Symi (Simi), Greece: Gialos Harbour, Beaches & Where to Stay
Symi, also spelled Simi, is a small, mountainous island in the Dodecanese of Greece just north-west of Rhodes, famous for the neoclassical harbour town of Gialos and its history of sponge diving. About 2,500 people live on Symi, mostly in the capital. The island rises steeply from the sea to a highest peak of 616 metres and has almost no sandy beaches, most reached only by water-taxi or small boat. Hire a car to reach the parts of Symi the buses miss, covered in our Symi car hire guide.
- Sea
- Aegean
- Highest peak
- 616 m
- Population
- ~2,500
- Group
- Dodecanese
The island of Symi
Symi lies north-west of Rhodes, close to the coast of Turkey, and had about 2,500 inhabitants in the year 2000. Homer mentions the island, which sent 3 ships to the Trojan War. Symi is known today for its natural sponges and for its picturesque town of pastel neoclassical mansions with red, pointed tiled roofs. The island rises steeply from the sea, so the approach by ferry is a beautiful one. One road links the northern coastal villages, and another runs south to the Panormitis Monastery; Emborios is the island's second harbour.
Gialos and Chorio
Gialos (also Yialos), the arrival harbour, is one of the prettiest villages in the Greek islands, a ring of pastel neoclassical houses around the bay. The harbour front and the streets behind it hold restaurants and a few hotels, a free-standing clock tower stands at the water, and the Evangelismos church sits on the east side with a small beach nearby. A climb up the steep Kali Strata steps reaches Ano Chorio, quieter than the harbour, with old stone windmills and wide views over the bay. Symi is a busy day-trip destination for visitors from Rhodes, and peace returns to the village once the boats leave in the afternoon.
Beaches of Symi
Almost every beach on Symi is reached by water-taxi or small boat, since only a few can be walked to from Gialos or Pedi Bay. Nos Beach, at the edge of Gialos harbour, is the most popular and reached on foot. Agios Nikolaos, Nanou, Agios Georgios, Agia Marina, Marathounda, Emborio (Nimborio) and Toli Bay ring the coast; several are organized with sunbeds and a taverna, while remote coves such as Agios Vasilios are used by naturists. See the beaches of Symi.
Sights & sponges
The Monastery of the Archangel Michael at Panormitis is the main sight on Symi, standing at the head of a southern bay on the site of an ancient temple to Poseidon. Panormitis draws many summer visitors, mostly day-trippers from Rhodes, and has a beach, tavernas and shops. Symi's other story is the sponge trade: after around 1850 sponge diving became a lucrative but dangerous business, with divers reaching depths of 70 metres. Shipbuilding, with up to about 500 caiques built here, and the demand for wood stripped the once-forested island bare. The sponge trade ended late in the 20th century after disease killed most of the sponges in the Aegean Sea.
Where to stay on Symi
Most places to stay on Symi are in the harbour of Gialos, with a few more in Chorio, and the island is fairly exclusive with limited accommodation. Options include Eos Studios in Yialos, the Dorian Hotel near the sea, the small Pantheon Mansion on the Kali Strata steps and Iapetos Village near the town centre. Compare all hotels, apartments and studios on Symi.
Car rental on Symi
Symi is small with few roads, so a rental car for a day is enough to see the whole island. Glaros Rent a Car operates from the harbour in Gialos, a few metres from where the ferries dock, and booking ahead is wise in high season. Rent a car on Symi.
Getting to Symi
Symi has no airport, so most visitors arrive by the daily ferry from the nearby island of Rhodes. A ferry also connects Symi with Piraeus, the port of Athens, and the boats mainly serve the other islands of the Dodecanese.
