Symi
A jewel of the Dodecanese
The island of Symi ranks among the most striking in the southeastern Aegean Sea, lying near the Turkish coast and north of Rhodes. It is admired for its attractive natural harbour, pastel-coloured neoclassical houses, rugged hillsides, and clear turquoise water.
Unlike some of Greece’s larger and busier holiday islands, Symi offers a more intimate, traditional atmosphere. Its appeal depends on a blend of elegant architecture, maritime history, quiet coves, and the unhurried pace of island life.
The island’s main port forms a striking natural amphitheatre of colourful houses rising up the surrounding hills. Cafés, tavernas, and small shops border the waterfront, where fishing boats and visiting yachts rest beside traditional wooden vessels.
Symi’s architecture reveals a prosperous past. In the 19th century, the island grew into a key centre for sponge diving, shipbuilding, and maritime trade. Affluent merchants constructed grand neoclassical houses with decorative façades, balconies, and tiled roofs, many of which remain today.
The island later shifted through Ottoman and Italian rule before joining Greece with the other Dodecanese islands in 1948. Its historic town is protected, which helps maintain the distinctive character of its buildings.
Symi as a destination for photography
Symi is especially rewarding for photography. Rather than focusing only on the familiar harbour view, I explored smaller details along the Kali Strata.
This historic stone stairway, roughly 500 steps linking Gialos to Chorio, is a prominent landmark. The broad steps once served as a key route between the harbour and the upper town before modern roads altered movement across the island.
The path passes elegant houses and substantial merchants’ mansions built during Symi’s prosperous maritime era — landings offer natural pauses during the climb. Their pastel façades, shutters, balconies, and decorative details provide interesting photographic compositions.
Bright sunlight produces striking contrasts across the façades. Lines and perspective from stairways, narrow streets, and rising buildings direct the eye through the frame.
The Kali Strata is more than a staircase - it is an historic route through Symi’s architectural heritage, blending geometry, colour, and a Mediterranean atmosphere.
