Getting from Symi to Ikaria

If you are heading to Ikaria from Symi you are making your way from one of the most beautiful harbour towns in the Dodecanese to one of the world's Blue Zones, a mountainous island in the eastern Aegean where people live measurably longer than almost anywhere else on earth and the local explanation tends to involve sleeping late, eating well and ignoring schedules.

Take the ferry

There is no direct ferry from Symi to Ikaria. Getting there by sea 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 boarding the overnight Piraeus to Rhodes ferry in reverse, arriving at Piraeus and then boarding the Piraeus to Ikaria ferry, which runs around 3 times a week and takes around 7 to 11 hours. Ikaria has two ports, Agios Kirikos in the south and Evdilos in the north, so check which port your ferry arrives at before booking accommodation as the mountain road between them takes well over an hour.

Getting there by air

Ikaria has its own small airport with connections from Athens running around 3 times a week. 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 Ikaria takes around 50 minutes on the second leg. Total journey time is around 5 to 6 hours. Check the schedule carefully as flights are limited. 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 Ikaria. Check the schedule carefully as flights are limited and do not run daily. Build flexibility into your plans once you arrive. Ikaria runs on its own schedule and that is entirely the point. If you are traveling with a car, note that Symi is car-free so your vehicle would already be in Rhodes, from where you can board the overnight Piraeus ferry in reverse and then board the Piraeus to Ikaria ferry.