Travel to Iraklia

There is, for obvious reasons, no airport on Iraklia, and no charter flights go there, and never will. Nevertheless, traveling to Iraklia is easy.

BY INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS

In my opinion, the easiest way is to go by air to Santorini, and continue by ferry to Naxos, change ferry and travel on to Iraklia. You can also fly to Athens and go by ferry from Athens' port at Piraeus.

BY DOMESTIC FLIGHTS

The nearest domestic airport lies on Naxos.

BY FERRY

The ferry service to and from Iraklia follows the same pattern as for Amorgos and the neighbouring islands of the Small Cyclades. Iraklia is best reached from Naxos, with the large ferries or with the mythical Express Skopelitis. Express Skopelitis is a small local ferry with its home port in Katapola on Amorgos.

The mythical small car ferry Express Skopelitis in the port of Iraklia.

Express Skopelitis is small, it is slow, it seldom keeps to time and it is not the archipelago's funniest ferry to travel with. When it is a strong wind, nothing unusual in the Cyclades, you should avoid Express Skopelitis.

However, it is a joy to travel with Express Skopelitis in good weather, you chugs along between the islands of the Small Cyclades, you sit close to the waterline and it feels like you are out with your own boat in the archipelago.

This is how peaceful it can be to ride with Express Skopelitis when there is no wind.

Express Skopelitis runs the route Naxos, Iraklia, Schinoussa, Koufonissi and Amorgos all year round. Some departures also goes to Donoussa. The journey between Naxos and Iraklia takes about 1½ hours, longer if the wind blows. In high season, Express Skopelitis runs six times a week, during low season three to four times a week.

The catamaran Flyingcat 4 in the port of Iraklia.

Do you think that Express Skopelitis feels insecure, or takes too long time, you can choose to go with big ferries from both Naxos and Piraeus. The ferries from Naxos leave late at night, usually you will arrive in the middle of the night.

Blue Star Naxos arrives in Iraklia on an early morning in June.

Ferry timetable for Iraklia »

Book boat tickets online here »

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