A Harbour That Stops You in Your Tracks
The first sight of Symi from the sea is one of the great arrivals in the Greek islands. As the ferry rounds the headland, a vast amphitheatre of neoclassical mansions rises from the harbour — ochre, terracotta, cream, and gold — stacked up the hillside in tiers, their facades reflected in the still water below. It's one of the most beautiful harbour scenes in the Mediterranean, and it hits you all at once.
Symi is a small island in the Dodecanese, just a short boat ride from Rhodes and the Turkish coast. It has no airport, no mass tourism, and no intention of changing. What it has is extraordinary architecture, crystal-clear water, and a beauty that feels almost too good to be true.
Gialos: The Painted Harbour
The lower town of Gialos is built around the harbour and is the heart of island life. The neoclassical mansions — built during the island's prosperous sponge-diving era in the 19th century — are painted in warm, faded colours that glow in the afternoon light. Walking through the narrow streets behind the waterfront, past crumbling facades and bougainvillea-draped walls, feels like stepping into a painting.
The light on Symi is extraordinary. In the late afternoon, when the sun drops behind the hills and the harbour turns gold, the colours of the buildings intensify to something almost unreal.
Chorio: The Upper Town
Above Gialos, connected by 375 steps known as the Kali Strata, lies Chorio — the old upper town. Many of the mansions here were damaged in World War II and never rebuilt, giving the neighbourhood a haunting, romantic quality. The views from the top, over the harbour and out to the Aegean, are breathtaking.
The Water
Symi's coastline is indented with small coves and bays, most accessible only by boat. The water is exceptionally clear — deep turquoise over sand, dark blue over rock — and the swimming is among the best in the Dodecanese. The monastery of Panormitis, in the south of the island, sits in a sheltered bay of extraordinary beauty.
Bring Symi Home
Our Symi Cinematic Poster captures the island's extraordinary harbour — the tiered neoclassical mansions, the warm colours, the perfect Aegean light. A piece of wall art that carries the spirit of one of Greece's most beautiful islands.