Symi Fournoi Ferry

Symi Guide

The Greek island of Symi is one of the Dodecanese Islands and is located around 40 km to the north west of the island of Rhodes and 420 km from the Port of Piraeus. Symi's closest neighbours are the Datca and Bozburun peninsulars of Mugla Province in Turkey. The island's terrain is mainly mountainous and its coastline is made up of either beaches and secluded coves, or rocky cliffs. Located on the north east coast of the island is its main town, also called Symi. The lower town is the area around the harbour, called Yialos, and the upper town is called Horio or Ano Symi. There isn't a great deal to see or do on the island, and this is perhaps where its charm is. Apart from lazing on the beach or swimming in its crystal clear waters the Monastery of the Archangel Panormitis, which is an early 18th century Greek Orthodox monastery built on the coast in the south west of the country, is worth visiting. Overlooking Ano Symi is the Kastro which was built by the Knights of St. John as an expansion of a Byzantine castle on the same site. Quite a bit of the structure remains and there are also signs of an ancient citadel on which two later castles were built.

Fournoi Guide

Fournoi is a Greek island that lies in the north Aegean Sea and is situated between the islands of Ikaria, Samos and Patmos. The island's long history is evidenced by the many ancient finds that are dotted around the island that date back to the Ionians, Classical and Hellenistic times. Included in the finds are the cyclopean Wall with signs of an Acropolis on the Hill of Ai Giorgis, the ruins of the ancient temple at Kamari and the remains of homes on the sea bed, the shrine of Poseidon at Agia Triada in Chryssomilia. The island's many hidden beaches and small inlets was a haven for pirates during the Middle Ages as their ships could be easily hidden. In fact, at one point the island was named "Corseoi Island" after Corsairs (pirates).

The island's main village is Campos and has a number of tavernas, patisseries, shops selling traditional products and bakeries (fournoi in Greek) to greet visitors.