How to book your Dodecanese Island ferry
Booking a ferry to, in, or from the Dodecanese couldn't be easier with AFerry. You can either use the booking form at the top left of the page.
About the Dodecanese Islands
The twelve islands in the Dodecanese chain, including the islands of Kos, Rhodes, Symi, Kalymnos and Kaparthos, each have a different distinctive and are well worth a visit.
Perhaps you were looking for other islands in the Aegean, such as the Aegean Islands, the Cyclades Islands, the Ionian Islands or even to Crete.
Dodecanese Islands Travel Guide
Set on the far East of the Aegean sea, near to Turkey, our ancestors used to call these the South Sporades Islands. However, following an Italian occupation during the first half of the last century (during a phase in which Italy was desperate for some sense of Empire and would have occupied the local greengrocer if it had been sunny there), they became known as the Dodecanese Islands.
Why Dodecanese islands? That might be the first question that comes to your mind when you hear their name. Well - you need to cast your mind back to primary school maths lessons and playing with shapes. Remember the Dodecagon - it had 12 sides. The Dodecahedron was a ball made up of 12 twelve-sided shapes. I dare you to hazard a guess as to how many islands there are in the Dodecanese island chain.
Getting around the Dodecanese islands
Unless you have your own private yacht with which to travel between the islands, you are probably going to need to catch a ferry to travel from one island to the other. Fortunately, AFerry just happens to be the best place to book these ferries.
Once on the island, your methods of travel vary. Some islands are so small they can be easily walked or even cycled (though bear in mind these islands are made up of submerged mountains: they are not going to be a cycle through your local park!). Others are bigger and need a car or taxi to get around. Alternatively, you can take advantage of one of the busy local buses who are always scurrying around to ensure people get to the best place possible.
Things to see in the Dodecanese islands
Each island has its own charms, from Symi, which is reputed to be the most friendly island in the whole of Greece, through the island of Patmos where St John wrote the book of Revelation, to Karparthos' opportunities for scuba diving.
The island of Rhodes, being the biggest island in the chain, deserves a special mention here. This is a island full of quaint towns, golf courses and restaurants, all built on a foundation of stunning rose coloured rock. Rhodes was famous in prehistoric times for the islands of Lindos, Ialysos, and Kameiros, which were mentioned in Homer. The local dialect is a lyrical mix of Greek, Turkish and Italian, though English and German are also well spoken. Apparently, some of the locals even speak Finnish, though you may be hunting for a while to prove this theory.
Rhodes was famous in prehistoric times for the islands of Lindos, Ialysos, and Kameiros, which were mentioned in Homer.