Lipsi

Dodecanese

Lipsi (also spelled Leipsoi) has a population of about 800 people, one town, and is only 5 miles (8kms) from one end to the other. For many people this would mean it's the ideal Greek island, with nothing much to do other than relax and enjoy the Greek way of life.

Lipsi in the Dodecanese islands of GreeceLipsi

It does get quite busy in the summer with visitors - relatively speaking, of course - but it's a lovely little island if you do want to get away from it all. Visiting in spring or autumn is best, if you're not fond of crowds and want a better chance to get to know Lipsi and its people.

Getting to Lipsi

Flights to Lipsi

Lipsi is too small to have an airport and the nearest island with an airport is Leros. There are daily ferry connections from Leros to Lipsi.

Ferries to Lipsi

Leros is Lipsi's closest neighbour and there is one regular ferry per day with a journey time of 50 minutes, and a fast ferry taking just 20 minutes six times a week. There are also six ferries a week from Patmos, taking only 25 minutes.

If coming from Athens then there is only one ferry per week and the journey time is 10 hours. Other options with daily ferry services are Kalymnos (90 mins), Kos (4.5 hours) and Rhodes (5.5 hours).

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.

Lipsi Town

Lipsi Town is a pretty place of attractive buildings which climbs up a hill from the port, with other hills all around. When you arrive by ferry you take one look and you feel glad you've come here. The port gets lively in the evenings, and the hardest thing you have to do is choose between the fish tavernas that line the promenade.

Lipsi Town is also where you'll find the facilities, including a bank, ATM, post office, travel agencies, taxis, bike and scooter hire, supermarkets, a health centre and the police, who are based at the port. There's accommodation and some good eating places, with a sandy beach a few minutes' walk away. 

Lipsi's Beaches

If you enjoy hiking there are plenty of beaches around the island, some less than a mile from Lipsi Town. Many of the island beaches are pebble beaches, so if you prefer sandy beaches then check before you commit yourself to a day there. There are good sandy beaches at Kambos, about 15 minutes west of Lipsi Town and which has some shade, and at Katsadia, about 20 minutes in the other direction.

Don't expect much by way of facilities at any of these beaches, so if you're going for the day be sure to take food and plenty of water with you. Some do have tavernas which open up for the summer, but it's best to play safe.

In summer a bus service goes between some of the beaches and Lipsi Town, or you can get boats to take you and pick you up again.

What to Do on Lipsi

A popular hike is to the church of Panagia tou Harou, which has great views and there's also a beach down below it. Other than that the main activities are hiking, swimming, sunbathing and generally hanging out and relaxing.

Where to Stay on Lipsi

More Information

See the official Lipsi island website.

Some other Dodecanese pages

  • Mermaid Singing: Kalymnos Travel Writing

    Mermaid Singing by Charmian Clift is a fine example of 1950s travel writing about the Greek island of Kalymnos in the Dodecanese.

  • Rhodes

    Travel advice, information on Rhodes in the Dodecanese, with ferries from Piraeus for Athens, Symi, Crete, Kos, Patmos, Santorini, and flights from Europe

  • Easter on Rhodes

    During Easter on Rhodes Greece Travel Secrets publisher Mike Gerrard travels from Lindos to Kattavia to visit a monastery and spend Easter with a Greek family.

  • A Walk in the Old Town of Rhodes

    This walk through the Old Town of Rhodes takes you through this World Heritage Site and along the main streets and past the city walls, palaces and mosques.

  • Kos in the Dodecanese Islands of Greece

    Kos in the Dodecanese islands of Greece has good beaches and night-life, and archaeological remains.

  • Symi in the Dodecanese Islands of Greece

    Symi (or Simi) is a small island in the Dodecanese near Rhodes with regular ferry connections, hotels, rooms to rent, beaches, tavernas.

  • Easter on Symi

    Easter on Symi is a wonderful Greek celebration and one of the best times to visit the little gem of an island a short ferry-ride from Rhodes in the Dodecanese.

  • A Holiday on Symi

    Mike Gerrard wasn’t sure what to expect from a holiday on Symi, in the Greek islands, but what he found was lots of local feasting, dancing, and music.

  • Kasos

    Travel information on Kasos in the Dodecanese group of Greek islands, including flight and ferry information from Greece Travel Secrets.

  • Patmos in the Dodecanese Islands of Greece

    Patmos in the Dodecanese islands is famous for the monasteries of St John and the Apocalypse and on this page you can also read about flights and ferries

  • Wild Abandon

    Wild Abandon by Jennifer Barclay and published by Bradt Guides is A Journey to Deserted Places of the Dodecanese islands in Greece, including Rhodes and Kos.

  • Tilos in the Dodecanese Islands of Greece

    Tilos is a small island in the Dodecanese between Rhodes and Kos with regular ferry connections, hotels, rooms to rent, beaches, tavernas and ancient remains.

  • Our Feast Day on Astipalia

    Greece Travel Secrets helps celebrate a feast day on Astipalia in the Dodecanese Islands of Greece, for the Assumption of the Virgin Mary into Heaven.

  • Nisyros

    Nisyros is a unique volcanic island in the Dodecanese and easily reached on day trips from Kos Town and Kardamena.

  • Leros in the Dodecanese Islands of Greece

    Leros is a sizeable island in the Dodecanese with flights from Athens, ferries from Rhodes and Piraeus, good beaches, restaurants and hotels.

  • Kastellorizo

    Travel information on Kastellorizo in the Dodecanese group of Greek islands, including flight and ferry information from Greece Travel Secrets.

  • Karpathos in the Dodecanese Islands of Greece

    Karpathos in the Dodecanese islands of Greece is noted for its traditions, its music, and mountain villages like Olympos.

  • Kalymnos in the Dodecanese Islands of Greece

    Kalymnos in Greece in the Dodecanese islands is most famous for its history of sponge fishing, and see here information about flights and ferries.

  • Halki

    Travel information on Halki in the Dodecanese group of Greek islands, including flight and ferry information from Greece Travel Secrets.

  • Dodecanese

    Travel and vacation information about the Dodecanese islands of Rhodes, Symi, Kos, Patmos, Halki, Tilos, Karpathos, Leros, Lipsi, Astipalea.

  • Astypalaia in the Dodecanese Islands of Greece

    Astypalaia in the Dodecanese islands of Greece is a largely unspoilt island with good beaches.

  • Arki

    Arki is a small island in the Dodecanese close to Lipsi, with beaches and tavernas with rooms to rent and ferry connections with Patmos, Samos and Marathi.

  • Agathonisi in the Dodecanese islands of Greece

    Agathonisi is a small island in the Dodecanese with quiet beaches, a few hotels, pensions and rooms to rent.

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