A Symi day trip from Rhodes takes you by boat to a small Dodecanese island with a painted harbour town. This page covers the crossing, the town, the swim stop, the monastery and the season. The homepage lists more Greece Tours like this one.
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What is a Symi day trip from Rhodes?
A symi day trip from Rhodes is a one-day boat journey from Rhodes to Symi. Symi is a small Dodecanese island with a harbour town and swimming beaches. You cross in the morning, spend up to 7 hours on the island, and return in the evening.
Symi sits in the Dodecanese, the island group of the southeastern Aegean that lies off the coast of Anatolia. The Greek name of the group means “The Twelve Islands”. Symi belongs to the Rhodes regional unit in the South Aegean region. A symi day trip from Rhodes never leaves that regional unit.
If you plan to cross into Turkey as well, the homepage also lists Turkey tours.
Symi is small. Its land area is 65.754 square kilometres, and 58.1 square kilometres of that is mountainous terrain. The highest point reaches 617 metres. The coastline alternates between rocky cliffs, beaches and isolated coves. The municipality also holds the townships Pedi, Nimborio, Marathounda and Panormitis, besides the main town.
The permanent population of Symi is 2,603. That is a small number for an island that hosts a daily crowd. In the tourist season, visitors and day-trippers lift the number of people on the island to as much as 6,000. Anyone who books a symi day trip from Rhodes joins that crowd.
Two sources give two distances from Rhodes. One puts Symi about 15 miles, or 24 kilometres, north of Rhodes. A ferry site gives the ferry route as 25.1 nautical miles, which is 46.4 kilometres. Check which of the two figures a page quotes before you compare it with another page.
Turkey is the nearest neighbour. The closest land is the Datca and Bozburun peninsulas of Mugla Province in Turkey. A Turkish ferry site says Symi is just 8 kilometres from the Bozburun Peninsula. It gives the sea distance to the central port of Marmaris as about 30 kilometres. A symi day trip from Rhodes ends beside another country’s coast.
Tourism is now the main industry on Symi. The port of Gialos is a popular marina for sailors. A Turkish ferry site calls the island a major destination for yacht tours. The harbour of a symi day trip from Rhodes also takes private yachts.
The standard day follows one order. You cross from Rhodes in the morning and arrive at Yialos, the harbour of Symi town. A tour page describes the next step as a stroll through the harbour town. After that comes time to explore the town on foot. That first stretch is the core of a symi day trip from Rhodes.
Lunch and a swim fill the middle of the day. A ferry site suggests lunch at a traditional taverna, then a swim at a nearby beach. A tour page describes the afternoon as beach time. It names Nos Beach, a small and secluded cove. Free time at the port follows.
The day ends with the return crossing to Rhodes. A tour page says you spend up to 7 hours on Symi. The exact time depends on the ferry route, the vessel and the conditions. A ferry site suggests 6 to 8 hours. Time on land sets how much a symi day trip from Rhodes shows you.
Myth gives the island its name. One account says Symi takes its name from the nymph Syme. Another says Glaucus named the island after his wife Syme. Both accounts tie the name to a woman called Syme, and the island still carries it today.
How do you cross to Symi on a Symi day trip from Rhodes?
You cross by boat from Rhodes Town. A symi day trip from rhodes takes about an hour on a speedboat or high-speed boat. A cruiser needs roughly an hour and twenty minutes. The public ferry takes between 45 minutes and 1 hour 30 minutes.
Excursion boats for a symi day trip from rhodes start at Mandraki Harbor in Rhodes Town. One review of a speedboat tour says the journey begins there. The same review warns that parking is limited, so you arrive early. Another travel writer found free parking near the port.
On a speedboat, the crossing takes about an hour, says the review of that tour. A different writer describes a high-speed boat tour that lasted around an hour. A tour on a cruiser with an air-conditioned salon and toilets needs roughly an hour and twenty minutes. Slower excursion boats take between 1.5 and 2 hours.
