Do you want to charter a Yacht in Greece? click here please

Greece travel report visit Symi by Yacht Dodecanese Simi Rhodes

If you are sailing or on a yacht-holiday with a motoryacht or a traditional Gulet, Symi is a "MUSTSEE"....

Symi Greece the harbour Ialos is center of all yachtsmen and hotspot for sailors and motoryachts from all over the world

Simi (you can write either Simi or Symi), is often called the "Portofino of Greece..." - but it´s even more!

There is a big english community in Symi, and many english holidaymakers enjoy the tranquility and the charme of this island (and it´s "sister" Chalki 25 nm south). Arriving in Symi, have a walk around and ask for the latest issue of the Symivisitor, which is available free in nearly every shop on the island. See website of Symivistor for more.

Symi Harbourside Greece Yachtcharters

Simi has overwhelming views to it´s harbour it is really impossible, not to fall in love with Symi

Symi has an own style and beautiful colour-compositions!

Symi Greek island for sailors Dodekanes

Quai of Symi with view to the Symi clocktower and the Port police office

Only in the wintertime, sometimes as well the very early springtime you will find Symi´s harbour empty like that. From the beginning of April on, yachts moore stern to quai one by one, and in the highest season, it can be difficult to get a place. Drop your anchor about 2 lengths of the boat or more. Be aware, that the harbour ground has 25-35 m in the middle, and is very steep! Make sure, your anchor is moored well, because the wind comes from the side and might push the boats strongly!
In the morning, the daily boats and during the night big ferrys might appear, that causes a lot of swell... a task for your anchor again!

Merkuris opens the water-taps and connects your AC.

Merkuris is the man to deliver Symi fresh water and electriccity facilities in Symi harbour

Please note, that in summertime, water must be brought from other islands by nost, so waste of water is at least an unfriendly act against the island even, if you pay...if it is not absolutely unavoidable, please do not wash your boat here, save the sweetwater for filling the water-tanks. Thank you!

Symi Hafen Port Police Dodekanes

Michalis and his colleague Lefteris organize the moorings, and get some Euros for their assistance. Lefteris speaks spanish as well.

Symi´s Restaurant-recommendations

You can find any kind of restaurants on the island - luckily no McDonalds or Burger King or other fast food yet....
There are several small places offering a Pita or a fast greek snack, others offer the standard greek plates like Greek salad, Moussakka, Souvlaki ect. These are all ok and deliver a basic food for mostly reasonable prices.

Some restaurants are worth to mention, because we enjoyed often a fantastic kitchen and the great hospitality of their owners:

If you want to get the latest news, a very good overview of Symi´s infratsructural offers and the latest gossip, try to get a free issue of the latest SYMI VISITOR .

If you like seafood, fish and other "fruits de mer", you should not miss Vapotaverna Manos, located directly at the harbour. It is not a "cheap" place, fish is very expensive in Greece, but what you get is worth every cent you pay for it (it will be some Euros, no cents, however ;-)

Recommendation: try the "Saganaki"-dishes musels or shrimps... incredible!

Manos, the owner, is always around, speaks many languages, and is a kind of guy, who are able to make people from all over the worls a good time. Choose from his excellent sorted international wine-selection, but even the just normal served open housewine is good in taste and quality!

Manos Fishtaverna delivers and serves the best fish in Symi

Hungry for an original PIZZA neapolitana from the woodoven? Don´t miss BELLA NAPOLI , which you find easy, when you cross the bridge, follow the harbour-street, and before it turns left, go straight ... 50m, and you are there!

Pizzeria Symi Dodekanes Pizza Neapolitana close to Symi harbour

Back to the fishtaverna of Manos: just next door, you find the greek Taverna "Aris", which has a very nice decoration, an excellent menue (greek mostly), open oven, a roof terrace and surely impressing beautifull toilets!

If you enjoy the "Haute cuisine" without having a look at the prices on the menue, you should make a reservation at Mylopetra - the place belongs to a german Art-Galery-owner from Frankfurt/Germany, who lives in Symi during the summertime and offers dinners on highest level, you can expect. Note: it is very, very expensive...

Tired of always the same "typical greek plates" like "Gyros, Zaziki, Saganaki..."?
Coming from the clocktower, directly after the bridge on the right in that little pedestrian´s area leftside of the City-square (where in summer the Symi Festival takes place, the other time it´s a parking lot...), there is a nice little restaurant called Daphne. They serve a little extraordinary greek plates for reasonable prices. Sitting a little off the main-street has it´s own charm, and we enjoy that every time, we are there, when we are exhausted by too much tourism.

