Symi Island Guide: Coloured Houses, Panormitis & Arriving by Boat

Symi has the most recognisable harbour in the Dodecanese: two- and three-storey neoclassical houses in ochre, salmon, red and blue rising steeply from the water at Gialos. The houses were paid for by sponges and shipbuilding. In the 19th century this small island supported a population of about 22,500 and at one point ran the largest sponge-fishing fleet in the world. Today roughly 2,600 people live here year-round; the wealth of the past is written on the facades.

The island has been significant far longer than its houses suggest. Homer lists Symi in the Iliad as the kingdom of Nireus, who came to Troy with three ships and was called the most handsome man in the Greek army after Achilles. In 411 BC a Spartan fleet beat an Athenian squadron off this coast in the Battle of Syme. The Knights of St John took the island in 1309, the Ottomans followed in 1522 — and left Symi most of its trading privileges, which is why the money kept coming. At the end of the Second World War, the German garrison of the Dodecanese surrendered here to the British.

For sailors, Symi is one of the easiest big experiences in the Aegean. The island sits about 24 km north of Rhodes, approaches are free of hazards, Gialos is a port of entry, and there are genuine alternatives to the harbour — Pedi, Nanou, Marathounda and the islet of Seskli — when the quay is full or the wind turns.

This guide covers what to see, what to do, the best swim stops, where to eat, and everything you need to plan a visit by boat.

Why visit Symi?

Start with the harbour, because there is nothing else like it. Symi's shipwrights and sponge merchants grew rich in the 18th and 19th centuries and spent the money on houses — stone mansions with Italianate details, painted in strong colours, stacked up the hillside in tiers. The town is a protected settlement, which is why it still looks the way it does.

Then the geography. Symi covers 58 square kilometres and is dry and mountainous, rising to 617 metres. Its nearest neighbours are not Greek at all: the Datça and Bozburun peninsulas of Turkey sit just across the strait, and on a clear day you can read the coastline of Asia Minor from the town.

And the scale of the place works in your favour. Gialos, Ano Symi, the beaches and the boat anchorages are all close together. You can swim before breakfast, climb 500 steps before lunch and still make it to a monastery on the far side of the island by boat in the afternoon.

What to see in Symi

Gialos, the harbour town

Walk the quay first. The landmark is the clock tower of 1881, next to the old Customs House, with the small stone bridge and the statue of a young fisherman nearby. At the eastern end of the harbour, the district of Harani preserves the old boatyard where Symi's shipwrights built wooden vessels for two centuries. The Nautical Museum, in the same quarter, tells the sponge-diving story — the boats, the diving suits and the price the island paid for its early deep-water diving.

Kali Strata and Ano Symi

The Kali Strata — "good steps" — is the staircase of roughly 500 steps that once was the only link between the harbour and the upper town. It climbs past the grandest of the mansions to Ano Symi, the old settlement around the Kastro, the fortified quarter built under the Knights. Up here you will find the Archaeological and Folklore Museum in the Farmaki mansion, the restored old pharmacy known as the Spetsaria with its original glass jars, and terraces that look straight down onto your boat.

The monastery of Panormitis

On the sheltered south coast stands Panormitis, the monastery of the Archangel Michael, the island's patron and protector of sailors. The icon here is considered miraculous, and pilgrims come from all over Greece, especially for the feast on 8 November. The complex dates back to the 15th century in origin, with an imposing bell tower, a small museum and simple rooms the monastery rents to visitors. Almost everyone arrives by sea — which is exactly how it should be seen.

What to do in Symi

Climb the steps early

Do the Kali Strata in the morning, before the heat and before the day boats arrive. It is a proper climb, and the view from Ano Symi — the whole harbour below you, roof by roof — is the single best sight on the island. Descend a different way through the lanes and you will pass churches, ruined mansions and cats who have better addresses than most people.

Boat out to Seskli

The islet of Seskli lies off the southern tip of Symi, close to the Turkish coast. Its southern side has a deserted anchorage with sand bottom and strong protection from the summer meltemi. Bring lunch, snorkels and nothing else — there is no infrastructure at all, and that is the point.

Swim off the rocks

Symi's water is clear and deep close in, so the best swims are often not beaches at all but rocky points reached by tender. The coves on the southeast coast between the town and Panormitis are the usual pick. Wear shoes for the rocks and keep an eye on the afternoon breeze.

Be there for the feast

If your dates fall near 8 November, Panormitis fills with pilgrims, music and food. In summer, look for the smaller village feasts and the evening rush of the Gialos quay, which is entertainment enough on its own.

Beaches and swim stops in Symi

Symi's beaches are small, pebbly and best reached by boat. Water clarity is the island's strong point.

Nos

The town beach, a short walk west of Gialos with tavernas behind it. The easiest swim of the day and a good first stop after a long passage.

Pedi

The pebble beach in the sheltered inlet two miles south of the harbour, with tavernas and calm water. Swim from the beach or from the boat at anchor.

Agia Marina

A tiny islet off the southeast coast with a chapel, a taverna and sun umbrellas, surrounded by unusually clear green water. One of the island's classic stops.

Nanou and Fokospilia

Nanou is a sandy cove framed by low hills, with room to anchor close to the shore. Around the headland, Fokospilia — "seal cave" — is a small cove with a cave that makes a good snorkel.

