Winter ways to Symi

Archived posts about getting to and from Symi

Winter ways to Symi

Postby Snakey » 20 Aug 2009, 00:58

Work (and my own crappy planning) have conspired to force me to postpone my usual September trip to the hallowed Isle. Looks like I might manage a couple of weeks around late November / early December. Has any of you good folk some up to date advice regarding flight availability (from Manchester, preferably), routes, off-season ferries, etc? :idea:
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Winter ways to Symi

Postby Adriana » 20 Aug 2009, 07:18

Hi Snakey, the charter flights are usually finished by then so you would have to fly scheduled via Athens. Athens airport is pretty good so nothing to fear there.

They try to provide a daily ferry service of sorts up to Christmas but this is obviously affected by the weather so I am glad to see that you are speaking of a 'couple of weeks' - that way 3 days camping at the Hermes while the waves break over the deer in Mandraki won't seem so bad...

Where are you planning to stay on Symi?
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Winter ways to Symi

Postby Snakey » 20 Aug 2009, 10:39

I've been to Symi in winter before, a good few years ago, when KLM used to do a cheapo Manchester-Amsterdam-Athens flight that took forever but only cost €150 return, but I see it's not listed now. Accommodation - that's a thought; I suppose most places are closed off-season? Do you know whether Frank up at Taxiarkis still trades in winter? Or maybe you know of somewhere with a bed and a shower? Probably not the time of year to take the tent...!!!!!
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Winter ways to Symi

Postby Sweet Soo » 20 Aug 2009, 13:42

Yes, Snakey, Frank is open all year round.
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Winter ways to Symi

Postby Andy W » 20 Aug 2009, 21:39

Looking at flights, as Adriana says you will be forced to go via Athens. Even getting from Manchester to Athens can be a problem in winter - Olympic Airlines and Easyjet both do scheduled flights in summer but a quick look suggests they only run up to the end of October. That leaves you with BA, Olympic and Aegean who offer up to 8 flights a day between them from Heathrow, or Easyjet with one a day from each of Gatwick and Luton. BA would do you a connecting flight from Manchester, Olympic and Aegean will do connections at Athens onto their own flights to Rhodes so you don't need to check in again with your baggage. If you are very lucky Aegean's deal with BMI/British Midland will have started giving a through booking all the way from Manchester to Rhodes wuth the luggage checked through. Otherwise KLM will still do connections to Athens via Amsterdam, Lufthansa will do connections via Frankfurt, Air France via Paris, and Brussels Airlines via Brussels. None of these are great for connecting flights to Rhodes. Try to see possible cheap deals.
Symi in winter is great fun, and very different from the summer scene, but you do need to be prepared for ferry cancellations due to storms, and occasionally flight cancellations from Rhodes for the same reason (the airport is right on the coast and affected by gales), so keep your arrangements as flexible as you can, and allow a day or so in Rhodes at the end as a safety margin. The Old Town without the summer tourist tat is quite fascinating and well worth the visit.
By the way if anyone tells you Aegean flies from Stansted not Heathrow, yes that's true now, but they move on 25 October.
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Winter ways to Symi

Postby Snakey » 20 Aug 2009, 23:03

Wow, Andy - thanks for the detailed info. I'll start looking at the optionsI've already sampled Symi's winter a few years ago (I think, 2001-ish) and I remember the weather only too well (white water rafting down the Kali Strata!). And I don't have too many problems with the idea of exploring a touroid-less Rhodes town. Looks like a late trip might be on, after all.
PS snoopy - yes, Frank's the one with the donkey, but I think maybe he's got several who work shifts for the residents' benefit...
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Winter ways to Symi

Postby David » 21 Aug 2009, 18:43

Hi Snakey I'm going out to Symi in November for the Panormitis Festival flying London Gatwick to Athens then Aegean Athens to Rhodes, just had quick look but here doesn't seem to be anything up yet fro Manchester. Gatwick is about €62 return plus dreaded taxes! and they do fly in December. I've done this before and it's a pretty good way, if you are not fixed for dates you can keep an eye on both web sites and should be able to pick up a bargain. Athens th Rhodes can be as low as 19 euros plus again the dreaded taxes. Hope that helps.
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Winter ways to Symi

Postby Adriana » 24 Aug 2009, 13:28

sugardens wrote:
Anyone know how much taxi would cost at night from Rhodes airport to Rhodes town in September?


According to the schedule of charges that the nice young woman in Rhodes Tourist Info gave me yesterday morning, the basic rate to the airport from Rhodes Town is 18 euros, double that for trips between midnight and 5 a.m. Waiting time seems to be 11.90 euros/hr (9.60 + an extra 2.30 airport charge). That said, there are also some extra, if not entirely comprehensible, additional charges that might well also apply: for instance, the form indicates an additional 0.35 euros for baggage weighing over 10 kg (whether it is per person or per piece of luggage is not explained), and there is another 3 euro charge 'for appointment', whatever that might mean...
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