Getting from Symi to Halkidiki

If you are heading to Halkidiki from Symi you are making your way from one of the most beautiful harbour towns in the Dodecanese to a three-pronged peninsula southeast of Thessaloniki in northern Greece, with Kassandra in the west for long sandy beaches, Sithonia in the middle for quieter waters and the monastic peninsula of Athos in the east.

Take the ferry

There is no ferry to Halkidiki. It is a mainland peninsula with no island ferry connections. Getting there means taking the ferry from Symi to Rhodes, which takes around 50 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes and runs multiple times daily, and then flying from Rhodes to Athens and then Athens to Thessaloniki, continuing to Halkidiki by road. The drive from Thessaloniki to Halkidiki takes around 1 to 1.5 hours.

Getting there by air

Halkidiki has no airport. The nearest airport is Thessaloniki, around 60 to 90 kilometres from the various parts of the peninsula. Symi has no airport. The nearest airport is Rhodes. Taking the ferry from Symi to Rhodes, flying from Rhodes to Athens and then Athens to Thessaloniki, followed by a rental car or KTEL bus to Halkidiki, 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 ferry from Symi to Rhodes and fly from Rhodes to Athens, then fly from Athens to Thessaloniki and rent a car at the airport. Halkidiki is large and spread out enough that a car is essential for getting between beaches, villages and the different peninsulas. If you are traveling with a car, take the ferry from Symi to Rhodes and board the overnight Piraeus ferry in reverse, then drive north via the E75 motorway to Thessaloniki and continue to Halkidiki.