Getting from Tinos to Symi

If you are heading to Symi from Tinos you are making your way from the most venerated pilgrimage island in the Cyclades to one of the most beautiful harbour towns in the Dodecanese group, on the opposite side of the Aegean. The colorful neoclassical mansions stacked up the hillside above the port make for one of the most striking harbour approaches in the Greek islands.

Take the ferry

There is no direct ferry from Tinos to Symi. Getting there by sea means taking the ferry from Tinos to Piraeus, which runs daily and takes around 2.5 to 4.5 hours, and then boarding the overnight Piraeus to Rhodes ferry, followed by the local ferry from Rhodes to Symi taking around 1 to 1.5 hours. Flying is considerably more practical for most travelers.

Getting there by air

Symi has no airport. The nearest airport is Rhodes. Tinos has no airport. The nearest airport is Mykonos. Taking the short ferry from Tinos to Mykonos, flying from Mykonos to Athens and then Athens to Rhodes, followed by the local ferry from Rhodes to Symi, 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 short ferry from Tinos to Mykonos and fly from Mykonos to Athens, then fly from Athens to Rhodes and take the local ferry across to Symi. It is the most practical approach. Give yourself at least two nights on Symi. The island reveals itself completely once the day visitors leave and the harbour becomes entirely your own. If you are traveling with a car, note that Symi is car-free so your vehicle would remain in Rhodes.