelled from Donoussa to Koufonusia on it.

The most important thing to bear in mind is that the capacity is smaller and the ferry doesn’t run daily, so factor that into any travel plans between Koufonisia and the others, and before finalising any accommodation bookings on the islands.

· Amorgos is also well-connected to Koufonisia, with crossings taking as little as 25-minutes with the high-speed boats, 40 minutes with Blue Star, and from 1 hour to 3.5 with the Small Cyclades Line. Prices range from €7 to €30.

· Paros is an island we can’t wait to visit, and it’s got severals daily crossings to Koufonisia. Travel time is 90-minutes to 3 hours, costing €40-50 one-way.

· Sifnos, Milos, Astypalea and others also have ferry routes to Koufonisia.

Plan // The Best Things To Do in Koufonisia

Quick Tips for Your Koufonisia Ferry

· You’ll also see it spelled Koufonisi, Koufonisa, Koufonissa, Koufonissi, Koufonissia online and elsewhere.

· The ferry schedules are more frequent during the summer months, but direct connections are not always available daily for each ferry type and company.

· We don’t recommend cutting it fine with same-day flight + ferry connections.

· It’s a good idea to turn up at least 30 minutes before the ferry departure.

· The famous Meltemi winds are strong, dry northerly winds that blow across the Aegean Sea from June to September, peaking in July and August. They can cause rough seas, ferry cancellations, and flight delays, especially in the Cyclades. We don't intend for this to cause concern, but it is a defining feature of visiting these particular Greek islands. Travellers should appreciate that potential ferry disruptions are a risk, and ensure they've got good travel insurance - though policies vary on what’s covered for weather-related delays.

· Those winds can also make some crossings much less fun than others! The big Blue Star ferries offer more stability than the smaller high-speed boats in choppy waters.

· Last-minute availability depends on the route and time of year, with the high-speed and Small Cyclades ferries more likely to sell out. If you know your dates for Koufonisia, then it’s a good idea to purchase your tickets in advance.

· You don’t need a rental car for Koufonisia, but if you’re travelling one it’s important to book the right ferry further in advance.

· If budget is tight, then do take the time to play around with dates and destinations, as you can get really affordable fares with the slower boats.

· As mentioned, you can book directly on the individual ferry company websites for Blue Star, Seajets, and Hellenic Seaways, but not for the Express Skopeltis. To ensure you know all the options and find the best crossing, we recommend looking + booking via FerryHopper and Direct Ferries.

· Make sure to read our guide to help you travel better: The Best Things To Do in Koufonisia.