How to Get to Symi from Rhodes: Ferries, Day Trips and the Stop at Panormitis

Sailing into Symi is one of the great arrivals of the Greek islands. The boat rounds a rocky headland, the clock tower appears at the harbour mouth, and suddenly the whole town is in view: tiers of colourful neoclassical mansions climbing the hillsides around a deep, narrow harbour. For most visitors, Symi is a day trip from Rhodes; for others, it becomes the reason they come back.

This guide explains how to reach Symi — by regular ferry or by organised day trip — how long the crossing takes, which boats stop at the monastery of Panormitis, and how to plan either a day or a longer stay on the island.

Symi at a glance

Symi lies about 24 km north of Rhodes, and its nearest neighbours are the Datça and Bozburun peninsulas of Turkey.
The municipality covers 65.754 km², and the island’s highest point is 617 m.
Symi had 2,603 permanent residents in 2021; its population peaked at about 22,500 in the 19th century.
The main town is Symi, with Yialos (Gialos) around the harbour and Horio (Ano Symi) above; other settlements include Pedi, Nimborio, Marathounda and Panormitis.
The tourist season runs from Easter to Panormitis Day in early November, when visitors raise the island’s population to as many as 6,000.

The short answer

The shortest Rhodes–Symi crossing takes 45 minutes and boats run every day, all year. You can travel on a regular ferry and plan your own day, or join a day trip that handles the timings and, often, adds a swim stop or a visit to the monastery at Panormitis.

Regular ferries from Rhodes

Who runs the route

The Rhodes–Symi route is served by Dodekanisos Seaways, Blue Star Ferries, Saos Ferries, Sea Dreams and Sebeco Lines, with more sailings in summer.

How long it takes

Most crossings take about 1 to 1.5 hours, and tickets start from around €7. The fastest boats do it in 45 minutes.

A daily service via Panormitis

From 1 April 2026, Dodekanisos Seaways runs daily between Rhodes, Symi and Panormitis, with a morning departure from Rhodes at 08:30. This route is useful if you want to include the monastery on the way, or stay on the island and visit Panormitis separately.

Tips for the regular ferries

Book ahead in summer, especially on the popular morning departures.
Check which harbour in Rhodes your boat leaves from; operators use different quays.
Confirm the return time before you set off if you are going for the day.
Allow for weather: crossings can be delayed or cancelled in strong winds.

Day trips from Rhodes

For most visitors staying on Rhodes, a day trip is the simplest way to see Symi. The boat, the timings and sometimes the hotel transfer are all arranged.

High-speed boat to Symi and St George’s Bay. A modern fast boat from Rhodes, three hours of free time in Symi’s harbour town and a swim in St George’s Bay, reached only by boat. About 6–9 hours.

Cruise to Symi with a hotel transfer. The same trip with optional hotel transfers from Faliraki, Ixia, Kremasti and Kolymbia, and guaranteed open-air seating. About 6 hours.

Symi and Panormitis Monastery by ferry. A day boat from Rhodes with two stops: the Monastery of Archangel Michael at Panormitis and Symi town, with deck or indoor seats. About 9 hours.

Speedboat to Symi with free time. A speedboat from Rhodes’ Kolona harbour past the old town, with free time in Symi to eat, shop and wander, on an air-conditioned deck. About 7 hours.

Speedboat to Symi town and Panormitis. A speedboat from Rhodes to Symi town and the Monastery of Panormitis, with free time in town. About 7.5 hours.

The tours page lists them all with live prices.

Choosing a day trip

For the monastery: the ferry day trip with Panormitis, or the speedboat to Symi town and Panormitis.
For a swim: the high-speed boat or the cruise with transfer, which both stop at St George’s Bay.
For the most time in town: the speedboat with free time, or the fast boat with three hours in Symi.
For convenience: the cruise with hotel transfers from Faliraki, Ixia, Kremasti and Kolymbia.

Arriving in Symi

The harbour

Boats arrive at Gialos, the harbour town. The clock tower has stood at the entrance to the harbour since 1881, a gift of the Petridis family, and is the first sight for arriving ferries. The harbour of Gialos is a popular marina for sailors, so expect yachts alongside the ferries and fishing boats.

