Getting from Arki to Symi

If you are heading to Symi from Arki you are making your way from one of the smallest inhabited islands in the Dodecanese to one of the most beautiful harbour towns in the same island group. The colorful neoclassical mansions stacked up the hillside above the port make for one of the most striking harbour approaches in the Greek islands.

Take the ferry

There is a seasonal direct ferry from Arki to Symi running in summer via the Dodekanisos Seaways network, which connects multiple Dodecanese islands on the same route. The service runs a limited number of times per week and takes around 6 to 8 hours with stops along the way through Patmos, Leros, Kalymnos, Kos and Rhodes, with Symi further south. It is the most natural sea connection and keeps the journey entirely within the Dodecanese.

Getting there by air

Symi has no airport. The nearest airport is Rhodes. Arki has no airport either. Taking the local ferry from Arki to Leros, flying to Athens and then Athens to Rhodes, followed by the local ferry from Rhodes to Symi taking around 1 to 1.5 hours, gives a total journey time of around 6 to 7 hours. In Greece, airlines do not operate direct inter island flights.

Your best option

Take the local ferry from Arki to Leros, fly to Athens and then fly to Rhodes and take the local ferry across to Symi. It is the most time efficient approach. If you prefer to travel by sea, take the Dodekanisos Seaways ferry south through the Dodecanese to Symi, which keeps the journey entirely within the island group. Give yourself at least two nights on Symi. The island reveals itself completely once the day visitors leave and the harbour becomes entirely your own.