Getting from Symi to Patmos

If you are heading to Patmos from Symi you are making your way from one of the most beautiful harbour towns in the Dodecanese to an island in the northern part of the same group. It is where John the Apostle wrote the Book of Revelation and the 11th century monastery of Saint John the Theologian above Chora is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Take the ferry

There is a direct ferry connection from Symi to Patmos via the Dodecanese network. Getting there means taking the ferry from Symi north through the Dodecanese via Kos, Kalymnos and Leros to Patmos, which takes around 5 to 7 hours in total and runs several times a week on Blue Star Ferries and Dodekanisos Seaways. This keeps the journey entirely within the Dodecanese without going through Athens or Piraeus. Check the schedule carefully before booking as departure days vary by season.

Getting there by air

Patmos has no airport. The nearest airports are Leros and Kos. 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 Leros, followed by the short ferry from Leros to Patmos taking around 1 hour, 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 north through the Dodecanese to Patmos. It keeps the journey entirely within the Dodecanese and avoids Athens entirely. Check the schedule carefully before booking as departure days vary by season. Give yourself at least two nights on Patmos as the island rewards those who stay long enough to explore both the monastery and the quieter corners of the island. Note that Symi is car-free so if you are traveling with a car it would already be in Rhodes, from where the conventional ferry takes it north through the Dodecanese to Patmos.