The public ferry is the other way to make a symi day trip from rhodes. A ticket seller states that the crossing takes about 1 hour 20 minutes. The fastest sailings take about 45 minutes. A booking site gives an average of 1 hour 13 minutes. Its slowest crossing is about 1 hour 30 minutes.
Ferries leave from the main port of Rhodes Town and arrive in Gialos, the central harbour of Symi. The ferry company runs two high-speed catamarans and one ferry for passengers and vehicles. That is the fleet the company lists on its own site, so check which vessel your sailing uses.
The ferry has a strict rule about arrival. By ferry, the travel terms ask you to arrive 60 minutes before departure. If you arrive after the boat has left, no fare refund is due. Plan your morning around that hour.
Excursion boats work differently. One travel writer says you need to reach the departure point on time to get better seats. She arrived at 8:30 for a 9:00 departure. All the tour companies have small stands in front of their boats, so the meeting point is easy to find.
You do not have to start at the harbour. A speedboat listing says hotel transfers are not included but can be added at booking. A second listing names pick-ups in these areas. They are Faliraki, Ialyssos, Ixia, Kolymbia, Lindos, Pefkos, Lardos, Gennadi and Theologos.
Sea conditions change the ride. The speedboat review says the boat can get a little choppy in rough weather. People with seasickness are advised to take precautions. Another writer found the high-speed ride bumpier than expected and very windy. The crew hands out fleece jackets when the breeze picks up on a symi day trip from rhodes.
Rough crossings come from the meltemi. Wikipedia describes a dry northern wind over the Aegean. The article says the majority of inter-island ferries cannot sail in such conditions. One writer lost a travel date to high winds.
Choose between a tour boat and the public ferry before you plan the symi day trip from rhodes. One travel writer picked a tour because a ferry meant longer transit times. The ferry company says itineraries can be modified. It posts updates on its official site.
What do you see in Symi town on a Symi day trip from Rhodes?
Symi town has two parts. Gialos is the harbour lined with colourful neoclassical houses. Chorio is the upper town, reached by the 500 stone steps of Kali Strata. During a symi day trip from rhodes, you see both, plus the clock tower, museums and old trades.
Your boat ties up at Gialos. This is the first settlement you meet when you step off the boat. The town around the harbour has accommodation, restaurants and services such as ATMs and car rentals. A symi day trip from rhodes therefore starts in the busiest part of the island, right at the water.
Two-storey mansions in different colours line the seafront. They reflect the wealth the island earned in the nineteenth century. Wikipedia also describes colourful neoclassical mansions that cover the slopes near the main town. One ferry company compares the port to an open-air architectural park. The mansions give the quay its look.
The harbour walk is an easy start to a symi day trip from rhodes. You can wander past the fish market and the old shipyard. Older houses stand right on the water, so you do not need to climb anything to see the port. The walk needs no plan and no map.
The Clock Tower stands at the port. It dates from the late nineteenth century and is an imposing building. Local people treat it as a classic meeting point. In a group, it is a clear spot to agree on a time before free time starts.
The Kali Strata is the old stone staircase of the town. It has 500 wide steps and links Gialos with Chorio, also called Ano Symi. If your symi day trip from rhodes leaves free time, the climb is one way to use it. You walk up through the houses to the upper part of the island.
Chorio is built like an amphitheatre on the mountain of Vigla. The Kastro, the Castle of the Knights of St. John, stands in Ano Symi. Churches there include Aghios Georgios and Metamorfosis. The upper town has churches that go back to the Byzantine era. From up there, the harbour sits far below you.
Ano Symi holds an Archaeological and Folklore Museum. It is housed in a traditional residence in the Lieni area. It displays finds from the Classical period to the Byzantine period. On a symi day trip from rhodes, this is the museum for old objects and local history.
Sources also list a Maritime Museum, devoted to the seafaring past of Symi. The Historical Museum of Symi reopened after a renovation. Check which of the museums are open on the day before you plan around them. Opening details change, and a stop in each one takes time out of a short island visit.