Want to know a real secret? Right on the ferryboat´s landing pier (not the one at the Port Police/clocktower, it is the one at the other side of the harbour!) there is a place called "Mythos".
Some tables on both sides of the street, some inside...and a cook, who will serve the best dinner, you can get in the island of Symi! Stavros is a fantastic cook, and you should not mind cars or people passing by. Just enjoy your dinner... it´s fantastic. By the way: Stavros owns another place in Rhodes, called "Safran", which is in Ixia about 5 km out of Rhodes-city, everybody knows it, direction to the airport)! Open nearly all year (in Rhodes), and another chance!

Stavros serves plates with greek food the special way prepared... Stavros is mentioned in nearly all important magazines, and mostly called "one of the best, if not the best" cook of Greece! And it´s true! And more: he runs the roof-terrace-bar-restaurant Aktaion in Symi as well, which offers a splendid atmosphere, a georgeous view over the harbour and the same kitchen as Mythos. An excellent place for your private party as well - we ourselves had our marriage-party there, and I never saw a restaurant-owner, who was so much engaged in every part of the organization! Homepage of Mythos here

As on every greek island, in Symi is is a lower part around the harbour, but the real greek life happens in the upper part, the "Chorio".

Walking up the "Kalli strata" (nice street) where in early days the rich Simiots lived (what you can see on the style of the many still ruined houses), you reach the upper main place with some Kafenions and restaurants. Greek taverns with terraces in a real typical way and good kitchen at reasonable, fair prices are Syllogos and the old well known Taverna Georgios

Taverna Syllogos Symi Chorio Dodekanes

Syllogos is a former cultural place, still in use for official and cultural events today, and offers a very nice terrace with views to the other side of town, the Pedi bay. Solid and good greek kitchen. George Bush sen. had a big greek party there - so it seems to be a "safe place" *joking*

Taverna Georgios Symi Chorio Dodekanes

Taverna Georgios has a very nice terrace with a nice view to the harbour, it´s a family run business and so is the atmosphere - a real greek evening to experience!

After dinner, for a final drink, you have a choice of bars alongside the harbour quai
There are many of nearly any kind meanwhile on the harbour, we can´t mention here. Just have a walk and choose...

If you don´t sail by boat to the natural harbour of Panormitis you can rent a car or a Scooter and have a trip to the monastery there. It is beautiful to drive over the mountains of Symi, wondering about the forest up there, and maybe take a chance to go to one of the hidden bays on the way! Note: visit of the monatery in proper clothing only, no bath-clothes, shorts. There is a little beach and 2 small Tavernas, plus a bakery for typical greek breads.

Shopping in Symi

There are some nice shops to mention

Simiots were known for their sponge divers, and so you will have of course several salesmen who offer sponges.

If you are looking for nice leather products, we can truly recommend Takis Symi Leather shop in the harbour! Very good quality in belts, wallets, shoes, bags and leather jackets.

Gold and Silver
There are some modern jewelery shops on the waterfront, but we want to recommend the small silver shop next to Pizzeria Bella Napoli offering very nice silver art, and 20m further the Jewelery-shop of Giorgios Loukidis, a real goldsmith, who makes his creations in the same building in his workshop upstairs. You can get very special, individual jewels, gold, silver, handcrafted, punced and at reasonable pricing! That´s no anonymous fabric-products, that is handcrafted and you get a unique piece of jewelery for yourself!

Hairdresser and modern fashion
if you cross the bridge and walk right before the normal way wants to lead you left, you pass 2 Tavernas and then you see the shops of Mina. She is a very good hairdresser (on appointments only), and as well sells fashion art jewellery and exclusive fashion.

Chocolate cakes/Pastisserie
if you want endanger your good figure, just follow these small streets behind the harbour, there are some chocolate and cake shops, that will make you lucky first, and later meet your fitness-trainer longer! (really good cakes and pastisserie there!)

Supermarkets and other daily needed goods
Of course, you´ll find supermarkets, which are very well sorted, a fruit-stand, shops for boat-and fishing-equipment and household-items. They are all located behind the harbour streets, and everybody will gladly help you to find what you are looking for!

Choose from here below your next destination

From Symi, you can sail to Rhodes (20 nm southeast), the archipelago of Chalki with Alimni (25 nm west) or the turkish coast either Datca (8 nm north) or Marmaris (32 nm), which are both Ports of Entry to Turkey. Sailing WNE, you visit Tilos (35 nm northwest), Nisyros (40nm WNW) and Kos (45 nm NNW).

it is really impossible, not to fall in love with Symi
	Symi has an own style and beautiful colour-compositions!

