Symi

Accessed by a short (45min) ferry ride from Rhodes, Symi is quite simply a gem.

Congratulations to Muses restaurant, for being awarded a Michelin star in the summer of 2010 – the island’s first ever! Their roast octopus is one of the best ever….

Symi Silver, just before the stairs up the Kali Strata, and around the corner from Vapori bar still has the nicest collection of jewellery, by both Greek and Italian designers.

Image courtesy of www.sailingissues.com

 

Places to Stay

On the exquisite Venetian opera-house set that is the port of Symi, stay at the best villa of the island, Villa Laza, or the beautifully decorated Aliki Hotel. But if you don’t do steps, Symi is a challenge – 100 to the Laza, and more to go up the magnificent marble-stepped Kalistrata to the Chora. Magnificent views from the “ruins” – houses damaged by war (battles both literal and over inheritance) and neglect, though which a few canny Greeks and foreigners have managed to snap up over the years. A very Italian island, in some ways, due to a series of occupations over the centuries. If you don’t want to go solo, Tony Wells of Travel a la Carte will help you find a place to stay, and offer a comprehensive welcome service off the boat.

Photo from http://www.symivisitor.com/about_symi.htm

 

Places to Eat

Once the post-office of the Ottoman Empire, due to its fast ships, Symi is very welcoming and boasts some amazingly good restaurants.

Check out Tholos, for wonderful, truly Greek food, near the boat yard (reservations are a must for all restaurants during high season).

Mythos where owner Stavros Gogios presents a modern Greek nouvelle cuisine tasting menu, which is superb (located near the bus stop at the end of the harbour. Tel 22460 71488. email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Yiorgos, up the Kalistrata towards the Chora on the left is a great favourite with the Italian yacht crowd, and has unusual yemista (stuffed vegetables), among many other delights.

Bella Napoli for really good (but not cheap) Italian in the port near the Vapori Bar (aka part of the “Gaza Strip”)

 

Beaches

Take a taxi boat from the main harbour to the best beaches – bring water for some, and beach shoes that can deal with pebbles (and sometimes urchins) for almost all.

Agia Marina features chic, sleek Italians on immaculate striped sunbeds, so if you are feeling sartorially fragile (or just fat) you may want to go elsewhere. Good for people-watching, take-it-easy swims, and has a good restaurant/bar serving nice French-Greek food.

Nimborio is one of ChI’s laid-back, quiet, simple favourites, with its pines going down to the edge of the sea, and the family-run taverna serving the delicious sweet tiny Symi shrimps. Very benign if you’ve just arrived exhausted and don’t want a challenge.

The taverna at Marathounda’s tiny pebbled beach at the end of the taxi boat route, has fantastic, family-style Greek food, and is one of ChI’s personal favourites, not just for the food, but its clear water and simple atmosphere.

Nanou is also beautiful – a long sweeping bay with stunning water, a good taverna, but a “take-no-prisoners” pebbled beach. Worth it though. Hardly any children, great snorkeling on the far side especially.

Aghios Nikolaos is sandy and tends to be full of small children, but is pleasant - (mind the goats, who will eat anything).

Aghios Yiorgos has breathtaking cliffs and the film “Guns of Navarone” was reportedly filmed there (as in many places elsewhere in Greece, but ChI thinks this is for real!) No shade, no food – so go prepared with lots of water. The sun goes away from there early though, because of the height of the cliffs.

Beach Links: :  Agios Nikolaos, Nanou Bay, Agios Giorgios, Agia Marina, Nimborios, Marathounda.