The Kastro is the castle that crowns Chorio, the upper town of Symi. The fortress stands at the highest point of the hill, above the harbour of Gialos. Knights of Saint John raised its walls on the site of the ancient acropolis. The medieval builders reused ancient stone blocks in the ramparts, and carved coats … Read more
Marathounta is a quiet pebble bay on the southeast coast of Symi, set well back from the harbour town. The wide cove opens toward the sea, framed by dry hills where goats graze above the shore. A single taverna stands back from the pebbles, the one building on the bay, with sunbeds and tamarisk shade … Read more
Toli is a remote sandy-pebble bay on the northwest coast of Symi, set in a wide inlet backed by bare hills. Coarse sand and pebbles line the shore, and the water runs clear, calm and sheltered from the open sea. A rough unpaved road drops to Toli from Chorio, the upper village, better with a … Read more
Agios Nikolaos is a sandy beach on the east side of Symi, set across Pedi bay from the fishing village of Pedi. The cove ranks among the rare genuinely sandy beaches on this rocky Dodecanese island. Shallow, calm, clear water fringes the sand, which draws families with young children through the warm season. A small … Read more
Agios Georgios Dysalona is a small pebble beach on the east coast of Symi, set beneath a sheer rock cliff. The cliff rises about 300 metres straight from the sea, framing a narrow band of grey pebble at the waterline. No road reaches the cove, so a taxi-boat or excursion boat from Gialos carries every … Read more
Symi is a small Dodecanese island between Rhodes and the Turkish coast, and its calendar splits sharply by season. The best time to visit Symi falls in late spring, across May and June, and in early autumn, across September and October. These windows pair warm sea, hot but manageable days, calmer water and thinner crowds. … Read more
Symi sits in the Dodecanese near Rhodes, and its accommodation gathers in a handful of distinct areas rather than one long resort strip. Gialos, the harbour of Symi Town, forms the main base, walkable to tavernas, ferries and shops. Chorio, the upper town, holds quieter guesthouses reached by the stepped climb of the Kali Strata. … Read more
Nos beach is the closest beach to the harbour of Symi Town, the swimming spot for visitors staying in Gialos. The pebble cove sits north of the port, reached by a flat coastal path in ten to fifteen minutes on foot. No boat or bus stands between the quay and the sand, since the walkway … Read more
Nimborio is a small settlement and beach on the northwest side of Symi, set across the bay from the harbour of Gialos. The name also appears as Emborios or Nimborios on maps and signs. A shingle and pebble shore lines the waterfront, backed by tamarisk trees and a scatter of waterside tavernas and rooms. The … Read more
Symi shrimp, known locally as garides Symis or garidaki, rank as the signature dish of Symi, a small island in the Dodecanese. These tiny shrimp come from the deep sea around the island and reach the plate whole. Cooks fry them crisp, so the thin shell, the head and the tail turn edible in one … Read more