Ferries to Symi
Yesterday I was talking about making sure you’ve got a ferry connection when you arrive in Rhodes for your Symi holiday. Today, I wanted to answer another question that people ask me, usually via email or on the Symi Dream Facebook page. The question is, ‘Where do I find the ferries to Symi?’

Many returning visitors already know this information, but things can change, so it’s always worth checking. Probably the easiest thing to do is ask your travel agent, a good search engine online or the company website where you booked the ferry tickets. That’s going to be either Blue Star Ferries or Dodekanisos Seaways if you’ve gone directly to the ferry operator. (See yesterday’s post for links.) Here’s an image I pulled from somewhere that might be of use and, below, is how to use it.

Rhodes harbours for Ferries to Symi

Mandraki harbour is where you now find the day-trip boats, the Symi II, the Nikolaos X and others that operate trips across for the day, via Panormitis and on to Yialos, and back. It’s a great day out if you are holidaying on Rhodes and want to see Symi. Mandraki is the harbour with the arrow at the top of the image (above), and it’s right next to the old markets area, police station, courts, National Bank, etc. It’s very easy to find, and the bus stop from the airport is up at the top of the road. But…

If you’re coming to Symi, then the Dodekanisos Pride and Express, the catamarans, leave from Kolona Harbour, just a bit further along the shore from Mandraki. If you look at the second arrow down, on the image above, where it says ‘Large Yachts’, it’s actually pointing right to where the Dodekanisos Seaways boats are. You can get off the bus, walk to the seafront at Mandraki and then follow the path/road, heading right (if you’re looking at the sea), past the coffee shops, through St Paul’s Gate (beware of people trying to sell you things, ambushing gipsies, etc.). Or follow the main road around and back out again, and along the boardwalk. You will see the Dodekanisos kiosk across the water with a large display board. Follow the boardwalk to the entrance and, well, it’s easy from there, you can’t miss it.

However, if you are booked onto the Blue Star Ferry (currently the Blue Star Patmos), or the Panagia Skiadeni (Dodekanisos Seaways’ larger ferry) then you will need to go to the Commercial Harbour. That’s the third arrow on the map above, where it, strangely, says ‘commercial harbour’.

If you’re walking, it’s about 30 to 40 minutes to get from Kolona, even though you can see the boats not too far away. Follow the new boardwalk around the outside of the old town, past Akandia Gate and Akandia Harbour (where the larger cruise ships call in) and to the bend in the road. You will see a boatyard on your left, between you and the harbour. Use that entrance and follow the signs. The Panagia is (or at least, was last year) sailing from the quay closest to the entry of the harbour. The Blue Star ferries are down at the other end, and this can add five or ten minutes to your walking time, depending on how fast you walk. My advice is, always, to get there early. In fact, I think everyone should be slightly early for everything apart, perhaps, from their own funeral. You may see a couple of large Blue Star ferries waiting, so make sure you check which one you are meant to be getting on. I doubt anyone will let you on the wrong one, but you never know.

Airport to harbours

And the easiest way to get from the airport to ferry? Well, jump in a taxi for about €25.00 (it may have gone up by then, and you might have to pay extra for luggage, cabbie’s chat, use of a seatbelt, etc. (only joking, the seatbelts are included)) and the journey is roughly 20 to 30 minutes. Or you can take the bus to Mandraki and walk from there, but leave plenty of time. The bus, on a clear run, only takes a little longer than the taxi (let’s say, 45 minutes) and is one-tenth of the price (€2,20 last time I used it, last year), but you will have to walk to the harbour at the other end.

So, Airport to Mandraki by bus, roughly 45 minutes (add on waiting time as the bus is about every 30 minutes), add on walking time to Kolona at, say, 15 minutes and, for the commercial harbour, add on another 30 at least. Taxi to Kolona, roughly 30 minutes and add another 10 to get you to the Commercial harbour, to be safe.

Finally, by the way, you can book ferry tickets online before you travel and collect them at the kiosks by the boats when you get there. In peak season, it’s always best to book in advance, but on quieter days you usually don’t need to worry.

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From Rhodes to Symi
Two topics today; Rhodes to Symi ferries and… me! First of all, I may have told you that I’ve been setting up another blog site. This is for when I want to write something about writing. It was also set up to show potential travel websites that I have a blog – it’s a long story but, the bottom line is, I started writing some articles for a new travel blog agency and they required me to have a writer’s blog. I didn’t want to use Symi Dream, as this one is all about anything and everything, with a Symi leaning, and it’s all a bit over here and over there. The new one is purely about writing and my books and things, and slightly more serious.

Anyway… Long story short, the blog is up and running, and I’ve started writing for a new travel website. My first article for them, about Bran Castle, Romania, is due out on 18^th and I’ll leave you a reminder towards the end of the week. The more visits and likes and all that that it gets the better it will be for me. I am hoping that, as Symi Dream now has up to 1,300 unique readers each day, a few loyal readers will click to my new article and show the new site that I bring a following with me. But, I’ll go on about this nearer the publication time. Meanwhile, if you want to see my new blog and maybe share it with any friends who might have an interest, you can find it here: ‘Writing thoughts.’

 Rhodes to Symi ferries

The reason I know about the number of visitors to Symi Dream is because I looked at our server stats on Sunday. While there, I also looked at the keywords people are using to find information about Symi and a lot of the most popular search terms concern travel, ‘Ferry Rhodes to Symi’, ‘Sea transfers, Rhodes to Symi’ and ‘Ferry from Rhodes’, that kind of thing. It looks like people are starting to plan their summer holiday – those who have not yet already booked them. Therefore, a couple of links might be of interest and so, here they are.

