Getting from Symi to Skopelos

If you are heading to Skopelos from Symi you are making your way from one of the most beautiful harbour towns in the Dodecanese to an island in the Sporades, in the northern Aegean. It has a densely forested coastline, a Chora of white houses and slate roofs climbing steeply above the port and over 120 churches.

Take the ferry

There is no direct ferry from Symi to Skopelos. The two islands are in different island groups with no sea connection between them. 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 Skiathos and taking the short ferry from Skiathos to Skopelos, which takes around 1 hour, or driving from Piraeus to Volos or Mantoudi for the ferry to Skopelos. Note that as of 2026 there are no departures from Agios Konstantinos to Skopelos.

Getting there by air

Skopelos has no airport. The nearest airport is Skiathos, with 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 Skiathos, followed by the short ferry from Skiathos to Skopelos, 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 Skiathos and take the ferry across to Skopelos. It is the 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 drive to Volos or Mantoudi for the ferry to Skopelos.