Symi

An island with crystal clear waters, pebbled beaches and many islets, Symi pleasantly surprises the visitor with its plain, yet aristocratic and wild natural beauty.

Symi belongs to the Greek Dodecanese islands complex and lies at 24 nautical miles North-West of Rhodes and 255 nautical miles from the port of Piraeus. As you glimpse the perfectly formed harbour of Symi town for the first time, you are confronted with a beautiful picturesque Venetian village. A series of wonderfully well-preserved houses huddled together cling to the steeply rising hills beyond. The island has a true romantic charm enhanced by the lack of high-rise residential and hotel developments.

On Symi, you will experience an authentic Mediterranean lifestyle. You will discover beautiful bays and pebbled beaches, all easily reachable by small boats.

History

Symi is a beautiful and mountainous island; its history begins in ancient times and got its current name from the nymph Symi, who according to mythology married the God of the seas Poseidon. It is postulated that the island’s first inhabitants were the Carians and the Leleges. Homer mentions Symi in the Heliade, for its participation in the Trojan War.

The sumptuous neoclassical mansions and most of the churches found on the island were built during the Byzantine period. In 1832 Symi was found under the rule of the Turkish Empire which in 1912 was succeeded by the Italian one. From 1943 when the Italian dominion ceased, Symi changed hands several times between the English and the Germans with the English taking over the island for the third time on September 1944. At last, it was on Symi that in March 1948 the Protocol of Integration of all Dodecanese islands to the Greek state was signed. The island has seen a steady economical growth ever since.