Symi Island, Greece
There is a myriad of choices when it comes to hotel choices on Symi Island but we could not have chosen better. Nicholas, the owner of the family-run Albatros Inn was waiting patiently for us at the dock. He immediately offered a hand with our luggage.
We did not have much luggage but it was a nice gesture. We instantly felt welcome! We paid $430.00 for a six-night stay at the Albatros Inn and give them a five-star rating.
Mamma Mia
We arrived by ferry from Bodrum Turkey to the port in Symi town about mid-morning. We had forgotten all about passport control and were in no hurry to leave the ferry. Rookie mistake. The line moved fairly quickly and Nicholas appeared with bottles of cold water to battle the heat.
He told us about the inn, his family, and his upcoming wedding in a couple of weeks. It was to be a typical Greek wedding with about 350 guests.
Had we arrived for a sequel to the Mamma-Mia movie? It certainly felt that way as Nicholas led us through the cozy town center with the iconic clock tower to the quaint four-room inn. Nicholas had a detailed map of the island ready, pointed out his favorite beaches, and provided us with the ins and outs of the island. We were all set.
Symi Beaches
There are no beaches in Symi Town so one needs to walk about 15 or 45 minutes, take a bus/cab, hire a scooter or take a water taxi to get to the beaches. We did not mind. The town core is very cozy with colorful neoclassical houses, restaurants, and cafés. It is a bit touristy but at no point was it over the top. Below we will list our favorite Symi beaches.
The Key To an Authentic Greek Island Vacation
Diana had read, the key to a quaint and authentic Greek experience is to visit an island with no airport. We arrived by ferry from Bodrum, Turkey. Wherever we went on Symi Island, we were met with smiles, professional service, and a welcoming atmosphere.
I especially hit it off with the local grocery store owner. He had visited Vancouver in the seventies and loved it. On our last day, he gave us a bottle of local wine to take home. Opa!
St. Nicholas Beach, Symi
On day one we opted for the bus; the final destination was St. Nicholas Beach. From the bus stop, the hike to the beach is roughly 20 minutes. The trail gives you a chance to take in the scenery en route and makes the cooling swim well-deserved once you hit the beach.
The photo above is Di hiking into St. Nicholas. We hung out all day and took a water taxi back to town at the end of the afternoon. Sorry to rub it in but we were all smiles.
Round the Island Day Cruise With “the Poseidon”
On day two at Symi, we signed up for a day trip with “the Poseidon” for a cruise around the island with lunch included. It was an all-around excellent day, where we also visited the Archangel Michael of Panormitis Monastery. We warmly recommend this cruise.
Nimborios Beach, Symi
Life’s a beach in Symi and on day three we decided to start the day with a walk. Nimborios Beach, a large bay with a pebble beach, is about a 45-minute walk from town. There is a taverna with sunbeds but no shops. Translation – an almost surreal quiet day. We enjoyed a good lunch and dove into our books as well as the crystal clear water.
The 5 pm water taxi took us back to town. Early evening I headed out on a photo walk in the hills above Symi while Di stayed back in the air-conditioned room with the book she couldn’t put down. The golden hour meant several keepers. A dream come true for me.
Check out the blog post from The Hills above Symi.
St. George Beach and Nanou Bay, Symi
We had two beaches on the program for day four. We had visited St. George a couple of days earlier on our cruise around the island. With a steep rock face, the cove took our breath away. The bay was in the shade late afternoon and it was a mesmerizing swim from the boat.
This time around we arrived via water taxi mid-morning and there was a different feel to this beach with nowhere to hide from the scorching sun.
The daily temperatures of 30 Celcius (felt like 40) were an enduring challenge. We stayed for a couple of hours and continued via water taxi to Nanou Bay where we rented sunbeds and repeated our read, swim, lunch pattern from the day before. Water taxi at 5 pm back to our room for cooling showers and AC.
Couples Massage, Dinner Out, and Packing
Day five was a relaxing day. We hung out and got things ready for our next move. We had a couple’s massage and started packing. We booked an 8 am ferry as we discovered we could catch up with our good friend Alice and family, vacationing in Rhodes, before our 10 pm flight to Copenhagen.
Dinner at Tholos, a famed Symi restaurant, with harbor views, was a fitting end to a fantastic visit.
Thanks to Everyone At The Albatros Inn
Last but not least we cannot forget to mention Fabien. Fabien is Nicholas’ mother. She and her husband originally built the Albatros Inn about thirty years ago. She is French/Greek and now lives in Athens.
Fabien was in town for the wedding and we met here every morning during breakfast. Thank you for the wonderful conversations about children and your experiences running the inn. We had a wonderful stay and hope the wedding went well.
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