Two trades shaped the town you visit on a symi day trip from rhodes. Symi traditionally made its living from shipbuilding and sponge industries. At one point the island had the largest sponge-fishing fleet in the world. Sponges brought much of its wealth.
Food is part of the town visit too. Symi shrimp is the local delicacy, a tiny variety eaten fried and served with ouzo. Four shrimp species live in the Greek seas, and one of them is found at Symi. Local products on the island also include akoumia, which are Symian donuts.
What is the St George’s Bay stop on a Symi day trip from Rhodes?
At St George’s Bay, a symi day trip from rhodes stops for the swim break at Agios Georgios Dysalonas. This bay on the west coast of Symi is reachable only by sea. The boat anchors, and you jump in.
Agios Georgios Dysalonas, called St George for short, sits in a narrow inlet on the west coast of Symi. No road leads there. A Dodecanese tourism site says access is only possible by sea. That is why the swim stop on a symi day trip from rhodes happens from the boat.
High cliffs close in around the bay. The same tourism site describes turquoise water set against those cliffs. It calls the bay a spectacular beach, the top one on Symi. Another travel site describes the beach as pebble. Expect stones underfoot, not soft sand, and bring shoes you can wear in the water.
The time you get there depends on the trip. One listing for the Symi cruise states 60 minutes of swimming at St George’s Bay. It adds three hours around the harbour. Another listing says the captain drops anchor there for a cooldown dip. Read your trip’s page for its swim time.
The bay has no services. The tourism site says you need to carry water and food for the whole day. In a symi day trip from rhodes, the swim stop is only one part of that day. Check what your boat supplies before you leave. One Rhodes Town yacht cruise to Symi names a meal and drinks in its title.
Symi has other swim spots, and a symi day trip from rhodes can use them. Pedi bay lies 2 kilometres from Gialos. The tourism site describes a pebble beach there with calm water and full facilities. A bus runs between Gialos and Pedi every 30 minutes, so you can reach it without a boat.
A path leads from Pedi to Agios Nikolaos beach. A travel writer says the walk takes 10 or 15 minutes and follows the coastline on a well-marked path. In high season the beach has umbrellas and sunbeds for hire, and a taverna sells snacks and drinks.
Agia Marina is the snorkelling bay. It has a small sandy beach and a rocky islet with a small chapel. You can swim out to the islet. The tourism site calls the clear turquoise water ideal for snorkelling and diving. The walk from Pedi takes 20 minutes, and taxi boats run from Gialos and Pedi.
Nimborio is a small bay with a thin stretch of beach. You can take a water taxi there or walk 30 minutes from Symi town. Wikipedia lists Nimborio and Pedi among the townships of the island. Both are options for the free time after you land.
Nanou is another pebble beach. A travel writer says the pebbles keep the water crystal clear. Visitors arrive by boat ride or water taxi, and one source says you can also hike there. A small canteen opens in certain years, and pine trees give natural shade.
Wikipedia describes the coast of Symi as a mix of rocky cliffs, beaches and isolated coves. St George’s Bay fits that picture: a narrow inlet between cliffs. Plan your symi day trip from rhodes around that swim, then use the free time in town for the rest.
What about Panormitis Monastery on a Symi Day Trip from Rhodes?
Panormitis Monastery honours Archangel Michael and stands on the south end of Symi. A symi day trip from rhodes can include it. The present church dates to the eighteenth century. Two museums stand beside it. One itinerary allows about an hour at the site.
Panormitis is a small village on the south end of Symi, and the monastery sits on its sea front. One encyclopedia lists it as a township of the island, next to Pedi, Nimborio and Marathounda. Symi town, called Gialos, lies northeast of it. A symi day trip from rhodes that stops here visits the south of the island.
According to manuscripts, the monastery has existed since the fifteenth century. One tourism page links its origins to the era of the Knights. It was founded in honour of Archangel Michael. His icon is covered in silver and gold, and the monastery considers it miraculous.
