Day trip/Boat from Rhodes Town
A day trip to Symi
A pastel harbour, a monastery and a long lunch, a short boat ride from Rhodes.
Symi is a small island north of Rhodes and one of the prettiest in the Dodecanese. Its harbour, Gialos, is a horseshoe of neoclassical captains' houses in ochre, pink and cream, stacked up the hillside.
Getting there
In summer, boats leave Rhodes Town's harbour every morning. The crossing takes about an hour by fast boat, longer on the bigger excursion boats. The harbour is 25 minutes from the villas.
In Gialos
- Walk the harbour and its waterside tavernas
- Climb the Kali Strata, a long stone stairway, to the old village of Chorio for the view
- Swim at a small pebble beach, a short walk or water-taxi away
- Try Symi shrimp, tiny, fried and eaten whole
Panormitis
Many boats also stop at the monastery of the Archangel Michael at Panormitis, in a quiet bay in the south of the island, with its ornate bell tower.
Good to know
- Book a day ahead in high season
- The harbour gets hot; bring a hat
- Check the return time before you settle into lunch