	Only in the wintertime, sometimes as well the very early springtime you will find Symi´s harbour empty like that. From the beginning of April on, yachts moore stern to quai one by one, and in the highest season, it can be difficult to get a place. Drop your anchor about 2 lengths of the boat or more. Be aware, that the harbour ground has 25-35 m in the middle, and is very steep! Make sure, your anchor is moored well, because the wind comes from the side and might push the boats strongly! In the morning, the daily boats and during the night big ferrys might appear, that causes a lot of swell... a task for your anchor again!
Merkuris opens the water-taps and connects your AC. Please note, that in summertime, water must be brought from other islands by nost, so waste of water is at least an unfriendly act against the island even, if you pay...if it is not absolutely unavoidable, please do not wash your boat here, save the sweetwater for filling the water-tanks. Thank you!	Michalis and his colleague Lefteris organize the moorings, and get some Euros for their assistance. Lefteris speaks spanish as well.
Symi´s Restaurant-recommendations You can find any kind of restaurants on the island - luckily no McDonalds or Burger King or other fast food yet.... There are several small places offering a Pita or a fast greek snack, others offer the standard greek plates like Greek salad, Moussakka, Souvlaki ect. These are all ok and deliver a basic food for mostly reasonable prices. Some restaurants are worth to mention, because we enjoyed often a fantastic kitchen and the great hospitality of their owners: If you want to get the latest news, a very good overview of Symi´s infratsructural offers and the latest gossip, try to get a free issue of the latest SYMI VISITOR .
If you like seafood, fish and other "fruits de mer", you should not miss Vapotaverna Manos, located directly at the harbour. It is not a "cheap" place, fish is very expensive in Greece, but what you get is worth every cent you pay for it (it will be some Euros, no cents, however ;-) Recommendation: try the "Saganaki"-dishes musels or shrimps... incredible! Manos, the owner, is always around, speaks many languages, and is a kind of guy, who are able to make people from all over the worls a good time. Choose from his excellent sorted international wine-selection, but even the just normal served open housewine is good in taste and quality!
Hungry for an original PIZZA neapolitana from the woodoven? Don´t miss BELLA NAPOLI , which you find easy, when you cross the bridge, follow the harbour-street, and before it turns left, go straight ... 50m, and you are there!
Back to the fishtaverna of Manos: just next door, you find the greek Taverna "Aris", which has a very nice decoration, an excellent menue (greek mostly), open oven, a roof terrace and surely impressing beautifull toilets! If you enjoy the "Haute cuisine" without having a look at the prices on the menue, you should make a reservation at Mylopetra - the place belongs to a german Art-Galery-owner from Frankfurt/Germany, who lives in Symi during the summertime and offers dinners on highest level, you can expect. Note: it is very, very expensive... Tired of always the same "typical greek plates" like "Gyros, Zaziki, Saganaki..."? Coming from the clocktower, directly after the bridge on the right in that little pedestrian´s area leftside of the City-square (where in summer the Symi Festival takes place, the other time it´s a parking lot...), there is a nice little restaurant called Daphne. They serve a little extraordinary greek plates for reasonable prices. Sitting a little off the main-street has it´s own charm, and we enjoy that every time, we are there, when we are exhausted by too much tourism. Want to know a real secret? Right on the ferryboat´s landing pier (not the one at the Port Police/clocktower, it is the one at the other side of the harbour!) there is a place called "Mythos". Some tables on both sides of the street, some inside...and a cook, who will serve the best dinner, you can get in the island of Symi! Stavros is a fantastic cook, and you should not mind cars or people passing by. Just enjoy your dinner... it´s fantastic. By the way: Stavros owns another place in Rhodes, called "Safran", which is in Ixia about 5 km out of Rhodes-city, everybody knows it, direction to the airport)! Open nearly all year (in Rhodes), and another chance! Stavros serves plates with greek food the special way prepared... Stavros is mentioned in nearly all important magazines, and mostly called "one of the best, if not the best" cook of Greece! And it´s true! And more: he runs the roof-terrace-bar-restaurant Aktaion in Symi as well, which offers a splendid atmosphere, a georgeous view over the harbour and the same kitchen as Mythos. An excellent place for your private party as well - we ourselves had our marriage-party there, and I never saw a restaurant-owner, who was so much engaged in every part of the organization! Homepage of Mythos here As on every greek island, in Symi is is a lower part around the harbour, but the real greek life happens in the upper part, the "Chorio". Walking up the "Kalli strata" (nice street) where in early days the rich Simiots lived (what you can see on the style of the many still ruined houses), you reach the upper main place with some Kafenions and restaurants. Greek taverns with terraces in a real typical way and good kitchen at reasonable, fair prices are Syllogos and the old well known Taverna Georgios
Syllogos is a former cultural place, still in use for official and cultural events today, and offers a very nice terrace with views to the other side of town, the Pedi bay. Solid and good greek kitchen. George Bush sen. had a big greek party there - so it seems to be a "safe place" joking		Taverna Georgios has a very nice terrace with a nice view to the harbour, it´s a family run business and so is the atmosphere - a real greek evening to experience!