The monastery was destroyed in the middle of the eighteenth century and then rebuilt. The present church dates to that rebuilding. Mastrodiakos Taliadouros built the temple, and the Karakosti brothers painted the frescoes inside. The exact date of the first church is not known. Each symi day trip from rhodes that stops here shows you the rebuilt church.
Visitors pass the gate into an inner courtyard with exotic trees and plants. The church is on the left, and iconography covers its interior. The Archangel is the patron saint of Symi and the guardian of sailors in the Dodecanese. Pilgrims leave gifts, and the museum shows model ships.
One writer calls the monastery a large eighteenth-century building in Venetian style. Look up from the stairs and you see the bell tower, built in the twentieth century. The big bell weighs 750 kilos. On a symi day trip from rhodes, the tower is the first sight above the stairs.
Two museums stand near the church. The first museum covers religious items. The second one focuses on folk culture and daily life in past centuries. Both are close enough to the church to see in one visit.
A local legend says the icon of the Archangel reappeared in the same spot after it was removed. The monastery celebrates on 8 November and at Pentecost. Thousands of pilgrims come to celebrate Archangel Michael together. People from all over the world visit the monastery.
You reach Panormitis by sea. A ferry link from Symi town to Panormitis takes 45 minutes. A ferry site lists routes to Panormitis from Kalymnos, Kos, Leros, Patmos, Rhodes and Symi. Day ferries bring visitors to the monastery every day. A symi day trip from rhodes is one way these visitors arrive.
One itinerary allows about an hour at the monastery for sightseeing, shopping or sitting in the quiet setting. In that plan the monastery comes first, then a short stop at a bay, then free time in Symi town. Another listing for a symi day trip from rhodes names the monastery next to a swim in St George’s Bay.
Nudism is forbidden near the monastery, according to one ferry site. A dependency of the monastery, called Megalos Sotiris, lies on the way to Panormitis. The monastery supported the revolution of the early nineteenth century with money. Check the time at the monastery on your own symi day trip from rhodes before you board.
Which formats does a symi day trip from rhodes come in?
A symi day trip from rhodes comes in six formats. These are the high-speed boat, speedboat, catamaran, motor yacht, sunset cruise and ferry-style day trip. They differ in boat type, time on the island, swim stops, meals and hotel pickup.
The high-speed boat is the first format to know. One gig describes a stable high-speed cruiser and gives around 4 hours of free time, depending on the weather. Another gig runs a boat with wave piercing technology and gives 3 hours of free time. Choose it for a symi day trip from rhodes with long free hours.
The speedboat format adds comfort on deck. One gig says the speedboat has an air-conditioned indoor space and a sundeck. It lasts 7 hours and leaves you free time to shop, eat and explore Symi at your own pace. A second speedboat gig lasts 7.5 hours and adds a monastery stop and local snacks.
The catamaran gigs give you air-conditioned seating and a spacious sundeck. One catamaran gig lasts 8 hours and gives 3 hours in Symi at your own pace. It then visits a monastery. Another catamaran gig lasts 8 hours and adds Saint George’s Bay. This is the format for a symi day trip from rhodes with two extra stops.
Yacht gigs are the comfort format. One modern yacht has indoor and outdoor seating and Wifi. It sails direct to Symi with no intermediate stops. You choose a morning or an afternoon departure, and hotel pickup is included on both. That symi day trip from rhodes lasts 6 hours and gives 3 hours of free time.
A second yacht gig lasts 8 hours and adds food and drink. It lists two swim stops, at Saint George’s Bay and at Seskli Island, plus unlimited drinks and lunch. Another gig sells packages, and the gig says that selected packages include lunch and drinks. Check the package name before you pick, because the meal is part of that choice.
The sunset format changes the clock. The gig lasts 5 hours and has a 30-minute swim stop. You spend 3 hours in Symi at sunset time. A separate gig lists departures at 09:00, 11:00 and 15:15, with returns at 15:00, 17:00 or 21:00. So a symi day trip from rhodes can start in the morning or the afternoon.
