SYMI or Simi is one of the smaller holiday islands in the Dodecanese group just 9km off the Turkish coast and about an hour by boat north from Rhodes, Symi is one of the most popular islands for day trippers. Boat building and sponge diving made the island rich at the turn of the century. Now tourism has taken over with Symi noted for peace and tranquility rather than beaches, which are in short supply. Symi is also noted for summer temperatures can soar to 38°C or more. The neo-classical mansions that hang off the hills surrounding the main port are a reminder of the rich pickings once enjoyed by the inhabitants.
A favourite target of day trippers Symi changes character completely as the ferries come hooting into the bay. In the early morning and late evening it is enveloped in peaceful calm. During the day it is swamped by trippers, mostly from Rhodes, who throng the harbour and crowd the tavernas.
Beaches are few, mediocre and often difficult to get to, requiring a long walk or a water taxi. They are mostly shingle with larger stones underwater, have little shade and few facilities. Symi has an abundance of natural harbours, some of which are delightful coves for swimming or snorkeling, others have dramatic cliffs. The main beaches are found on the east coast and are serviced daily by water taxis
Inland the island is hilly and barren, with a single fertile plain. The trees, hacked down for boat building, have long gone and the sponges that made the island famous were killed off by disease. Much of Symi is now barren rock, with a few farms scattered in the hills.
Symi is an island for those that prefer to get away from it all. Apart from walking, sunbathing and sitting in a taverna there is little else to do. The daily influx of trippers has taken its toll, with high prices around the harbour and a rapacious glint in the eyes of the locals. There is a strong ex-pat British contingent here.
Greek island specialist Olympic Holidays has quality hotels and apartments throughout the Greek islands - including Symi
- VISITORS RECOMMEND
- Georgios, Hellenikon, Neraida, Zoi
Gialos
Cameras start clicking as soon as the ferry pulls into the main harbour at GIALOS or YIALOS. It is a very impressive sight. A semicircle of Venetian mansions and houses tumbling down the steep hillsides to the shoreline. The ferry hoots madly and the sound echoes around the surrounding hills. Symi is a favourite destination for day trippers from Rhodes and three or four big ferries arrive every day.
Gialos itself is often packed with visitors poking their way through the stalls on the long harbour front. Sponges and spices are the main things on sale but there are also the usual souvenir shops and, of course, the waterside tavernas. There are at least 25 tavernas in Yialos and several in Chorio. Symi was once famous for its sponges but those on sale today are mostly imported.
The resort is divided in two, Yialos is the harbour area and Chorio sits on the hill above. The harbour seems huge, given how small the island is, but this is a reflection of how important it once was as a major trading centre for sponges and shipbuilding. It now has about 2,500 inhabitants mostly engaged in tourism or fishing.
The former wealth is reflected in the large houses and mansions rising up around the bay. Many fell derelict as traditional trades died but have been snapped up by foreigners and restored. The heat can be stifling around the harbour where the amphitheatre of hills seems to trap the heat and prevent any sort of breeze.
Worth seeing are the Nautical Museum with old maps, models ships and other maritime stuff - open daily 10am to 3pm. The cathedral of Timios Prodromos was built in 1830 and has a wonderful pebbled yard; the Folklore Museum has paintings, photographs and costumes. It opens daily 8:30am to 3pm except Monday. The house next door has some impressive wall paintings. At the entrance to Gialos is the Roloi clock tower, built in 1881.
Chorio Kali Strata
Chorio
Above the harbour is CHORIO, which is the older part of the town. You can reach it by road or climb up several hundred steps on twin stairways to get there. Day trippers rarely bother so it is much quieter.
Many of the houses have been restored and they are crammed together, creating archways and alleys just about everywhere. As a result wandering the streets can be a problem; it is just so easy to get lost.
The main stairway is called the Kali Strata and at the top there are many whitewashed alleys and stepped streets, with virtually no access for cars and tremendous views to be had over the bay.
Many of the buildings have now been renovated and there are tavernas, cafes and mini markets that can mostly be found in the vicinity of the village square.
Pedi
Pedi
The east road out of Gialos leads to the small fishing village of PEDI. It has a narrow beach of shingle and a little sand, three tavernas, a hotel and a small shop. It's popularity is more a function of it being only 3km from Gialos and a 10min walk from Chorio than any intrinsic merit, though it is a pleasant enough spot.
Pedi was once a thriving fishing village but very few people live there now. The beach is a narrow strip of shingle with sun beds and some natural shade from a line of tamarisks.
Apart from Nos at the other end of Gialos, it is the easiest beach to visit by foot, car, taxi or boat. There is also a daily bus service from Gialos which stops right on the beach.
The resort is strung around the end of a large and sheltered inlet and the quay is big enough to take the boats that bring fresh water over from Rhodes, the island having no natural springs of note.
