Symi

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Symi Travel Essentials

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Ideal duration: 1 - 2 Days

Best Time: Mar to June, Sep to Oct Read More

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"The Birthplace of the Charites"

Symi Tourism

Eastern Aegean sea is the small island of Symi or Simi. Dwarfed by Rhodes, Symi is popular for its low-key charm that lies in its picturesque port town, mountainous landscapes, beautiful beaches and mouth-watering food. Symi is also known for its “Symi’s Shrimps”, that is pan-fried to be eaten whole, along with the shell.

Symi is home to small valleys, rocky cliffs, beaches, and isolated coves, giving the island a unique touristy edge. The island also features Chorio or Ano Symi, a small village on a hill that can be reached by climbing “Kali Strata”, a set of 500 stone steps. The village is known for its colourful Venetian and Neoclassical houses cascading down the hills. Some of these are restored and the other remain the ruins. Dotted with almost 275 churches and monasteries, the Panormitis monastery is the most important one.  

Many historical sites and some of the island's isolated beaches(of which many are reachable only by boats) trend among the tourists. Apart from greek food, Symi’s speciality is its local deep-fried shrimp or “garidaki symiako”. Some of the taverns serve fresh fish, seafood and grilled octopus. Boating, yachting, kayaking and hiking are the most popular activities on Symi. Symi is also popular for viticulture and boasts a handful of vineyards.

Must Know Before You Travel to Symi

  • Symi is divided into 4 regions- Gialos or the harbour, Chorio or uphill town, Pedi Bay and the Nimborios/Marathounda or Panormitis which houses the famous monastery and a few museums. Rest of the island is uninhabited, full of natural wilderness making the island a perfect location for photographers, artists and hikers. 
  • The Gialos town and Chorio (villages with 500 steps) should be covered on foot, other parts of the island can be explored by bus or by a rented car, moped.
  • There are frequent ferries available between Rhodes and Symi.
  • There is also a direct ferry from Athens to Symi, which takes about 20 hours.
  • There are few day ferry excursions that run between Symi and Turkey only in Summer.
  • Symi is also connected to Kalymnos, Leros, Patmos, and Tilos by ferry.
  • Symi gets overcrowded during summer and shoulder seasons, due to which an advance booking to stay is recommended.
  • Shops open by 9:00 AM to close by 10:00 PM, some can choose to shut down a little bit earlier, as well.
  • Restaurants and cafes open at 8:00 AM to close by 11:00 PM.

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Where to Stay in Symi

Symi has a choke-full of options to stay in houses and villas with a character. However, staying in these restored houses may lead to extra effort in climbing numerous steps every time one decides to go out. It may also result in complexity to find the booked place in the labyrinth of alleyways. To avoid such troubles, one can choose to stay in Yialos which is close to the harbour and offers waterfront views. There are plenty of options near the port and the most convenient in reference to walking distance. Other options include the beach villages of Nimborio and Pedi.

Suggested Itinerary for Symi

Start with heading towards the harbour of Yialos, and take a leisure stroll on the waterfront. Explore the cafes and taverns before deciding on having brunch. After brunch, look closely at the clock tower on the harbour and head to “Kali Strata” the stair to Chorio. Just wander around Chorio to witness the beauty of old Venetian neoclassical buildings. You can either choose to visit some of the museums and monasteries in Chorio or just enjoy the view of Symi harbour from uphill.

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Holy Monastery of the Archangel Michael

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