Getting from Symi to Nafplio

If you are heading to Nafplio from Symi you are making your way from one of the most beautiful harbour towns in the Dodecanese to a neoclassical town on the Argolic Gulf in the Peloponnese, the first capital of modern Greece with the Venetian fortress of Palamidi above it and Mycenae, Epidaurus and Tiryns all within easy reach.

Take the ferry

There is no direct ferry from Symi to Nafplio. Nafplio is accessible only by road. 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 driving or taking the KTEL bus south through the Peloponnese to Nafplio, which takes around 2 to 2.5 hours from Athens via Corinth.

Getting there by air

Nafplio has no airport. The nearest airport is Athens. Symi has no airport. The nearest airport is Rhodes. Taking the ferry from Symi to Rhodes, flying from Rhodes to Athens and then driving or taking the KTEL bus south to Nafplio gives a total journey time of around 5 to 6 hours. The KTEL bus from Athens Kifissos terminal runs several times daily to Nafplio and takes around 2.5 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 drive or take the KTEL bus south to Nafplio. Having a car makes this route considerably more practical as it gives you the flexibility to explore Mycenae, Epidaurus and Tiryns, all within easy reach of Nafplio. Nafplio rewards at least two nights and is one of the most rewarding overnight stops in the Peloponnese. Note that Symi is car-free so if you are traveling with a car it would already be in Rhodes.