Anafi

Cyclades Islands

Anafi in the Cyclades is truly one of Greece's travel secrets. Its nearest neighbour is the island of Santorini, which is about a 2-hour ferry ride away to the west, while Athens is about 155 nautical miles away. The permanent population is only a few hundred, but this is swollen in summer by those lucky travelers who have already discovered the secret.

Getting to Anafi

Flights to Anafi

There are no direct flights to Anafi. The best way to get there is to book a flight to nearby Santorini and take a ferry from there.

Ferries To Anafi

Anafi is the end of the line for ferry routes, but in summer there are good connections with other islands. These include Paros, Naxos, Santorini, Mykonos and Ios. There are also ferries to Piraeus, the port of Athens, several times a week, and these call at many of the other Cyclades islands on the way. The ferries to Santorini are almost every day, but there are no ferry connections eastward to any of the Dodecanese islands, or south to Crete.

Ferries in Greece

Ferries in Greece has an excellent and very thorough website where, in addition to checking ferry schedules and times, you can also book tickets and get lots of useful information about travelling by ferry in Greece.

Where to Stay on Anafi

There are a few rooms to rent at the harbour, if that's where you want to stay, though there's nothing much else there. Most accommodation is inland and uphill at the main town of Hora, or Chora, where there are plenty of apartments, studios, rooms, or villas. East of the port is the beach at Kleisidi, where there are more rooms and a few places to eat. You can walk there from Hora or the port, or take the island bus which goes a few times a day.

Where to Eat on Anafi

There are places to eat at the harbour, and a wider choice in Hora, with a few more cafe/taverna choices at Kleisidi. Expect simple but good value typical Greek family places, the kind that make eating out in Greece such a pleasure. Gourmet cuisine, no. Fresh fish and hearty salads – yes, and delicious!

Anafi: Good Beaches and Walking

Anafi is a rugged rather than a pretty island, but it's a fair size with most of the population gathered in a handful of places. Otherwise there are farms and little communities here and there, and the rest of the island is great for hiking and for finding lovely sandy beaches, some of them in quiet coves. Footpaths criss-cross the island, and there are some monasteries to walk to as well. The highest peak is Mount Kalamos, which is an impressive 584m/1,916ft.

You might like these other Cyclades pages...

  • Tinos in the Cyclades Islands of Greece

    The island of Tinos in the Cyclades has several daily ferry connections from Rafina on the Greek mainland and is most famous for the Feast of the Assumption.

  • Mykonos

    Mykonos in the Cyclades islands in Greece has cheap and luxury hotel accommodation, car rental, ferries from Athens, Santorini, Crete and other Greek islands.

  • Syros

    Syros is in the Cyclades islands, with Ermoupoli as its main town and some good beaches, described here on the Greece Travel Secrets website.

  • Sikinos

    Surrounded by bigger and better-known Cyclades islands such as Ios, Naxos and Santorini, Sikinos is a delightfully untouristy island.

  • Sifnos

    Sifnos is one of the smaller islands in the Cyclades group in the Aegean Sea.

  • Serifos

    Serifos is one of the Cyclades islands in the Aegean Sea, a rugged and mountainous island with a small population.

  • Schinoussa and Iraklia Travel Guide

    This is the first travel guide to Schinoussa and Iraklia, two tiny islands in the Cyclades, published by Real Greek Experiences.

  • Paros in the Cyclades Islands in Greece

    The island of Paros in the Cyclades is famous for its marble, and on this page you can also see information about flights and ferries to Paros.

  • Naxos in the Cyclades Islands of Greece

    The island of Naxos is the largest of the Cyclades and on this page you can see information about flights and ferries to Naxos.

  • Milos in the Cyclades Islands of Greece

    The island of Milos in the Cyclades in Greece is noted for its museums and beaches, and read about flights and ferries to Milos.

  • Kythnos

    Kythnos is a small island in the Cyclades in the Aegean Sea, with easy access from Athens and popular with Athenians on summer weekends.

  • Kimolos

    Kimolos is in the Cyclades islands of Greece, close to Milos.

  • Kea

    Kea is in the Cyclades group of Greek islands and this page from Greece Travel Secrets shows how to get there by ferry and what to do when you've arrived.

  • Ios in the Cyclades Islands of Greece

    The island of Ios in the Cyclades group of islands in Greece is noted for its nightlife in summer, as well as its beaches, churches and the grave of Homer.

  • Antiparos

    Travel information about Antiparos near Paros in the Cyclades Islands of Greece from the Greece Travel Secrets website.

  • Andros in the Cyclades Islands of Greece

    The island of Andros in the Cyclades has fast ferries from Rafina. There are some good beaches and the main town has two interesting museums.

  • Amorgos in the Cyclades Islands of Greece

    Travel advice and information on Amorgos in the Cyclades, a dramatic and growing holiday destination with ferries from Athens and other Greek islands

  • Folegandros

    Travel information from Greece Travel Secrets about Folegandros in the southern Cyclades, close to Sikinos, with flight and ferry information.

  • Delos in the Cyclades Islands of Greece

    The island of Delos in the Cyclades islands is a unique archaeological site, taking up the whole island, and a popular day trip from nearby Mykonos.

  • Cyclades

    Travel information about the Cyclades group of Greek islands including Mykonos, Santorini (Thira), Naxos, Paros, Delos, Tinos, Siros, Milos, Amorgos.

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