Ferry from Astypalea to Symi (Simi)

Astypalea Guide

Forming one of the Dodecanese group of islands, the Greek island of Astypalea is located in the south eastern Aegean Sea. It is one of 12 islands that make up the Dodecanese and is around 18 km long and 13 km wide, at its widest point. The island's coast is rather rocky with a number of pebble beaches. The island it separated into two sections by a narrow strip of land, roughly 100 m wide, at Sterno. The island's capital and main harbour is the town of Astypalea, or Chora as the locals call it. A new harbour has been constructed at Agios Andreas where ferry connections to Piraeus and the other islands of the Dodecanese can be found.

The island is connected to the port of Piraeus and also to the other islands in the Dodecanese, the Cycladic islands and to Crete. The journey to the island will either be by a conventional ferry of by Highspeed ferry depending on the day of travel and the ferry company you choose to travel with. Journey times to the island are between 10-12 hours by conventional ferry or 6-9 hours by Highspeed ferry.

Symi Guide

The Greek island of Symi is one of the Southern Dodecanese and is located to the north of the island of Rhodes and is close to the coast of south west Turkey. The island is around 13 km in length, north to south, and about 8 km east to west and has a total land area of around 70 sq. km. The four main areas on the island are Yialos, which is where the island's main harbour is located, Chorio is the top town, Pedi Bay is the valley that is located below Chorio and Nimborios is the bay and settlement that lies to the north of Yialos. Also on the island is the small village of Marathounda and the Monastery at Panormitis.

There are a number of popular sites across the island and includes a number of old churches and monasteries with one worth visiting being the Church of Constantinos and Eleni on the southern slopes of the Vigla which has lovely gardens and terraces. Also on the island, and built by the Knights of St. John in the 14th century, is the Monastery of the Archangel Michael at Roukouniotis which was built on the site of a 5th century monastery, which itself was built on the site of a pre-Christian temple.