There is a steep and rocky marked track leading to Agios Nikolaos beach which is about a 20min walk and boats leave here for most days for Agios Nikolaos and Agia Marina.
Sunbeds
Taverna
Agia Marina
Agia Marina
For those that prefer there beaches even quieter there is AGIA MARINA, a tiny islet of rock on the northern side of the long inlet that leads into Pedi beach. Agia Marina can be reached by water taxi and there are several that arrive each day from Gialos, or you can walk to it from Gialos in about 45min.
There is a taverna here and sun beds laid out along a concrete yard that curves around the resort. There is a little natural shade from a few trees, but not much, and the blinding white umbrellas and grey concrete give Agia Marina a slightly desolate air.
The main attraction of Agia Marina is that this is one of the few beaches on Symi that has sand underfoot when you get away from the shoreline. The sand is also gently shelving and the water shallow, so it offers safe swimming for children, though there is not much else for them to do here except lie on a sun bed with concrete underfoot.
Sunbeds
Taverna
Agios Nikolaos
Agios Nikolaos
Well served by taxi boats but within walking distance of Pedi is the shingle and coarse sand beach of AGIOS NIKOLAOS. It lies in a sheltered bay on the southern side of the long inlet that leads into Pedi and has the advantage of tree shade from a neat line of tamarisks at the back of the beach.
At the furthest end, near the chapel to St Nikolaos, the sea is very shallow, warm and gently shelving so it this is a popular spot for families with children. It is also the only beach on Symi that can claim to be mainly sand.
There are sun beds beneath the trees, often favoured by goats as well as tourists, and a beach taverna offers the basics, including toilets. You can walk to it from Pedi in about 30min but the route is quite rocky and it's a very steep drop over large rocks to get down to the beach. A water taxi from Gialos is a better bet and the journey takes about 20min.
Agios Giorgios
Agios Giorgios
Heading south along the east coast is a narrow inlet at DISSALONIAS, also called AGIOS GIORGIOS. It has no overland access and is visited only by those in their own boat or by water taxi.
The beach is a narrow strip of shingle and pebble and there is no shade. There are also no facilities here so being food and water of you intend to stay. The beach is desolate and exposed, offering no shade until mid afternoon.
The beach is backed by a sheer 300m vertical cliff drop that was used in location filming for the 1961 war movie 'The Guns of Navarone'.
Sunbeds
Taverna
Nanou
Nanou
NANOU is another beach that is 'blessed' by a more than usual share of goats. They sit under the trees while Nanou itself sits in a picturesque bay, an attractive but steeply sloped pebble beach with some cypress behind but otherwise very little shade.
The bay at Nanou is larger than most so you get a sense of wide open spaces though there are steep cliffs either side of the east facing inlet. There is quite a steep drop into the sea, so it's not particularly good for families or for weak swimmers but great for snorkelling as the water is very clear.
There is a small beach taverna, fenced in from the goats, toilets and a few sun beds. Nanou is a regular dropping off point in round island boat trips and can be reached by walking, but the route by foot is long and difficult across the centre of the island. The walk takes about three hours.
Sunbeds
Taverna
Marathounda
Marathounta
Just south of Nanou is a narrow bay of bright water with a shingle beach at MARATHOUNTA or MARATHOUNDA. It is a short distance off the main road so taxis can drop you here or you can hop on a daily water taxi. Visitors also make it by foot from the bay at Panormitis over the hill or arrive on overland island trips for a picnic lunch.
It is a very attractive bay with a beach of pebble and shingle. The water gets deep rather quickly so this is not a beach for children. There is a beach cantina, fenced off to stop the goats pestering guests at the tables. There are also a few sun beds and a small jetty for boats to tie up.
Just a little way south is another less visited bay at FANEROMI with another strip of pebble and stone but no facilities
Taverna
Panormitis Monastery
Panormitis beach
Panormitis
The huge monastery of TAXIARCHIS MIKALOS PANORMITIS, another favourite with the tourist boats. It is a spectacular building in an even more spectacle setting at the end of a huge enclosing bay.
It dates back at least to the 15th century and dedicated to the archangel Michael, the patron saint of seafarers, and so a popular place of pilgrimage for Greek sailors. The modern-day monastery has expanded enormously since a nave was built on the remains of a Byzantine chapel in 1783.
It is dominated by a remarkable bell tower built in 1905, a copy of one at Izmir in Turkey. It has a courtyard covered in flags and wonderful paintings inside though most of the treasures were stolen by Germans in World War Two.
The monastery has two museums. One of ecclesiastical artifacts, the other of folk art that includes stuffed crocodiles and model ships. Exhibits include various bottles cast into the sea by seamen, usually containing prayers to Archangel Michael and some with coins. Many faithful bring brooms to sweep the church and leave them behind for the monks to sell to those who don't bring their own.
