Planning a trip to Symi
Check out the helpful website operated by Symi's delightful and informative independent monthly, The Symi Visitor (tel. 22460/71-785; www.symivisitor.com). Through the site's e-mail option, you can request information on accommodations, buses, weather, and more. Don't ask them to recommend one hotel over another; explain exactly what you're looking for and they'll provide suggestions. Once you're on Symi, you'll find free copies of the latest Symi Visitor at tourist spots.
The long-established Kalodoukas Holidays (tel. 22410/71-077; www.kalodoukas.gr) can help with everything from booking accommodations (often at reduced rates) to chartering a boat. Once you've arrived on Symi, drop by the office at the base of the stairway to Horio (where there is another office; Mon–Sat 9am–1pm and 5–9pm). In summer, this agency plans a special outing for every day of the week, from cruises to explorations of the island. Most involve a swim and a healthy meal.
A tourist information kiosk on the harbor keeps hours that remain a mystery. Information and a free pamphlet may also be obtained at the town hall, located on the town square behind the bridge.
Getting There
Many (if not most) visitors to Symi arrive by boat from Rhodes. Several excursion boats arrive daily from Rhodes; schedules and itineraries for the boats vary, but all leave in the morning from Mandraki Harbor and stop at the main port of Simi, Yialos -- some with an additional stop at Panormitis Monastery or the beach at Pedi -- before returning to Rhodes later in the day. Currently, there are daily car ferries from Piraeus, and two local ferries weekly via Tilos, Nissiros, Kos, and Kalimnos. From late spring to summer, hydrofoils and a catamaran skim the waters daily from Rhodes to Symi, usually making both morning and afternoon runs. Round-trip fares run from 40€ to 64€, depending on the type (and speed!) of the ship. Most travel agencies could make arrangements; in Rhodes town, use Triton Holidays (tel. 22410/21-690; www.tritondmc.gr).
Getting Around
Ferries and excursion boats dock first at hilly Yialos on the barren, rocky, northern half of the island. Yialos is the liveliest village on the island and the venue for most overnighters. The clock tower, on the right as you enter the port, is used as a landmark when negotiating the maze of car-free lanes and stairs. Another landmark used in giving directions is the bridge in the center of the harbor's inlet.
Simi's main road leads to Pedi, a developing beach resort one cove east of Yialos, and a new road rises to Horio, the old capital, which is now overshadowed by Yialos. The island's 4,000 daily visitors often take an excursion boat that stops at Panormitis Monastery or at Pedi beach. Buses leave every hour from 8am until 11pm for Pedi via Horio (1€). Taxis at the center of the harbor charge a set fee of 8€ to Horio and 10€ to Pedi. Mopeds are also available, but due to the limited network of roads, you'll do better relying on public transportation and your own two feet. Caiques (converted fishing boats) shuttle people to various beaches: Nimborios, Ayia Marina, Ayios Nikolaos, and Nanou; prices range from 15€ to 25€, depending on distance. You can rent sun beds at these beaches.
Fast Facts
For a doctor, call tel. 22410/71-316; for a dentist, call tel. 22410/71-272; for the police, tel. 22410/71-11. The post office (tel. 22410/71-315) and telephone office (OTE; tel. 22410/71-212) are located about 50m (170 ft.) behind the clock tower on the waterfront; both open Monday through Friday from 7:30am to 3pm. Numerous cafes around the harbor now offer either Internet access or Wi-Fi.
