Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
ARRIVAL AND INFORMATION
SÝMI
By ferry
Ferries from the following islands use the main
harbour in Sými Town: Astypálea (1 weekly; 9hr); Hálki
(2 weekly; 2hr 20min); Kálymnos (9 weekly; 2hr 10min-
6hr 20min); Kastellórizo (3 weekly; 3hr 20min-6hr); Kos
(11 weekly; 1hr 30min-4hr 50min); Léros (6 weekly; 3hr
20min-5hr 50min); Lipsí (6 weekly; 3hr 45min-7hr);
Náxos (1 weekly; 14hr); Níssyros (3 weekly; 3-4hr);
Páros (1 weekly; 15hr 20min); Pátmos (6 weekly; 5hr
10min-8hr 10min); Pireás (2 weekly; 17-21hr); Rhodes
(3-4 daily; 50min-1hr 40min); Tílos (3 weekly; 1hr
30min-3hr 10min). Ferries also call in Panormítis
monastery at the island's southern tip, but most stop
there en route from Rhodes to Sými Town; only the
Proteus sails from Sými Town to Panormítis, three times
weekly.
Ticket agents
Kalodoukas Holidays at the foot of the
Kalí Stráta (
T
22460 71077,
W
kalodoukas.gr), and Sými
Tours on the harbourfront (
T
22460 71307,
W
symitours.
com).
Tourist office
Sými does not have an official tourist
office, but Sými Visitor, based above Pahos café by the
taxi-boat jetty, sells books and maps of local interest,
and runs a very helpful website,
W
symivisitor.com.
GETTING AROUND
Boat excursions
Between late May and late Sept, taxi-
boats from Yialós harbour run south to the beaches detailed
on p.548 onwards, and north to Emborió (see p.546). In
Aug, several a day make it possible to beach-hop; in lower
season, pick a single day-trip destination. Fares range up to
€15 for the round-trip to Marathoúnda. Larger boats offer
circle-island cruises in summer, with snorkelling and picnic
stops, or day-trips to Turkey, for around €40. You can also
take a day-trip to Kastellórizo aboard the Dodekanisos
Express catamaran (Mon only; €36;
W
12ne.gr). On
Saturdays only, the same catamaran makes a day-trip to
Datca in Turkey; excursion boats run that route to no fixed
schedule in summer.
By bus
A year-round bus service operates from a tiny car
park on the south side of the harbour. A coach shuttles at
regular intervals between Yialós and Pédhi via Horió, while
a minibus makes two or three round-trips daily all the way
south to Panormítis monastery; both charge €1 flat fare.
By taxi
Sými's six taxis, based alongside the bus stop,
serve the entire island. Expect to pay €5 to get between
Yialós and Horió with baggage.
By car and scooter
Scooters and/or cars - not that
there's much point renting a car on Sými, with its minimal
road network - are available from Glaros (
T
22460 71926,
W
glarosrentacar.gr), Katsaras (
T
22460 72203) and Sými
Tours (
W
symitours.com).
8
Sými Town
SÝMI
, the capital and only town, is arrayed around a superb natural harbour in an
east-facing inlet on the island's north shore. Inter-island ferries arrive right in the heart
of town, while excursion boats jostle for room in summer with mighty Mediterranean
cruisers. Immediately behind the straight-line quaysides that enclose the main segment
of the port, scattered with sponge stalls and souvenir stores targeted at day-trippers, the
lowest row of Italian-era mansions clings to the foot of the hillsides. Each is painted in
the officially ordained palette of ochres, terracotta, cream or the occasional pastel blue,
and topped by a neat triangular pediment and roof of ochre tiles. The hills are steep
enough that the houses seem to stand one above the other, to create a gloriously
harmonious ensemble.
The lower level of the town, known as
Yialós
, extends northwards to incorporate
the smaller curving
Haráni
Bay
. Traditionally this was the island's shipbuilding area,
and you'll still see large wooden boats hauled out of the water. Yialós also stretches
some way inland from the head of the harbour, beyond the main town square,
which is used for classical and popular Greek performances during the summer-long
Sými Festival
.
On top of the high hill on the south side of the port, the old village of
Horió
stands aloof from the tourist bustle below. It's hard to say quite where Yialós ends
and Horió begins, however; the massive
Kalí Stráta
stair-path, which climbs up from
the harbour, is lined with grand mansions, even if some are no more than
owl-haunted shells. Another similar stairway, the
Katarráktes
, climbs the west side
of the hill, from further back in Yialós, but it's more exposed, and used largely
by locals.
