Getting from Santorini to Symi

Symi is one of the most beautiful harbour towns in the Dodecanese and one of the most photographed in all of Greece. The neoclassical mansions climbing the hillside above the port in graduated tiers of ochre, terracotta and cream, built by sponge merchants who brought enormous wealth to the island in the 19th century, create a harbour approach that has no equal in the Greek islands. The upper town of Chorio has a ruined medieval castle and views across to Turkey. The beaches on the southern coast, accessible by water taxi, are excellent. Symi is close enough to Rhodes that many people visit as a day trip but those who stay overnight find the island transforms completely once the day boats leave.

Take the ferry

There is no direct ferry from Santorini to Symi. The island is connected primarily to Rhodes, Kos and Piraeus in the wider Dodecanese network. The most practical ferry approach from Santorini is to take the Blue Star Ferries service from Santorini to Rhodes, which runs a few times a week and takes around 10 to 12 hours, and then take the short local ferry from Rhodes to Symi, which takes around 1 to 1.5 hours. The total journey by this route is a long day at sea.

What about flying?

Symi has no airport. The nearest airport is Rhodes. The journey from Santorini goes Santorini to Athens and then Athens to Rhodes, followed by the ferry from Rhodes to Symi. Total travel time is around 5 to 6 hours. It is worth knowing that in Greece, airlines do not operate direct inter island flights. Almost all island to island travel goes through Athens.

Your best option

Fly to Rhodes via Athens and take the ferry across to Symi. It is the most time efficient approach by a significant margin compared to the long Blue Star crossing.