Agios Georgios Dysalona

A dramatic cove on the southeast coast under high cliffs, reached by boat or a rough track. Deep, transparent water and a small pebble strip; go in the morning before the breeze fills in.

Marathounda and Seskli

Marathounda is a quiet sandy bay south of Pedi with a small bar, busy with boats on weekends. Seskli's coves are the most remote swim on the island.

Food and where to eat in Symi

Symi's kitchen comes from the sea and from the island's trading past. Three things to order:

Symi shrimp — small, sweet shrimp fried whole and eaten shells and all, the island's signature dish and unlike anything on the mainland. Giachni — beef slow-cooked in a tomato sauce with cumin and a touch of honey, the island's classic slow dish. And whatever the fishing boats landed that morning: octopus, red mullet, swordfish, grilled with lemon and oil.

On the Gialos quay

The eastern side of the quay holds the fish tavernas, where the catch is displayed on ice and you choose by the kilo. Tables run along the water under the mansions — arrive early or book, because the harbour fills by eight in high summer. On the Harani side, close to the old boatyard, the tavernas are simpler and more local.

Up the hill and out of town

In Ano Symi, the small restaurants around the upper squares are cooler and quieter than the quay, and the kafeneia serve coffee with a view over the rooftops to Turkey. At Pedi and Nanou, the beach tavernas handle long lunches between swims; at Agia Marina, the little taverna on the islet grills fish steps from the water.

Exploring Symi by boat

Arriving at Symi from the north, the town reveals itself in stages — bare hills, then the first colour, then the whole amphitheatre at once. It is one of the great arrivals in Greek sailing, and the approach is free of dangers.

Gialos, the main harbour

Gialos is a port of entry, so crews arriving from Turkey can clear formalities here. It is a deep harbour: expect to anchor in 15–20 metres over mud and rock, and test your holding before backing down — the bottom is not always generous. Moor alongside the quay when space allows, well clear of the ferry berth, and expect ferry wash through the day. The harbour is protected from the summer meltemi but open to strong southerlies, which are the condition to plan around. A harbour attendant usually helps with lines and collects a small fee; water and electricity are arranged through him. Ashore: tavernas, good provision shopping and the whole town on your doorstep.

Pedi, the practical alternative

The deep inlet at Pedi, two miles south, is the reliable backup. It is well protected from the meltemi though gusty, with a new pier plus room to anchor in 6–10 metres over sand and weed. There is a mini-market, a taverna and a summer bus connection to Gialos — an easy overnight with a swim from the deck.

The southeast coves

Nanou takes anchors in 10–12 metres over sand, with space to run lines to the rocks; Marathounda holds 4–5 metres but fills on weekends; the islet of Agia Marina offers 4–5 metres of clear-water anchoring next to the chapel; Agios Georgios Dysalona is deeper at 7–10 metres and gusty but superb in calm weather. All of these are day stops in fresh meltemi conditions and overnight stops only when the forecast is settled.

Seskli and the south

Seskli's southern anchorage — 5–6 metres over sand — is one of the best-protected spots from northerly winds in the area, and it sits closest to the Turkish coast. The strait between Symi and the Datça peninsula carries ferry traffic, so keep a proper watch.

Cruising tips

The meltemi funnels down the Rhodes–Symi channel and accelerates around the island's capes; mornings are the calm window for swimming stops. Distances are short: the nearest Rhodes coast is about 13 miles south, Tilos roughly 12 southwest, Nisyros about 20 northwest and Chalki a long day's sail to the west. Fuel, water and repairs are easiest in Rhodes; provision properly in Gialos before heading to the outer coves.

Getting around Symi

Gialos and Ano Symi are one town connected by stairs — walk them. For the rest, a small local bus runs between the port, Pedi, Nimborio and Panormitis in season, taxis meet the ferries, and water taxis shuttle to the nearer beaches. The island has no airport; almost everyone arrives by ferry from Rhodes (about an hour on the fast boats) or by yacht.

How many days do you need in Symi?

Two days cover the essentials: the harbour and Kali Strata on day one, a boat day through the southeast coves with a stop at Panormitis on day two.

Three days is better: one night on the Gialos quay for the town, one night at Pedi or Nanou for the swimming, and a flexible day for Seskli when the wind allows. Day-trippers see Symi between ten and four; crews who stay see the harbour empty out in the evening, which is the better version.

Islands to visit after Symi

Symi sits at the crossroads of the southern Dodecanese, with straightforward legs in every direction.

Rhodes, south, is the big neighbour: the medieval Old Town, Lindos and full services.

Tilos, southwest, is the quiet one — dwarf-elephant fossils, an abandoned village and easy walking.

Chalki, northwest, is the small one — one perfect harbour and the all-weather bay of Alimnia.

Nisyros, north, adds a live volcano you can walk into, above the village of Nikia.

Linked together, Symi, Tilos and Chalki make a compact southern-Dodecanese circuit where no leg is longer than a morning.

Final thoughts

Symi rewards arrival by water more than almost any island in Greece — the town was built to be seen from the sea, and it still works. Climb the steps, eat the shrimp, and give the harbour one full evening before you move on.