Greek Islands

Symi (Island)

Symi seen from afar.

Welcome to Symi!

If it’s true that there is beauty in simplicity, then tiny, sweet Symi is the perfect example of that, when it comes to discussing the beauties of the Greek Islands. This little gem of an island of only 58 square kilometers in size (and with 85 kilometers of coastline!) lies very near to Asia Minor and only 21 nautical miles north of Rhodes in the Dodecanese. For such a tiny island, it has a big history! In the late 1800s and early 1900s, it was actually the capital of the Dodecanese and supported a population of 30,000 inhabitants.

Today the population numbers about 2,500, mostly involved in light farming, shipbuilding and repair, fishing, and tourism. The island has always suffered from a shortage of fresh water, as it is fairly barren without forests to attract the rain clouds, and it has a very long summer, with quite high temperatures in the high season of July and August. Nevertheless, it enjoys a healthy stream of day visitors from nearby Rhodes, which adds greatly to its economy.

Since Symi (or Simi) is such a small island, and since it has not much by way of paved roads, the best way to get about is by walking or by caique. You arrive at the extremely picturesque port of Yialos, also referred to as Kato Poli (Lower Town). The port has plenty of lovely 19th century mansions with red-tiled roofs, some accommodation, restaurants, bars, the old shipyards (still in use today), plus a variety of monuments attesting to historical moments of Symi’s past.

From the large platia (square), there is a staircase that leads up (some 500 steps) to the capital, Ano Symi (Upper Symi) or Chora. During the summer, it is possible to take the small bus that shuttles back and forth, or one of the few taxis on the island. The capital is a sweet gem of a town, filled with 18th and 19th century houses and mansions; many are uninhabited, but even that adds to the overall beauty of the town.

It should be noted that all buildings of both the port and the capital are under conservation order, and new building architecture is strictly monitored.

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