Things to do in Symi

Best time to visit Symi

• a note or something on   ✦ an occasion worth the trip

• May and June

  Warm, quiet, everything opening; the best window

• July and August

  Hot and busy; book everything

• September and October

  Warm sea, calmer; many places open into October

• November to April

  Very quiet; most places closed, thin ferries; the Panormitis feast on 8 November is the exception

What's on

• Feast of the Archangel Michael, Panormitis 8 November

  Draws the island south to the monastery

Best things to do in Symi

• Symi Harbour

  Free

  Pastel mansions around the deep harbour; walk it in the evening.

• Kali Strata

  Free

  500 stone steps from Yialos to Chorio; morning climb, harbour views.

• Chorio

  Free

  The old upper town; lanes, blue doors, windmills, quiet.

• Symi Nautical Museum

  $

  Sponge-diving era museum; explains the harbour mansions.

• Panormitis Monastery

  $

  Great monastery of the Archangel Michael; the boat trip is half the pleasure.

• Pedi Beach

  Free

  Sheltered beach village; calm water, the quietest base.

• Agios Nikolaos Beach

  $

  Boat-only cove with a beach taverna; a half-day swim.

• Agia Marina Beach

  Free

  Small organised cove by Pedi; the easy swim.

Best restaurants in Symi

• Taverna Zoe

  $$

  Rooftop taverna above Pedi; fish cakes and bay views.

• The Secret Garden

  $$

  Plant-filled family restaurant in Chorio; fresh local dishes.

• Pantelis

  $$

  Waterfront fish restaurant; the famous seafood linguine.

• Dolphin Pizzeria

  $

  30-year-old pizzeria; the Symi shrimp pizza.

• Taverna To Spitiko

  $$

  Traditional taverna; moussaka and fresh seafood.

• Odyssia

  $$$

  Greek cuisine with a modern twist; seafood platter.

• Katsaras Restaurant

  $$

  The Pedi taverna; grilled fish.

• Taverna Tolis

  $$

  The other Pedi taverna; oven dishes.

Best bars in Symi

• AETHERE Symi

  $$

  Harbour cocktail bar; the terrace after the day-trippers leave.

Best coffee in Symi

• nook

  $

  The harbour coffee spot off the Rhodes boat.

• Lefteris Coffee Shop

  $

  Breakfast and coffee above the harbour; worth the climb.

Outdoor things to do in Symi

• Island boat day

  $$

  Round-island boat day; coves, snorkelling, lunch aboard.

• Marathounta Beach

  Free

  West-coast pebble cove; goats on the beach, bring water shoes.

• Nanou Beach

  $

  Wide south-east bay by boat; a full beach day.

• Agios Georgios Dysalona

  $

  Cliff beach under 300m cliffs, boat only; the most spectacular swim.

• Vigla

  Free

  The island's 616m high point; a dawn 4-5 hour hike.

Best hotels in Symi

• Hotel Aliki

  $$$

  1895 neoclassical hotel 3m from the sea; traditional rooms.

• Hotel Nireus

  $$$

  Waterfront hotel on Akti Gennimata; reliable and central.

• Nisomar Suites

  $$$$

  The luxury suites option in the upper lanes.

• Marika's Deluxe Rooms

  $$$

  Mid-range rooms above the harbour.

• Hotel Fiona

  $$$

  On the Chorio road with famous terrace views.

• Katrani Studios

  $$

  Private apartments; good for longer stays.

• Pedi Beach Hotel

  $$$

  Laid-back hotel on the cove with its own tavern.

• Villa Sylvia

  $$

  Literally on the beach; a classic island stay.

Is Symi expensive? What a day costs

A day of food, drink, sights and getting around, before the room

What to book ahead

• Panormitis Monastery: a few days ahead
• Island boat day: a few days ahead
• Pantelis: a few days ahead
• Odyssia: a few days ahead
• Hotel Aliki: weeks ahead
• Hotel Nireus: weeks ahead
• Nisomar Suites: weeks ahead
• Marika's Deluxe Rooms: weeks ahead

• August hotels: book weeks ahead; the island is small and fills
• Panormitis boat trips: the day before in summer
• Rhodes ferries in August: book ahead

Is Symi safe?

• Symi is very safe. The practical risks are the heat on the Kali Strata steps, the boat schedules, and sea urchins on rocky coves. Carry water on every walk. Emergency number 112.

Symi travel tips: tourist traps to skip

• Harbour-front lunch rush: the day boats land at noon; eat at 2pm or one street back
• Sponge prices: the first price is for tourists; the shops expect a haggle
• Symi shrimp out of season: seasonal; off-season menus use frozen or imported

Getting around Symi: public transport and more

• Walk: Yialos to Chorio is the Kali Strata steps, 20-30 minutes; the harbour is flat
• The hourly bus runs Yialos-Pedi; the Panormitis bus runs a few times daily in season
• Excursion boats to Panormitis and the beaches leave from Yialos harbour; book the day before in summer
• Taxis are few; agree the fare first. The island is walk and boat in practice
• Ferries from Rhodes Mandraki harbour take 1-1.5 hours; book ahead in summer

Who Symi suits

More in Greece

Every Greece guide