There are one or two direct ferries from Santorini to Kimolos per week in summer. The best way to get from Santorini to Kimolos is to travel via Milos first.
Santorini Kimolos Ferry Route
It's often the case that the best Greek islands take a little extra effort to reach, and that is certainly true with Kimolos.
If you want to reach Kimolos from Santorini, you'll have to either wait around until a direct ferry is running (1-2 times per week), or take a ferry from Santorini to Milos, travel to another ferry port in Milos, and then take a local boat from Milos to Kimolos.
Trust me though, the journey is worth it.
Kimolos island in Greece
Kimolos is one of the nicest, most genuine islands I've visited in the Cyclades. It has some amazing landscapes, nice beaches, great food, and the locals love to talk!
Kimolos might not be a natural ‘first choice' when it comes to islands to visit after Santorini, but it's certainly not one you'll regret. Read more here on the reasons you need to visit Milos and Kimolos islands in Greece.
Guidebook to Milos and Kimolos now available on Amazon: Click here
How to get from Santorini to Kimolos
There isn't an airport in the island of Kimolos, so the only way to make the journey from Santorini to Kimolos is by ferry.
During the height of summer, there may be up to 1 or 2 direct ferries per week from Santorini to Kimolos. These ferries to Kimolos from Santorini are operated by Zante Ferries.
The option that suits most people, would be to first take a ferry from Santorini to Milos. From there, you would then take a local ferry from Milos to Kimolos.
Note that Milos has two ports, and you will need to get from one port to the other in order to make this work. All the information is detailed in the two blog posts I've linked to.
Cyclades Islands Ferries to Kimolos from Santorini
When it comes to direct ferries from Santorini, the crossing from Santorini going to Kimolos takes around 4 hours and 15 minutes.
Zante Ferries are the only ferry company offering a direct Santorini Kimolos itinerary, stopping at other islands along the way. On some weeks there's one direct ferry, and other weeks there's two.
Check out Ferryhopper for Greek ferry tickets and up to date timetables
Kimolos Island Travel Tips
A few travel tips for visiting the island of Kimolos:
- Booking has a nice range of accommodation and hotels to stay in Kimolos. There is also accommodation which never gets shown on Booking, so if you're traveling outside the month of August you could just wing it and ask around once you have docked. I've a guide here on great accommodation options: where to stay in Kimolos.
- Ferryhopper is the most user-friendly website when it comes to looking at ferry schedules in Greece. You can also book the tickets online, where for most crossings you'll be issued an e-ticket to show when boarding the ferry to Kimolos. If an e-ticket is not accepted on your crossing, you'll be given instructions where to collect your ferry ticket in the confirmation email – Normally, this is at an agency at the port.
- If you want to really explore Kimolos, you will need your own transport at some point. There are various places where you can hire a car in Kimolos at the port area after your arrive. If you don't feel like driving, the best way to get around would be by the local bus service. Some information here.
- Once you've got some transport, you'll definitely want to check out a beach or two! I've a guide here to the best beaches in Kimolos island Greece.
- Welcome taxis can organize your transport to and from your hotel in Santorini. It makes getting down to the port in Santorini a lot easier than taking the bus.
What to see in Kimolos Greece
So what is there to see and do in Kimolos?
Quite a lot actually – I was there for a week, and wish I had a week longer!
Some of the highlights and suggestions of what to do when you visit Kimolos include:
- Walk around Chorio, the main town
- Explore the ruins of the Venetian Castle
- Check out the old Windmills
- Relax on the beaches
- Take photos of the fishing villages of Goupa Karra and Rema
- Hike to Skiadi rock in Kimolos
- Go on a boat tour around the island
You might also want to read my more in-depth guide here: Things to do in Kimolos Island Greece
How to make a journey from Santorini to Kimolos FAQ
A few of the questions readers ask about traveling to Kimolos from Santorini include:
How can we get to Kimolos from Santorini?
The way to make the trip from Santorini to Kimolos is by ferry boat. There are up to 1 or 2 direct ferries per week sailing to the Cyclades island of Kimolos from Santorini. An indirect route you could make daily, would be to take the ferry from Santorini to Milos, and then take the local ferry from Milos to Kimolos island.
Is there an airport in Kimolos?
There's no airport on Kimolos, so the only way to take a trip from Santorini to Kimolos is by taking a ferry. The closest airport is on the nearby island of Milos.
How long is the ferry crossing from Santorini to Kimolos?
The ferries to the Greek island of Kimolos from Santorini take between 4 hours and 15 minutes and 4 hours and 25 minutes. Ferry operators on the Santorini Kimolos route may include Zante Ferries.
How can I buy tickets for the ferry to Kimolos?
The best place to look at Greek ferries online is Ferryhopper. They will have the latest times for the ferry to Kimolos, as well as prices. Although I recommend you book your Santorini to Kimolos ferry tickets in advance, you could also use a local travel agency in Greece.
– Dave Briggs
Dave is a travel writer who's been living in Greece since 2015. Over the last few years, he's written hundreds of travel guides such as this one on how to get from Santorini to Kimolos island in Greece. He hasn't visited all the inhabited Greek islands quite yet, but he's working on getting to the one hundred or so he's still yet to go!
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Hi Dave: Thanks for this. It’s helpful. I’m wondering if the ferry companies add more sailings for June and July as the time comes near? Right now, Ferryhopper is just showing sailings to Santorini from either Milos or Kimonos departing at 11:30 pm and arriving at 3:45 am! (ish) Yikes. Also, you can’t book more than about 2 months out right now, it seems.
thank you!
Hi Michelle,
Unfortunately, I don’t think the complete schedules will be live for June and July until April. There will be gradual additions also after Christmas. I know – it’s super frustrating!
I’m going to send out a newsletter post about it to keep everyone up to date.