Ya mas to Symi – 2025 edition

So here I am in Symi again. No surprise there — it’s practically a stone’s throw away from Bozburun, the nearest Turkish port. (Plus, it’s a very convenient place for the mandatory customs clearings. )

I visited the island last year (and the year before last) — spent a few weeks exploring its beautiful bays, charming towns, and impressive monasteries, and wrote about it all in detail.

So this time, instead of rewriting the story, I’m simply adding a few quiet footnotes to what I already shared below.

Nothing ever really changes here — and that’s beautiful.

My favorite spots are still going strong, with familiar waiters greeting us like old regulars. The boat captain at Pedi is still as loud and grumpy as ever, refusing to budge even slightly when passing between anchored sailboats, treating the large bay as his personal pond.

There are a couple of new boutiques, selling the same breezy dresses and sun-faded souvenirs you’d find elsewhere. Still, it’s a joy to step inside, chat with the owners, and buy something beautiful and absolutely unnecessary.

The Symi Bus — the island’s quiet lifeline — still runs like clockwork: the son drives during the day, the father takes over at night. Some rhythms don’t need changing.

It’s also the main information exchange between tourists. I was talking to a young French girl last time, who rented a small house at Chorio with friends, and enjoying the siga-siga; the slow rhythm of the island life. She asked me where I was going for dinner. ‘Kali’ I replied, meaning Kali Strata, a lovely little seafood restaurant with killer views. The Italian guy who was standing nearby smiled. ‘Great choice’ he said. ‘I was there yesterday’.

Next, we were discussing our favourite Symi spots.

It’s funny how an island can feel both exactly the same and entirely different. The neoclassical facades still compete in their soft pastels, the harbor still shimmers with lazy confidence. And the negronis are still solid at the little roadside bars.

But this time, I didn’t rush to take photos or hunt for the newest restaurant. I just watched and listened — to the endless blues of the island’s bays (Agia Marina remains my favorite); a priest, taking his wife and son for a bit of a swim in his little boat; to the clinking of ouzo glasses, to friends calling out Cheers! or Şerefe! or Ya mas! with every sip. Little moments that will make memories.

In a world that changes by the hour, Symi holds its ground. And that stillness — that deep, sunlit silence — might just be its greatest asset.

And here’s the full post on Symi, if you’d like to read more :

Just a seagull’s flight away from my native Turkey, Symi is a little gem of an island. It’s around 13 nautical miles from the nearest port, so we generally start our annual island hopping tour from Symi.

Normally we spend a couple of days at Symi before sailing to the next island, but this year we found ourselves drawn back there for longer periods. Mostly with friends, which is always the best way, but sometimes alone.

Our first stop is generally Symi’s stunning harbor for entry procedures and customs.

And of course, for a light lunch of mezzes washed with a glass of chilled beer or white wine. My local favourite is the malagouiza, crisp but aromatic wine quite similar to chardonnay.

The island’s capital is Symi Town, and it’s divided into two parts: Gialos (the harbor) and Chorio (the upper town).

Chorio is a labyrinth of narrow streets lined with colorful neoclassical mansions, offering stunning views. Sometimes, the streets turn into stairs or vice versa, so a pleasant walk to a new tavern can become a mini cardio exercise.

Gialos is the bustling harbor with shops, restaurants, and ferries. The main attraction is this horseshoe-shaped harbor, lined with boats at one side and colorful houses at the other that create a postcard-perfect scene.

Taverns, cafes and boutiques are stacked one after the other.

The harbour is always busy, with all kinds of boats, ferries and little rentals darting in and out almost constantly.

Once, the boats had to anchor to the harbour, mostly on top of each other, causing daily shouting matches between the captains in various languages.

Now, the boats take mooring buoys. Practical and peaceful, but dare I say, a bit boring?

Nowadays, the only shouting matches occur between the boats that ferry clients between the beaches and the boats that are actually anchored at those very beaches. But that’s another story.

Once, Symi was the island that taught all others about sponge diving, processing and trading. This ended at WW2, but the memories of the early sponge divers are visible around the harbour; the sculpture of the proud diver, shops that explain the old methods; and maybe most importantly, the clock tower that was commissioned by one of the great trading families that made a fortune on sponges.

Now, the money comes from tourism. Apart from Greeks, Symi is most popular with Turkish and Italian sailors. Greek, Turkish, Italian and of course English are the most spoken languages.

For the first-time visitor staying at the harbour could be an option, to soak in the atmosphere; although daytime Symi is very hot and the nearest beach is quite a walk (or boat) ride away.

We prefer the next bay to the south, Pedi, to anchor. It’s a fjyord-like bay, well protected, and the Pedi village is becoming pretty with each passing year.