It has a library with Byzantine manuscripts and a gallery of nondescript landscape paintings. It also has a guest house that can accommodate up to 500. There is a taverna here and a small bakery. Near the taverna is a memorial to the abbot and three resistance fighters executed by the Germans in 1944.
Excursion boats from Rhodes arrive here in droves and there seems rarely a time when it is not busy. There is a narrow strip of shingle that technically passes for a beach though it is not much more than a few benches placed under the trees on a shingle strip. There is another small shingle beach beyond this, away from the crowds and there are also walks to enjoy in the nearby woods.
Agios Vasilios
Agios Vasilios
The east coast of Symi is almost entirely composed of rocky and inaccessible cliffs. There is only one small beach of any note, about halfway down the coast where cypress trees offer a little shade on the shingle beach at AGIOS VASILIOS. This is a beautiful but remote beach with no facilities. There are a few patches of sand but not many.
It lies directly south east of Symi port and well off the main island road. There is quite a walk to get there with a scramble down a rocky gorge to reach it. Water taxis do drop off here, but it is usually only visited by the weekly round island cruise as the beach is the furthest from Yialos.
It is an idyllic spot if you like lonely and isolated beached. It is hemmed in by rocky cliffs and scree with underwater stones and shingle.
Agios Emilianos
Agios Emilianos
The only other beach of note in the east is at AGIOS EMILIANOS, a favourite port of call for round island boat trips where the attraction is the dramatic setting of the monastery on an islet connected to the shore by a small causeway.
There is a small shingle beach below the whitewashed chapel and the stones must be a popular spot for beach barbecues, given the blackened ash along the shore.
Picturesque it may be, but the beach is very scruffy, stony and dotted with gobs of oil and various bits of rubbish. The sea is also stone underfoot and home to hundreds of sea urchins, so it's not great for swimming.
The monastery is not particularly attractive either, despite the magnificent setting - just some utilitarian whitewashed cubes surrounded by bare high walls.
There are a few other scraps of shingle to be found around the bays of Skoumisa and Maroni but all have a scruffy, unkempt air and are hardly worth visiting.
Sunbeds
Taverna
Nimborios
Nimborios
Otherwise called NIMBORIO or EMBORIO, this is a large bay with a small pebble beach. It is relatively popular with visitors as there is a good road from Yialos and it is only about 20min on foot. That said, it rarely gets crowded.
You can get to it by following the coast road past the clock tower or head inland, following the steep path that rises behind the Yialos town square. If you don't fancy walking there are regular taxi boats.
Nimborios is an old fishing village and there are plenty of summer apartments to let in the area, but no shops. There is a taverna with sun beds and its a regular port of call for water taxis. The beach is only a narrow strip of stone but it's recommended for the views across the bay.
Sunbeds
Taverna
Nos
Nos
The popular sand and shingle beach at NOS is close to the harbour at Yialos and so often referred to as the town beach. You get to it by walking past the clock tower at the end of the key heading along the Emborios coast road.
It is also called Paradise beach, probably as a sop to tourists. It is a narrow strip of shingle and sand with a double line of sun beds. There is a pleasant taverna at one end that overlooks the beach and rocky outcrops at the other end that add interest.
The main road is just behind and above, so the beach is not particularly private.
Symi lies 30km NW of Rhodes just 5m off the Turkish coast. It is 10km long and 8km wide and totals 67sqkm. There is one major settlement of Symi town or Gialos with a population of about 2,500. Another 500 live in small hamlets that are scattered around the coast. It has one fertile plain behind Pedi, otherwise it is mostly rocks though there are pine and oak forests inland. The highest point is Mt Vigla at 616m
Symi map
Winters in Symi are mild but wet with temperatures sometimes dropping to freezing. Summers are long and dry with extremes of 37C and an annual mean of 17C. There is no weather station on Symi and statistics are similar to Rhodes, but even there they refer to Symi as the hot island.
Symi weather
| JAN |
FEB |
MAR |
APR |
MAY |
JUN |
JUL |
AUG |
SEP |
OCT |
NOV |
DEC |
|
| 12 |
14 |
16 |
19 |
24 |
28 |
32 |
32 |
29 |
23 |
19 |
15 |
Avg °C |
| 4 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
12 |
12 |
10 |
9 |
7 |
5 |
Sun hrs |
| 120 |
110 |
90 |
30 |
20 |
10 |
0 |
0 |
12 |
20 |
120 |
130 |
Rain mm |
- Telephone code: +30 22460
- Tourist police: 71111
- Health clinic: 71290 , 713316
- Port: 71315
- Cash: ATMs on harbour front
There is an annual Symi Festival of culture that includes classical music concerts, dance, theatre, cinema, literature events and conferences. They are held in the Chatziagapitos manor house, the courtyard of Saint John and the monastery of Panormitis.