If you are travelling from Rhodes to Symi independently, you might like to first read Andy’s latest news and posts about travel to the island (including flight info and news on airlines) at the Symi Visitor Travel Blog.

If you are coming to Symi on a Wednesday or Friday, you can currently (and the timetable runs for several months) get across in the afternoon/evening for those two days. This means that as long as you arrive on Rhodes before about three in the afternoon, you can come over the same day. This is with Blue Star Ferries. That’s the link to their timetable, you can also find the booking and other info on the site and use the EN | ΕΛ links at the top to change the language to English or Greek.

If you are travelling to Symi on other days, then the Dodekanisos Seaways site is the one to see. At the moment, you can get across on a Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday morning at 08.30. The timetable expands as we get closer to summer and more journeys are available. Also, later in the year, the Panagia Skiadeni, the larger ferry, should start operating on day trips and some afternoon, evening runs. Your best bet there is to keep an eye on the Symi Visitor travel blog mentioned above. Unless you land at Rhodes at something like 06.00 in the morning, though, the current schedule means an overnight stay on that island before you can get across. As I always say, check your boat connection before you book your independent flights.

Some sensible people have told me they’ve heeded this advice in the past, bravo. Other people have contacted me and sent notes along the lines of: “Can you help me? We arrive at Rhodes at midday on Tuesday and are booked into Symi that night, but we can’t find a ferry!” Such messages are usually worded as if to make it sound like my fault, but I do what I can, which is usually to say: “You will have to stay overnight in Rhodes.” But keep an eye on the ferry timetables as, the closer we get to Easter (April 16^th) the more crossings are available; check the Dodekanisos Seaways timetable in particular.

So, if you are planning a trip to Symi and coming on your own (that is, independently) then a) check Andy’s blog for up to date travel news and b) make sure you know what the boats are doing before you book a flight. Things get easier the closer we get to summer, but the Easter timetables are already available for both ferry companies. Tomorrow I’ll talk about harbours and getting from the airport to the boat. Don’t forget to check out my new blog and share the news, please, to help support a struggling writer. ‘Writing Thoughts.’

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Symi Saturday photos
A few more photos from better weather days for you today as we head off into what looks like it’s going to be a wet weekend. But, if you are reading this on Symi and want something to do on Sunday, then the Amateur Dramatics Society of Symi are giving a show at the Cultural Centre on Sunday the 12th March at 6.30 p.m. and the entrance is free.

I’m biding my time until the rain stops and I can head down to Yialos and investigate the arrivals at the courier, and to check the post office and buy more food for the cat. (Must also order biscuits for the strays, and some more cat litter so Jack has something to throw around the porch with wild abandon.) Meanwhile, here are some photos to give you something to look at. If you want to add another, more occasional blog, from me to your list of favourites, then take a look at my new site – which is still ‘under development’ but working – at ‘Writing Thoughts‘ and, if you’re up for it, give it a like and share around your social media.

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Rain and shopping
Ain’t nothing going on but the rain, as the song didn’t say. Actually, there’s probably lots going on out there, but it’s a case of rain stopped play today. It also looks like we are in for more of the same over the next few days, so apart from a quick trip to collect a package that’s arrived, I think I’m staying in.

What could that package be? A new set of towels I ordered a while ago, a new Irish passport for Neil? Some lights for the courtyard for the summer, or the new trunk/chest of drawers for the bedroom? You may wonder why I don’t go to Rhodes and find these things. Apart from the fact that you can’t pick up a passport in Rhodes, there are other factors which mean shopping online is easier, and cheaper. No disrespect to Rhodes or its shopping, and none aimed at Symi come to that, as there are some very fine shops here, but not a lot of choice. It’s more to do with getting there, getting around once there, and the expense of being there. I’m also much more into shopping online from the comfort of my own sofa while ignoring the television and searching out ‘must have’ deals from Amazon and eBay. Oh, I am also waiting for a book, but that won’t have come by courier and the phone call this morning was from the bookshop. Just where you would expect your delivery to come to. The bookshop by St John’s Church in Yialos is one of the courier collection points, there are a few others, and some will deliver to your house.

But with the wind gusting in from time to time, the rain coming and going, and never knowing how long it is going to be dry for, staying in and watching the weather from the inside out is my preferred option for this morning. Except I really want to see what has arrived down town. While I am making up my mind, I am writing this up ready for posting and keeping one eye on the sea below and the sky above. Both rather grey, but the wind seems to be dying down.

I am glad we didn’t put the cat through a 14-hour ordeal on Wednesday when we decided to stay at home and not risk the journey. It was a very wet day too, and it rained all day in Rhodes, I am told. The boat came and went despite the weather and came back as well; the Blue Star Patmos is pretty reliable. Very reliable actually, and very quick, but it would have meant a long time in Rhodes with a cat in a box and nowhere to go apart from the hotel bars and restaurants. An additional expense to the travelling and shopping.

So, I will post this and then do a literal rain check and see how the land lies. Well, I know how it lies; downhill from here, but uphill from there, and I don’t fancy tackling the Kali Strata when it’s raining as the water teams down up to, and over, your wellington boots at times. A good excuse to be lazy – if I can resist temptation and wait another day to see what has arrived at the bookshop.

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