Symi Evdilos 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.

Evdilos Guide

The Greek town of Evdilos is located in the northern part of the island of Ikaria which lies in the north Aegean Sea. The town, which was amphitheatrically, was only built after 1830 following the end of pirate attacks on the island. The town was the island's temporary capital before Agios Kirikos was declared the capital during the second Turkish Occupation between 1834 and 1912. The town's name means 'visible and freely rendered open horizon'. Today, the town is home to the island's second port and is the centre of the northern, central and western parts of the island. Together with the settlements of Arethousa, Dafni, Karavostamo, Manganitis, and Frandato, they form the community of Evdilos with around 2,400 permanent inhabitants.

The island's terrain is characterised by mountains, lovely rivers and spectacular gorges and is popular with hikers. However, the island also has some lovely sandy and pebble beaches some of which are fairly secluded that are difficult to access, even by car. There is certainly something for everyone on the island.