- Size: 58sq km.
- Population: 2,500
- Season: May (24C) - Oct (23C)
- Getting there: International flight to Rhodes or Kos then ferry
- Getting around: Walking, bus, water taxi.
- Water: The island has few springs. Drink bottled.
- Special interest: Sponges, walks
- Island hopping: Poor. Ferries to Rhodes and Kos
The beautiful Greek Islands are renowned for their spectacular scenery, magnificent mountainous backdrops, stunning sandy beaches and crystal clear waters.
Holidays to the Greek Islands are often most cherished for this combination of sunshine, warm waters and beaches set against truly wonderful scenery. Whether it is a traditional beach holiday you would like or something with a little more history, you'll find that a break away to the Greek Islands is just the answer!
Symi visitor tips
Water: Water supplies on Symi are limited and in the summer water is shipped in from Rhodes and rationed to local households. There are no swimming pools here for example and some bars and tavernas turn off water for toilet cisterns. Tap water is safe but bottled water better. There are two laundries in Symi.
Paths: Many of the paths in Chorio are steep and the paving uneven. There is an annual toll of injuries from people falling down steps or tripping on cobbles as they admire the view. Many are also unlit at night so it's wise to carry a torch.
Fireworks: Anyone spending Easter on Symi will be treated to the island celebrations and festivals. These include extensive use of fireworks and it can sometimes sound as though neighbours are trying to compete over who can make the loudest bangs in the middle of the night.
Goats: Goats are found all over Symi and will think nothing of rifling through your belongings if they are left on the beach for any length of time. Many taverna owners have fenced off their tables to prevent goats begging fro scraps. They are very friendly and tend not to bother you if you shoo them away.
Symi sailing
ANES run regular ferry services between Symi and Rhodes. The Proteus and Symi car ferries leave from the Commercial Harbour in Rhodes and take 90 to 120min. The Aegli hydrofoil leaves from Mandraki harbour in Rhodes and takes about 60min. Catamarans the Dodecanese Pride and Dodecanese Express leave from Rhodes' Colona harbour and take about 50min. Day trip boats leave from Mandraki on Rhodes to Symi from April - October at 9am with some calling at Panormitis
GA Ferries run boats from Piraeus but services are patchy and the trip takes about 16 hours. There are local excursion boats to Datca in Turkey. The journey takes about 60min.
Water taxis run frequently out of Gialos to various beaches costing anything from €5 to €10 return. There are plenty of round-island day trips starting from the harbour. They generally leave at 10.30 am and return before 6pm. Some include a barbecue lunch and may be combined with a walk or bus trip through the interior. There are also excursion boats to beaches on neighbouring islets such as Sesklia with a barbecue lunch and drinks usually included. Visiting boats can moor in Gialos, Nimborio, Pedi, Panormitis and Aghios Emilianos.
Symi flying
There is no airport on Symi. Olympic airlines and easyJet have scheduled daily services to Athens. Olympic also has domestic flights from Athens to Rhodes or Kos for ferry connections. Domestic flights can also be made through Aegean Airlines. British Airways also now offers scheduled flights twice a week from Gatwick to Rhodes rising to four times weekly in the summer. Most charter flights from the UK fly Wednesdays and Saturdays. On Saturdays the flights tend to arrive in Rhodes in the early hours of Sunday which can be useful for the 9am Symi ferry.
Symi driving
Car hire can be expensive and varies greatly through the season - anything from €30 to €70 daily and, with only a few asphalt roads, there is not really anywhere to drive to except Pedi, Nimborio and Panormitis. Off road tracks are usually very poor and often dangerous. There are a couple of petrol stations on the road to Pedi
There are half a dozen taxis operating out of Gialos and the longest trip to Panormitis costs around €23 - but agree the price before getting in. A good time to get a taxi is when ferry boats are due in as the drivers gather in the harbour.
The green bus runs a reliable hourly shuttle service between Gialos, Chorio and Pedi. A white minibus runs twice a day to Panormitis. It takes 30min with stops on the way to take photos.
Symi walking
Symi has some good walking trails but many paths are little more than goat tracks and in a ruinous state. Wooded walks can be found in the centre and north of the island although the most populous area around Gialos is rocky and barren. For details of good walks check out Foxy's guide in the Sites section
Symi websites
A personal pick of websites on Symi
Symi Holiday and Travel Guide : Foxy's Holiday and Travel Guides for Symi
Symi : The official Symi website has history, culture, sights, services, photos and more.
If you want your site considered email me
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Bus service
Yialos Symi photo gallery by NICK MASLEN