Getting your bearings

From the quay, the town rises in tiers. Gialos wraps around the harbour, with its cafés, shops and churches; above it, Horio (Ano Symi) spreads over the ridge. Ano Symi (Horio) is reached from the harbour by a stone stairway of about 500 steps, the Kali Strata, ‘Good Way’. Our guide to Symi town covers what to see in both.

Panormitis on the way

Many boats call at Panormitis, in the south-west of the island, before or after Symi town. The monastery of Archangel Michael of Panormitis, in a sheltered bay in the south-west of Symi, is the island’s most important pilgrimage site; it was built in the early 18th century on the foundations of earlier churches. If your stop there is brief, head straight for the church and its famous icon. See our guide to Panormitis and Symi’s beaches.

A little history before you arrive

Symi’s beauty is the product of a remarkable history.

Myth: in myth, Symi is the birthplace of the Charites, the Graces, and takes its name from the nymph Syme. In Homer’s Iliad, Symi is the domain of King Nireus, called the most handsome of the Greeks after Achilles.
The Knights: the Knights of St John conquered Symi in 1309, beginning centuries of prosperity from trade.
The Ottomans: in 1522 Symi was conquered by the Ottomans, but it kept many of its privileges and its prosperity continued.
Sponges and ships: the economy was traditionally based on shipbuilding and sponges; today its main industry is tourism. Symi grew rich on sponges and at one point had the largest sponge-fishing fleet in the world.
The golden age: Symi was at its most prosperous in the mid-19th century, when many of the colourful neoclassical mansions on the slopes were built.
Italian and German rule: in 1912 the Dodecanese declared independence from the Ottomans but were almost immediately occupied by Italy; Symi was formally ceded to Italy in 1923 and occupied by the Germans on 12 October 1943.
The end of the war: on 8 May 1945, on Symi, General Otto Wagener signed the surrender of all German forces in the Dodecanese to Brigadier F. Moffat of the British Army.
Greece: Symi became part of Greece in 1948, after three years of British occupation.

What to see in a few hours

With three hours in town, you can see a good deal:

The harbour front of Gialos, with its cafés, the clock tower and the boats.
The cathedral of Timios Prodromos: the cathedral of Timios Prodromos, near the Gialos waterfront, was built in 1830 and renovated in 1869.
The Kali Strata, climbing past the mansions to Horio.
Horio, with its lanes and churches, and the Archaeological Museum: the Archaeological Museum of Symi, in the Agios Athanasios quarter of Chorio, spreads over three levels, including two 18th- and 19th-century mansions, with objects from prehistory to the 19th century.
The castle at the top: the Knights’ castle was built in the 14th century on the ruins of a Byzantine castle; the chapel of the Virgin of the Castle at its highest point looks over Horio and Yialos.

If time is short, choose between the climb to Horio and a slow lunch by the water; doing both in the heat of midday is hard work.

Beaches near town

Nos and Pedi: Pedi and Nos, the town beach, are sandy and lined with tavernas.
By boat: day boats from Gialos visit the cove of Agios Georgios Dysalona together with the sandy bays of Nanou and Marathounta.

Getting around the island

On foot: Gialos and Horio are best explored on foot, using the Kali Strata.
By road to Panormitis: a road links the monastery with Symi town: over six hours on foot, or about an hour by local bus or scooter.
By boat to the beaches: many of the best coves have no road. Agios Georgios Dysalona is a small pebble beach on the east coast beneath a sheer cliff about 300 m high; no road reaches it, so every visitor arrives by taxi-boat or excursion boat from Gialos, and the cliff puts it in shade by early afternoon.

A day trip, hour by hour

A typical day trip with a stop at Panormitis runs like this:

Morning: depart Rhodes; enjoy the crossing and the view of Rhodes old town from the sea on the speedboats from Kolona harbour.
First stop: Panormitis, for the monastery, its icon and its museums.
Midday: on to Symi town and the harbour of Gialos.
Afternoon: free time: climb the Kali Strata, eat by the water, browse the shops.
Late afternoon: the boat back to Rhodes.