There’s a small marina, a pier, two taverns, two cafes and two markets. Just so you have a choice in everything.

Symi town and harbour is just a bus ride away.

The taverns are both good, Katsaras being the better choice and Tolis, a little family establishment, always full with large groups. They both offer sunbeds and all day service.

The Blue Corner Cafe has a small market, and its owner Katerina prepares cheese pies and a killer freddo espresso for breakfast. Her English is almost as bad as my Greek, so we communicate with lots of smiles and sign language.

Kamares, at the other end of the bay became one of my favourite cafes in the island, with its cool atmosphere, tasty sandwiches and fast wifi. It’s also a good place to stop for a nightcap.

Another option to anchor for the night is the Emporio (or Nimborio) bay. The sea is a gorgeous dark blue and very clean. We spent a few tranquil nights there this summer, and enjoyed them a lot. However this bay is quite deep, so not the best option for smaller boats.

There’s a tavern there, run by ancient looking people. They are nice and friendly, but the food is not up to par with the other places on the island. There’s also a little cafe & bar offering snacks and great sunset views.

Symi has beautiful beaches, most only reachable by boat. Most have taverns, and you can rent sunbeds.

If you arrive to the island by ferry (from Rhodes, and quite recently, from Bodrum) , don’t fret. There are regular boat services to all the beaches or you can rent a small dinghy.

My absolute favourite beach is the Agia Marina, between Symi Town and Pedi. It’s a small bay protected by a tiny island with olive trees and a lovely little chapel dedicated to the martyred saint. If you bother to climb up 10 steps or so, the views are quite spectacular.

The waters there are crystal clear, there’s always a light breeze, and after the hustle and bustle of the day, you have the whole place to yourself (or share it with another boat).

The tavern there is one of the best in the islands, and only open during the day.

We love going there for a late lunch of seafood paccheri and a bottle of chilled rosè and spend the night under the stars.

Waking up to absolute calm and jumping to the sea is heaven.

There are three more bays with beaches on the eastern side of the island that are very popular during the day and quite deserted at night ; Agios Georgios, Navou and Marathounda. They all have the mandatory chapel dedicated to the saint that give their name to the bay. The last two have decent taverns and there’s a small village near to Marathounda. All these bays are open to swell, but safe to spend the evenings at anchor at calm nights.

Symi is also the home to an incredible number of chapels and monasteries. I mean, seriously, and with all due respect , why is there at least one, (sometimes 4 or 5) places of worship in every bay or beach ? And, we are talking about an island of a few thousand people.

On the plus side, most of them are quite beautiful and ancient, adding to the charm of the island. And, one of them, the monastery at Panormitis at the southwest coats is a must see.

Dedicated to Archangel Michael, a spiritual warrior in the battle of good versus evil; the monastery consists of large buildings and a gorgeous baroque style bell tower organised around a lovely tiled courtyard.

As in most Greek Orthodox places of worship in the islands, the exterior is light and not too imposing; but the interior is another matter entirely. It’s covered with wall paintings, roof paintings, carved wooden icons, bronze icons, chandelliers and thuribles. Amazing , yes. And a bit overwhelming.

You can go there by renting a car, or by a ferry from the Symi port. If you choose to sail by boat; there’s a shallow bay that you can anchor with a small tavern. We once spent a night at the bay on a full moon and the whole experience was surreal.

Last but not the least, there’s the Greek cuisine. Apart from all the usual classics, Symi is known for its unique shrimps. Named, very unimaginatively as Symi’s shrimps, they are small and pan fried and eaten whole, shell and all. I find them a bit too crunchy, but that’s just me.

And the ouzo of course. We Turks tend to stick to a few well known & well advertised brands, but Greeks have dozens of different ouzo brands and I love tasting them.

My 2024 favourite is Mini, a very smooth and extremely dangerous ouzo that goes down like water.

Our list of favourite Symi restaurants is constantly changing, for we love trying new places. So I won’t bother with it .

Just click on the link to follow me on Google, if you wish. It tends to be quite up-to-date.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/efbo9Vw3TVBgP1Bx5?g_st=ic

There are many taverns and restaurants both in Gialos and Chorio that caters to every taste and budget.

There’re the places you go for the view, places you go to eat well and places you go to be seen. And, there are some exceptional places that combines all. Well, especially the first two.

Take a walk around the town and don’t be afraid to get lost in the narrow streets or narrower stairs. If the place is full, and people laughing, that’s a sure sign that you’re in the right place.

Just go in, order whatever (but please, not the obligatory moussakka) and dig in.

Efharisto poli, Symi. Until we meet again.