Elisa RuggieriSymi is the first island to appear in this new series. Read the article to find out the most important information about the island and some curiosities too. Download the infographic to have a quick, compact guide to the island.
Welcome to my new blog series: “A compact guide to Greek islands”, a series of brief but complete guides to most Greek islands, written in collaboration with other bloggers.
As you may know, I have visited just a few Greek islands, although I plan to catch up as soon as possible as I truly adore spending summer days on Greek island. That is why I asked fellow travel bloggers to help me out creating content that could be useful for you, my readers, as you plan to visit Greek islands.
These guides are meant to be compact and to give you a quick idea on what to expect from the island as well as practical information on the main things to do and see on the island.
I hope you find this new series useful and enjoyable!
The island of Symi
The first island we are going to talk about is Symi and I have written this article in collaboration with Stephen author of Monk bought lunch, a budget travel blog from Central Asia, the Silk Road, and beyond.
It is part of the Dodecanese island chain and is not far from Rhodes – just 41km. It is remarkably close to Turkey and from the coast, you can see the neighbouring country. The island is not as big as it has an area of 65,754 square kilometres. The main town is located on the northeast coast of the island and has the same name as the island.
How to reach Symi?
The island has no airport; therefore, you will need to fly to Athens, Rhodes or Kos and then take a ferry to the island. If you want to reach the island in a shorter time, choose Rhodes or Kos as landing airport, as the ferry transfer from Athens lasts up to 14 hours.
What catches the eye when you first arrive on the island?
Like so many tiny beautiful Greek islands, the first impression of Symi is arriving at a charming small town built into a beautiful, protected harbour, with high mountains and rugged landscapes surrounding it on every side. It is a spectacular first impression, and the island continues to follow up on that impression with overwhelmingly beautiful experiences that really reinforce the first thought.
What makes this island more interesting than others?
There is a lot of space on Symi, great for aimless wandering throughout the island to empty beautiful panoramic viewpoints or remote monasteries set far from any towns. It is also largely a day trip destination from Rhodes, so at night the streets are calm and quiet and a joy to walk.
Download the infographic: Symi island
[easy_media_download url=” https://elilovestravelling.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Infographic_Symi-island.pdf”]
Where to eat on the island?
The waterfront restaurants along the harbour are reliably good (if marked up to tourist prices), or for amazing views climb up to the upper village (Chorio) for long panoramas out over the island and the sea.
Where to stay in Symi?
The main town is full of guesthouses, though visitors in search of something remote might look to the few properties scattered along remote coves across the island.
The most beautiful beaches of Symi
- Panormitis,
- Nos,
- Gialos,
- Pedi,
- Emborios
Where is the best place to watch the sunset?
Toli Bay
Symi what to do: the best experiences to do on the island
- Hiking,
- swimming,
- sightseeing: there are colourful houses and beautiful sights
- visiting cultural sites: the most interesting are the Panormitis Monastery and the Castle built by the Knights of St. John
- wandering around Symi town,
- eating fresh seafood and Greek food in general
Plus, every summer Symi municipality organises a series of cultural events: the Festival of Symi known as Symi Festival. The events include various performances celebrating Symi and Greek culture.
Why visit Symi?
It is beautiful, accessible by multiple daily ferries, quite close to the major tourist centre and airport at Rhodes, and far enough off the main tourist trail to not be overrun with visitors.
Symi island is suitable:
- for families with kids
- for people looking for fun
- for people looking for peace and quiet
The best period to visit the island is October, however, all summer months are perfect on the Greek islands.
