Cyclades
Anafi
The most remote inhabited Cyclades island — wild, warm, and wonderfully inconvenient.
Getting around
Scooter friendly
Cost
€€€
In peak season
Quiet
Best months
Jun – Sep
From Athens
10h ferry
In pictures
Anafi
Anafi is the island you find when you have exhausted all the more obvious choices and still want more. At the eastern edge of the Cyclades, reached by a ferry from Santorini that is not always predictable, it has the kind of infrastructural minimalism — a few dozen rooms to let, a handful of tavernas, one main beach — that stops being a hardship after the first morning and becomes the experience itself. The island is dominated by the Kalamos rock on its eastern tip: a 460-metre monolith topped with the ruins of an ancient sanctuary of Apollo, reachable by a 2.5-hour walk through fragrant maquis scrub. The locals are warm in the specific way people are warm when they are genuinely pleased someone made the effort to come. Plan for June or September; August is when the determined pilgrims of the off-path travel world arrive and briefly crowd the tavernas.
How it scores
- Beaches
- Nightlife
- Food
- Culture
- Nature
- Family
- Accessibility
- Value for money
The catch
Ferries are infrequent and can be cancelled in bad weather. Very limited infrastructure.
Where it sits
Cyclades, Greece
Anafi — frequently asked
- When is the best time to visit Anafi? +
- The best months to visit Anafi are June to September. It's very quiet, even in August, so even peak season is workable.
- How do you get to Anafi from Athens? +
- Anafi has no airport — you'll need to take a ferry from Piraeus or Rafina, which takes about 10 hours. Some travellers fly to a nearby island and ferry across.
- Is Anafi good for couples? +
- Anafi is a charming pick for couples, especially shoulder season.
- Is Anafi good for families with kids? +
- Anafi is not the easiest island for families with young kids.
- Is Anafi expensive? +
- Anafi is one of the cheaper Greek islands.
- Do you need a car on Anafi? +
- A scooter or ATV is the easiest way to get around Anafi. Buses cover the main routes but a scooter unlocks the quiet beaches.
- What's the catch with Anafi? +
- Ferries are infrequent and can be cancelled in bad weather. Very limited infrastructure.