Free time is the core of the standard format. The high-speed boat, the catamaran, the yacht and the sunset cruise each state 3 hours of free time in Symi. You walk, shop and eat on your own. A separate gig on the island sells a 2-hour e-bike tour. You ride with a leader or at your own pace.
Hotel pickup is the next choice. One gig lists transfers from Faliraki, Ixia, Kremasti or Kolymbia. Other gigs carry the Pickup available tag. Titles such as “Transfer Incl.” mark the gigs where the transfer is part of the offer. A symi day trip from rhodes with a transfer means the gig covers the road leg.
The ferry-style format is the plainest. One gig is a full-day trip by ferry that lasts 9 hours. It lists colourful neoclassical house facades, fishing boats, sponge diving traditions and a monastery. A separate gig sells one-way ferry tickets only. That gig gives you the crossing and leaves the rest of the day to you.
Compare the formats by length first. The sunset cruise lasts 5 hours and the direct yacht 6 hours. The speedboat lasts 7 hours, the catamaran 8 hours and the ferry-style trip 9 hours. Then compare free time, swim stops and meals. This order helps you pick a symi day trip from rhodes that fits your day.
When is the right time for a Symi day trip from Rhodes and what do you bring?
Pick April to June or September to October for a symi day trip from rhodes. The weather is mild and crowds are fewer. Bring a hat, sun protection, walking shoes, swimwear and a photo ID or passport.
A travel site on Symi recommends April to June and September to October for a symi day trip from rhodes. It says the weather is mild then and the tourist crowds are fewer. Wikipedia describes the tourist season on Symi as lasting from Easter until early November.
Rhodes has a hot-summer Mediterranean climate. At Rhodes airport, July and August have an average daily high of 30.6 and 30.7 degrees Celsius. Rain falls at 0.7 millimetres in July and 1.3 in August. A summer symi day trip from rhodes meets almost no rain.
The sea around Rhodes warms through the season. Wikipedia lists 23.4 degrees Celsius in June, 25.9 in July and 27.2 in August. September reaches 26.7 and October falls to 23.8. August gives swimmers the warmest water.
Wikipedia says the meltemi wind blows from about the middle of the fifth month to mid-September. Gusts climb to Beaufort force 7 or 8 and peak in the afternoon. It can last for days without a break. Keep that wind in mind when you choose a symi day trip from rhodes in summer.
The same article says the winds come up in clear weather without warning. One travel writer found the sea crossing bumpier than expected and very windy. The original date of that writer was cancelled because of high winds. A ferry-booking site adds that weather can affect a ferry schedule. A symi day trip from rhodes depends on the sea.
The World Health Organization says UV peaks in the four hours around solar noon. Solar noon falls between noon and 2 p.m. At UV index 8 and above, the agency advises avoiding the outdoors at midday and seeking shade. Plan the walking part of this symi day trip from rhodes around that window.
A travel writer reports that in high season the operator sometimes runs two tours a day. The writer says you need the earlier tour if you want the swim stop. The meeting point was already busy at 8:30 in the morning. Early starts also keep you out of the midday sun and give you more time on the island.
The same writer advises a hat, sun protection and comfortable walking shoes. The World Health Organization lists clothing, a hat, sunglasses, shade and sunscreen as protective measures. Add swimwear and a towel if your boat includes a swim. Water shoes and a dry bag are easy extras for the swim stop.
A travel site says Symi is small and suits exploring on foot. It says you can rent a scooter or take a local taxi to reach remote beaches or Chorio. The travel writer made the crossing with an 8-year-old son.
A ferry-booking site for the Symi to Rhodes route lists proof of identification as an item to carry. Its examples are an ID or a passport. It lists your ticket or booking proof as well. Interrail says port checks of passport or ID are mandatory on international routes. Carry photo ID on your symi day trip from rhodes.