On the trips without Panormitis, the swim at St George’s Bay replaces the monastery stop. Whichever you choose, the crossing itself is part of the day: find a seat on deck if you can, watch the coast of Rhodes slip away, and look out for the first sight of Symi’s harbour as the boat rounds the final headland.

Staying on Symi

A day trip shows you the harbour; a night or more shows you the island. Once the day boats leave, Gialos grows quiet, the lights come on around the harbour, and the town returns to its residents. Staying also lets you:

Walk up to Horio in the cool of the morning or evening, when the steps are lit after dark, and the cool hours of early morning and evening suit the climb.
Visit Panormitis at your own pace, avoiding the busiest hours: the monastery fills with day-trippers from Rhodes; for peace, wait until they have gone.
Explore the beaches by taxi-boat, including the coves with no road.

Regular ferries make a stay easy to arrange: travel over on a morning boat from Rhodes, spend a few nights, and return when you are ready. With boats every day of the year, you are never tied to a day-trip timetable. A longer stay also gives you time to see the island beyond the harbour — the monasteries, the quieter bays and the walks over the hills — and to enjoy the evening in Gialos, when the town is at its most beautiful.

Photography from the boat

The approach to Gialos, as the clock tower and the tiers of houses come into view.
Rhodes old town from the sea, on the speedboats from Kolona harbour.
The monastery at Panormitis, with its Baroque bell tower above the bay.
The cliffs of the east coast, if your trip swims at St George’s Bay.

Eating and shopping

Gialos is lined with cafés and tavernas around the harbour, and a day trip usually leaves time for a meal by the water. Sponges in the harbour shops are a reminder that Symi grew rich on sponges and at one point had the largest sponge-fishing fleet in the world. Wander a street or two back from the quay for quieter places to sit.

If the weather turns

The sea between Rhodes and Symi can be rough in strong winds, and crossings can be delayed or cancelled. If you are on a day trip, the operator will advise you; if you are travelling independently, keep in touch with the ferry company and avoid planning a tight connection, such as a flight from Rhodes, on the same day as your return from Symi.

When to go

Spring and autumn are ideal: warm but not hot, and the town is calmer.
July and August bring the most boats and the most visitors, and the heat is intense on the steps and paths.
Early November brings Panormitis Day, the end of the tourist season, when pilgrims gather at the monastery.
Winter is quiet, but the boats keep running: boats run every day, all year.

Practical tips

Book day trips in advance in high season.
Bring sun protection and water; Symi is hot and rocky, and there is little shade on the Kali Strata.
Wear comfortable shoes for the steps.
Carry some cash for cafés, taxi-boats and small shops.
Check the return time as soon as you land, and be back at the quay early.
Dress respectfully if you visit Panormitis; it is a working monastery and a place of pilgrimage.

With children

The boat trip itself is a highlight for children, and the swim stop at St George’s Bay is a treat. The Kali Strata is a steep climb for little legs in the heat, so tackle it early or late, or save it for older children. Pack snacks, water and hats.

Accessibility

Boarding involves gangways, and Symi’s town is built on steep slopes, with the Kali Strata’s roughly 500 steps linking the harbour to Horio. The harbour front at Gialos is the most accessible area, with cafés and shops at sea level. Ask the boat operator about boarding assistance when you book.

Frequently asked questions

How do I get to Symi from Rhodes?

By ferry. Boats run every day, all year, operated by Dodekanisos Seaways, Blue Star Ferries, Saos Ferries, Sea Dreams and Sebeco Lines. Day trips from Rhodes are also available.

How long is the ferry from Rhodes to Symi?

The shortest crossing takes 45 minutes; most take about 1 to 1.5 hours.

How much is the ferry to Symi?

Tickets start from around €7.

Can I visit Symi as a day trip?

Yes. Day trips from Rhodes take about 6 to 9 hours, with free time in Symi town and, on some, a stop at Panormitis Monastery or a swim at St George’s Bay.

Do the boats stop at Panormitis?

Some do. Dodekanisos Seaways runs daily between Rhodes, Symi and Panormitis, and several day trips include the monastery.