Getting from Symi to Lesvos

If you are heading to Lesvos from Symi you are making your way from one of the most beautiful harbour towns in the Dodecanese to the third largest island in Greece, in the northeastern Aegean. It is the birthplace of Sappho, an island of olive groves, ouzo distilleries and a capital at Mytilini with a Byzantine castle and one of the most enjoyable waterfronts in the northern Aegean.

Take the ferry

There is no direct ferry from Symi to Lesvos. 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 Lesvos, or taking the overnight Piraeus to Rhodes ferry in reverse and boarding the overnight Piraeus to Lesvos ferry, which runs up to 8 times a week and takes around 10 to 14 hours. Flying is considerably more practical for most travelers.

Getting there by air

Lesvos has its own airport with daily connections from Athens. 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 Lesvos takes around 1 hour on the second leg. Total journey time is around 5 to 6 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 Lesvos. It is the fastest and most practical approach. Note that Symi is car-free so if you are traveling with a car it would already be in Rhodes, from where you can board the overnight Piraeus ferry in reverse and then board the overnight Piraeus to Lesvos ferry, which takes your vehicle and arrives in the morning.