Diagram by Greece Trips. Free to reuse with credit - CC BY 4.0.
The crossings
- Zakynthos, to Zakynthos town, roughly an hour and a quarter, running several times a day.
- Kefalonia, to Poros on the south-east coast, roughly an hour and a half.
Both take cars, and this is the standard route for anyone driving to those islands from Athens or the Peloponnese. The port is small and straightforward.
The springs
Four kilometres inland are the Loutra Kyllinis, thermal springs in a pine and eucalyptus wood running down to the sea. The setting is the appeal: shaded, green and unlike the bare hot-spring sites elsewhere in Greece.
There is a spa facility and a long sandy beach beside it.
Chlemoutsi
Ten minutes up the hill stands Chlemoutsi, and it is the reason to arrive early for your ferry.
It is the best-preserved Frankish castle in Greece, built in the thirteenth century by the Crusader Villehardouin princes of Achaea. The plan is unusual: a hexagonal outer bailey and a massive vaulted inner keep with galleries you can walk through, standing largely intact.
From the walls the view runs over the plain to Zakynthos across the water. There is a small museum inside and it is rarely busy.
The coast
The stretch either side of the port is long, flat and sandy, with dunes: Kastro, Loutra and the beaches towards Kalogria. It is a quiet coast that few foreign visitors see, since most drive straight onto a boat.
Getting there and how long
About three hours from Athens on the motorway, or an hour and a half from Patras.
Half a day, or a night if you want Chlemoutsi without rushing.
Last checked August 2026. Ferry schedules change by season - see our editorial policy.
Common questions
Where do ferries from Kyllini go?
To Zakynthos town in about an hour and a quarter, and to Poros on Kefalonia in about an hour and a half. Both carry cars.
What is Chlemoutsi?
The best-preserved Frankish castle in Greece, built in the thirteenth century above Kyllini, with a hexagonal bailey and a large vaulted keep.
What are the Kyllini thermal springs?
Loutra Kyllinis, hot springs in a pine and eucalyptus wood four kilometres inland, with a spa facility and a sandy beach beside them.
Is there a beach at Kyllini?
Yes, a long flat sandy coast with dunes runs either side of the port and is very quiet.
How far is Kyllini from Athens?
About three hours by motorway, or an hour and a half from Patras.